Tag Archive for: photos

Boost Your Business With Brand Images

Guest Post By Melissa Henry, CEO of Melissa Demple Photography, LLC

“Having good images allows you to claim higher prices.”
Melina Palmer, Behavioral Economics Expert and Host of “The Brainy Business Podcast”

Exactly when WAS the last time you had photos taken for your business?

I know, I know…getting your photos taken is about as much fun as going to the dentist. No offense to the dentists out there but if you are one, I bet you don’t like having your photo taken either!

When you started your business, you needed a headshot for your LinkedIn profile and website. So, you found a photographer and ended up with a decent professional photo of yourself on a boring gray background that shows people what you look like, right?

And hey, that’s all you really need. I mean you aren’t trying to become an Instagram influencer, you just want to have a successful business, right?

Well, let me ask you…

  • Do you dream of creating a wildly successful online business?
  • Are you a speaker who wants to land big stages and get paid to speak?
  • Do you dream of becoming known as the expert in your industry?
  • Do you want to be a best-selling author?
  • Do you want to easily pivot in your business and bring your audience with you?

If you said yes to any of these, then stay with me.

Brand_Photo_Melissa Demple Photography

What are personal brand photos?

Personal brand photos are images that result from intentionally creating a visual interpretation of the concepts you want to communicate to your target audience and transformations your product or service provides to your ideal clients.

Yes, that’s my “technical definition” but since that’s pretty boring, I’ll also put it this way:

Personal brand images help you:

  • Stand out online
  • Build the know, LOVE, and trust factor
  • Show your audience why they must choose YOU
  • Sell out your offers
  • Sell more books!
  • Show event organizers why YOU should speak at their event

Besides all of those pretty amazing things, here’s something really interesting. Did you know that social media posts that include images produce 650% higher engagement than text only posts?
(www.inc.com/larry-kim/visual-content-marketing-16-eye-popping-statistics-you-need-to-know.html)

Yes, that saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” is totally true!

Brand_Photo_Melissa Demple Photography

What images should I have?

The possibilities for your brand images are practically endless. Since the whole point of branding is to highlight your uniqueness and why your ideal client should choose you, no one list of specific images will work for all people. However, I’ve put together some general ideas for images you can, and should have for your business:

A high-quality horizontal image that can be used as the “hero” image on your website. For most service-based business, you can make this an image of you, you working with a “client” OR a client after they have experienced “transformation” as a result.

Create images that show your most important personality traits or aspects about your life that connect you with your ideal client. The key is to be intentional about truly connecting with your audience.

Create images that show emotion! If you want your clients to feel empowered and confident, an image of a client standing in a power pose looking towards the “future” with a smile really drives home the point!

Create some “behind the scenes” images too. It’s a fact that people will feel closer to you if you show them that little peek behind the curtain in your business.

Brand_Photo_Melissa Demple Photography

Using your brand photos

You may be thinking, “Hey Melissa, thanks for the info but where the heck would I even use photos like these anyway?” I’m here to tell you that you can use your images to connect with your audience in tons of ways.

Here’s how my speakers, authors and entrepreneurs have used their images to grow their business and their impact:

  • Website
  • Profiles and banners for social media
  • Speaker bios and one-sheets
  • Blog posts
  • Media kits
  • Podcast art and video podcast intros
  • Social media posts
  • Newsletters
  • Lead magnets
  • Webinars
  • Book covers
  • Magazine articles, and much more!

Get the tools you need

If you’ve read this far, I am guessing that at least one of these statements are true for you:

  • You are sick and tired of attracting price-shopping clients
  • You are frustrated that you get little engagement on your social media
  • You want to attract the RIGHT clients without being pushy or having to “market” AT them all the time

Imagine if your website and social media platforms enticed your ideal clients to comment on your posts, grab your new freebie, and schedule calls with you, without having to keep proving that you are the expert.

Wouldn’t that feel amazing?

If this sounds like you, grab my FREE “Boost Your Brand Toolkit”

This toolkit will help you identify actionable steps to take to:

  • Attract more of the kinds of clients who are ready to buy
  • Land more speaking opportunities to grow your audience and get more leads
  • Have an irresistible brand that helps you call in the RIGHT clients with ease
  • Up-level your look and scale your business
  • Show up as an expert and thought leader in your industry

I cannot wait to see you SHINE online!

About the Author

Melissa HenryMelissa Henry, CEO of Melissa Demple Photography, helps speakers, authors and entrepreneurs become KNOWN. Walk away feeling like a rock star with powerful clarity on your personal brand, including unique images that wow your target audience and help you sell out your programs, books and win those coveted keynote spots!

Quoted in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and featured in Thrive Global as well as on podcasts such as The Rita Made Me Do It Show, No Fat Cats, and Two Girls Talking, Melissa understands the challenges of standing out in the crowded marketplace and will make sure you and your business do too!

Tips for Picking the Best Images for Your Online Messaging

When you’re selecting images for your website, social posts and other online efforts, you want to maintain a look and feel that’s true to your brand. Take time to define the factors that make a visual “on brand” and use only those that fit.

If you’ve ever been tempted to insert cartoon clip art that would look out of place on your sleek, minimalist website, follow these photo tips and that will help you choose images that are both on point and on brand.

Pay Attention to Look and Feel

Stock imagery is a great way to add visual interest to a blog post, a page on your website, or your homepage. Stock images are fine, as long as they fit with your site’s overall look and feel.

Home page images, which are often very large, play an important role in defining your brand’s aesthetic. This image should guide you as you choose images for other parts of your site.

Choose complementary images. By thinking about the overall look of your site, you’ll be more likely to choose images that are consistent and on brand.

Your Own Images Are Best

Stock photos can work, but your own images are generally best. Create one-of-a-kind website images that align with your brand.

Luckily, you don’t need to be a professional photographer or own expensive software to make simple but powerful edits to your images. A basic crop can help. A filter can instantly change the mood of a photo. Add words to images when you want to incorporate a company name or slogan or important details.

Tell Your Story with Images

Modern web and social media platforms make it easy to add visual flair. Use slideshows and galleries to help tell your story online.