There’s a reason why social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest were designed to be visual – it’s more engaging! Think of the last time you clicked on a social media link. Was there a mouth-watering image of ice cream? A beautiful home design? A baby hugging a puppy?

Images are powerful tools in eliciting human emotions and inciting consumer behaviors (like clicks) that grow your brand and business – when they’re used effectively.

The Real Value is Behind the Camera

Many businesses hesitate to hire a professional photographer because, well, they have a camera on their phone. It’s the same thing, right? Not the case! Most people have the ability to write but do they call themselves a writer? Photography is no different.

Professional Photographers have trained themselves to see the world differently and think in terms of light, color, and composition. We know how to tweak and position products and people to create visually appealing images, and we know how to use advanced software to adjust every pixel to perfectly match your brand.

These are the types of images that build credible visual brands.

Some people have a natural eye for photography, and if that’s you, then tap away on that iPhone, sister! But if you have ever struggled with knowing what to photograph, how to make it look “right”, how to balance consistency and creativity, or how to get an image of yourself that doesn’t look posed and unnatural, then this is the blog for you.

Here are 6 reasons why your business needs a professional photographer.

1. Create the Right First Impression

What’s the first thing your customers will see when they stumble across your brand? A flyer? A Facebook event? An Instagram advertisement? Whatever the medium, their first impression will most likely be shaped by photos. In fact, 90% of information that is sent to your brain is visual, which means that the photos you choose to create and share carry a lot of weight in your brand messaging. This includes images on your website, print materials, and even your personal social media accounts. What’s the first impression your potential customers will get?

If choosing between these two coffee shops,

which gives the best first impression?

2. Increase Brand Recognition and Retention

The images you use can also increase your customers’ ability to recall your brand and message. Will they remember your Instagram advertisement for women’s clothing next week when they need a new outfit for that presentation at work?

Studies have shown that people will remember 10% of what they read 3 days later, but if there’s a relevant image combined with that same information, retention increases to 65%. Plug these leaks in your sales funnel and increase your conversion rates by investing in memorable images.

Which of the following Instagram accounts would you be more likely to remember and follow?

3. Establish Trust

Professional photos will communicate that you provide professional quality products and services. Plain and simple. First, this establishes trust by showing that you are invested in your business. In fact, 60% of consumers are more likely to select a business if images show up in their google search, and 63% of consumers believe that high-quality, relevant images are more important that good product descriptions.

Providing images of you and your business creates transparency and trust, but professional quality photos will establish relevance and credibility. You need both!

Now for a disclaimer: Stock photos may look professional, but they do not create trust.

A photo of strangers in a team huddle does not create the same transparency or credibility as a photo of your staff members at a team meeting. Using personal and relatable photos deepens the connection between you and your consumers.

4. Save Time

Continually generating branded content can be time consuming and mentally exhausting. If you post to your accounts 2-3 times each week, and own multiple accounts, you could be spending 20+ hours generating content each month. A well-executed content creation strategy takes time.

Many small business owners and entrepreneurs end up prioritizing other tasks over content management, sometimes forgoing it for weeks at a time. After all, when your point-of-sales system is acting up, posting to Instagram feels like a waste of time. But isn’t finding, keeping, and growing your customer base your most essential role as a business owner? What would you be able to accomplish in your business if you delegated this role to an expert who prioritized it?

5. ROI – Return On Investment

A major roadblock to hiring experts is the price. However, the return on your investment in terms of time saved (and better spent), brand loyalty developed and new customers acquired makes it a no-brainer.

On average, a visitor to your website will only read 20% of the page, but will view every image on the page. We don’t have the attention spans to sort through lengthy content. I’m sure you spend a significant amount of time, energy, and resources to get visitors to your website each month, so why wouldn’t you also invest in high-quality, on-brand images that convert visits to sales?

Professionally branded images can also increase your brand loyalty by helping you form deeper personal relationships with your consumers. Studies have shown that consumer behaviors are more easily influenced by emotions rather than logic. Anyone who has eaten a pint of Ben & Jerry’s knows this to be true.

Brands need to connect with their customers in meaningful ways in order to build loyalty. Relevant brand imagery can engage consumers in ways that messaging alone will not. If you want to foster an emotional connection with your consumer, you need to create imagery that can elicit emotions such as inspiration, empathy, joy, excitement, fear, or adventure. I help my clients to identify the emotions they want their customers to experience when interacting with their brand.

6. Creativity

We’ve all said it. “I’m not creative.” Sometimes taking photos for your business can feel repetitive or robotic, and your followers can see it! Stop the same picture, different day cycle. With an outside perspective, a professional photographer will come up with new ways to showcase the products and services that you see day-in and day-out. Keep your customers engaged with your brand by switching up your content and continually trying new things.

Ready to Hire A Professional Photographer for Your Business?

I’d love to chat about your photography needs – just fill out my contact form to request a free consultation. Even if I’m not the right fit for your business, I would love to learn about your challenges and point you in the right direction.