Branding your photography business is the number one way to make your business stick out from the competition. Here are a few mistakes photographers make when they begin the branding process.
As photographers, we like to think the main reason a client books us is because of our fantastic photography. And while the quality of our photos does play a part in the decision-making process for potential clients, there are several different cues the typical consumer looks for when deciding to hire a service-based business like photography. One of the main ways to grab a potential client’s attention and capture them as a lead is to have a great brand. However, when going down the branding road for the first time, beginners tend to make a few common mistakes. Here’s what to avoid when starting out with branding your business.
Having an Amateur Logo
When starting the branding process for your business, you may be inclined to go with the first design that comes to mind for your photography business logo. When choosing a logo for your brand, make sure that it isn’t an amateur design. This, more than ever, is an excellent place to outsource. Outsourcing your logo doesn’t have to cost a lot of money and will make all the difference in the eyes of new clients.
Having No Consistency Throughout Your Branding
When building a brand, it’s essential to be very intentional about the design choices you make. Design aspects like colors and fonts send specific psychological cues to potential clients. One of the most significant mistakes photographers make when branding is not having consistency throughout their brand in all of their online and print marketing materials. If your website has a specific color scheme, use those colors throughout your marketing in business cards, social media, and advertising. Likewise, choose fonts that complement each other, are professional, and make sure the fonts you’re choosing are fonts that you’ll be happy with over time. Rebranding is tricky and can often cause you to lose trust among potential clients.
Not Researching the Competition
The photography business is an oversaturated market. This means that every photographer within their local market has competition. When beginning to brand your business, one of the best things you can do is research your competition and see what they’re doing right, what’s working for them, and what to avoid. Not only will researching your competition help you to understand your local market more, it may also help you understand the type of clients you do and don’t want to photograph.
Branding should always be an intentional, well thought out process. You’ll be able to easily avoid all of these mistakes by stepping back and making sure you’re taking your time in making design choices for your business. With a reliable brand, great logo, and excellent design, you’ll be sticking out to more clients, and booking more photo sessions.
Source: fstoppers.com
