The human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text.
IMAGES ARE IMPORTANT!
So, if images work 60,000 times faster than text, doesn’t it make sense to use them?
People are busy! Using branded images makes it easier & quicker for your audience to determine if you are the right fit for them.
Check out the following for additional details regarding business branding photography along with example images from a local pilates studio.
I’m also providing a special, limited-time headshot offer to help you & a friend get started.
1
HERO IMAGE
Large & impactful. Create an image that shows your guests that they are in the right spot.
Welcome your guests with a glimpse into your business. Your services or products. Think about what people visiting your site are looking for.
For this pilates studio, their guests are looking for a spacious, clean environment. They want state-of-the-art equipment & knowledgeable instructors.
2
SERVICES
In the health & fitness world, the services you provide must be top-notch if you want repeat customers.
During the strategy consultation for this studio, we uncovered that customers return over & over again for several reasons. One, they have the ability to sign up for individual or group sessions. Two, it’s a spacious clean facility with new equipment. Three, customers don’t have to share equipment, which is a bonus during COVID times. And, four, they provide friendly & knowledgeable instructors.
Note that these are also topics discussed in the studio’s newsletters, social media, and marketing materials.
A professional business branding photography session creates the images to go along with the written text. The studio owner now has images showing the studio space & equipment as well as individual & group sessions.
Within a few split seconds, the user knows & understands the services provided without having to read a word.
What services do you provide? Think about the ways you could show those services with branding images.
3
PRODUCTS
When you’re in the business of selling products, you have to show it to sell it.
It’s essential that your images represent the item for sale, but they should also show the quality, texture, color, etc. You could go a step further by demostrating the “feeling” provided by your item.
The best advise I can give here is ensure your images are properly exposed and lack harsh lighting that produces dark shadows.
For this pilates studio, products are not their main source of revenue but they do have a few. In these images, we focused on a more stylized shoot to add a bit of color & interest to the products.
4
Why you?
Have you asked yourself lately “Why should customers choose me over my competition?”
When I asked the pilates studio owner this question, one of the answers was equipment.
This studio has 5 of everything. Clients do not have to share or wait for their turn. In addition, this studio offers the corealign excercise system not found in other local studios.
When you offer something thats unique or hard to find, professional branding images help you spread the word.
5
HEADSHOTS / TEAM IMAGE
How are you greeting your online customers? Do you include an image of yourself and share some background information about you & your team on your About page?
People like doing business with people they know, like & trust. You’ve heard this saying a million times. But unfortunately, too many business owners place getting a professional headshot at the bottom of their to-do list. Y’all, we all know this will never happen!
Having a profesional headshot or lifestyle image of you & your team included on your About page provides you with the ability to greet your online guests with a friendly smile. Just like you would if they entered into your store or office.
For this studio, the goal is to include the instructors headshot & bio on the website. It’s so much easier to start a new relationship when you know a little bit about the person prior to meeting them.
BONUS
Now that we’ve discussed what I think to be the top 5 images every website should have, we have to keep in mind that there are others.
For this local studio, we also included the following images in our session.
Location: Help your new clients find you by providing an image of the outside of your building or store.
Atmosphere: What kind of images can you add that provide the user with a feeling of what it would be like to do business with you?
Close-ups: These images could include the products you make or the equipment you use. Sometimes the image taken provides a pop of color.
Lenora Stein Photography
Serving The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe and north Houston areas of Texas
lenora@LenoraSteinPhotography.com