Marketing
Image is everything in the world of business.
We're all in a very competitive marketplace - whether you're a retailer, web designer, writer, photographer... the list goes on and on. The bottom line: competition is stiff.
So how do you go about marketing yourself as original, professional, better than the rest? How do you convince consumers that your business is the one they should choose?
The answers to those questions are limitless, but I'm going to apply my area of expertise - photography - to help answer these questions and others.
The image your business puts forth is essential. Sure, customer service, quality products, and all the rest are very important. But your business' image is what will make the first impression on a potential consumer.
A lot of different aspects contribute to "image," including logo design, professional web design, architectural design (for brick-and-mortar establishments), and photography.
Many small business owners hesitate to pay for professional photography to include in marketing efforts, such as print advertising, websites, and so on.
Some think it's best just to settle for stock photography. And to tell you the truth, stock photography is great for some situations.
However, to truly set yourself apart from the rest and establish a brand identity for your business, you should aim to set aside a portion of your marketing budget for professional quality photography.
Quality Product Photography Sells: Image is Everything in Web Sales
If you have a mail-order catalog or e-commerce site, chances are the topic of product photography has come up frequently. It doesn't really matter what you sell; quality product photography is essential to differentiating your products from the competition.
Think about your own online or catalog shopping habits: do you choose the products that are well photographed (you can see all the details, colors seem accurate, high-quality resolution, appropriate contrast, proper use of lighting, etc.) or the products that are poorly photographed (blurry, dark, no details, pixelated, poorly reproduced, low-resolution, strange color casts, etc.)?
I'm guessing you'd choose the former. And so will just about any customer. Quality product photography is your only chance to capture a customer's attention. With bad photography, you might send him or her looking for another brand or shopping outlet.
Professional-looking product photography is paramount to your success in Web sales or catalog sales; poor photography will show your customers you don't care about your products.
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Quality Photography Works: Image is Everything in Real Estate
Whether the housing market is at its peak or struggling, quality photography in real estate marketing is of the utmost importance. Why? With the growing popularity of online house-hunting, potential buyers may only ever see photos of the house.
Simply put, first impressions do matter, and quality photographs of a piece of real estate can generate interest in potential buyers or turn them away. A listing can have wonderful copy, but if it doesn't make a strong visual impact, it won't be as effective in drawing in a potential buyer.
Many sellers or Realtors are intimidated by the task of producing professional-looking photos of homes. And to be truthful, it's not an easy or inexpensive undertaking. If you opt to do-it-yourself, professional-grade equipment, including an entry-level digital SLR camera, wide-angle lens, photo editing software and lighting equipment, can easily run you $2,500. Not to mention the learning curve.
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