Stock Photos Will Harm Your Business
If you’ve been using stock photos for your small business, STOP!!
Why? Because, they lack authenticity. I get that stock photos are easy and quick. And, when you have 40 things on your to-do list for the day, it’s really tempting to use a generic photograph.
If you’re a small business trying to build trust and connect with your potential customers, stock photos aren’t the answer.
They can’t convey your business mission and values or what makes YOUR business unique. They can even make your company seem dated and out of touch!
A while ago, I was hired by a business to take some brand photos. I did a google search to learn what I could about the business and see what their online presence looked like.
I found the website and was SHOCKED to not be able to find a single real life photo. I checked the about page, the contact page and all the other pages… what I did find were a few stock photos of services they offered.
Personally, if I’d been a potential customer, I’d probably keep scrolling, because I didn’t find anything there to reassure me or give me a sense of what it’d be like to go there. I couldn’t get a feel for the owners personality or what made their business special.
In today’s noisy digital world, having a well known brand is the key to business success. Companies that lack brand awareness are more apt to lose business to their competitors.
Some reasons that personal brand photos DO help your small business are:
First and foremost, personal brand photos build trust. They show the REAL you in your environment- whether that’s in a studio, office or out in the field…And, this allows your potential customer to get a sense of who you are and what you do. They begin to feel like they’re getting to know you.
Brand photos can visually tell your story and how. your business is different. This helps your business to be remembered. Instead of some generic face, YOU and your story are part of the brand, and this helps people connect with you on a deeper level.
Today there are over 5 BILLION social media users and everyone is fighting for attention. Investing in personal brand photography is a way to differentiate yourself and stand out from the crowd.
YOU definitely do NOT want to be the same as everyone else.
When someone lands on your social media page or website, and they see a quality, on-brand photo of you or your business, they feel more reassured and it increases the know, like and trust factory for them. It helps your business to make a great first impression!
A personal brand photoshoot provides plenty of content to use in social media posts, on your website, in newsletters and for marketing.
Personal brand photos humanize your business. A smiling face helps you to appear friendly and approachable. Lifestyle photos (walking the dog, playing with your child, grabbing a coffee, etc…) create connecting points with your potential customers.
So, while stock photos are the easy route, they aren’t helping you connect with your customers in any way. ON the other hand, personal brand photos are a powerful tool. you can use to share your unique story and mission and help your business to become unforgettable and stay top-of-mind!
If you’d like help with your own brand photos, fill out this form HERE to get the process started! I’d love to help you make your business UNFORGETTABLE and the GO-TO brand:))
xx Deb