The Must Have Images for Your Business

The Must Have Images for Your Business

Business owners always want to know: “what are the must have images for my business?”

Most realize that professional headshots are on the top of that list of the must have images for your business. For more on why you need a professional headshot check out this blog on the Top 5 Reasons You Need a Professional Headshot.

Let’s look at other must have images for your business. Why are images so important to your business? The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. ~ 3M Corporation, 2001. Great images will ramp up your online visibility and let people know what your business is all about in a way that they will remember.

We will use Werkman, Boven & Associates – Chiropodists’ pre-COVID photoshoot as a case study. They called me because they needed professional staff headshots for their website. They understood that people hire those they know, like and trust. And that starts with seeing who the doctors and staff are at the clinic. But they weren’t aware that they needed more.

Smartphones and Stock Images

Before I photograph any client, we start with a pre-session STRATEGY call. In this call I ask lots of questions about your business. I help guide you as to what the must have images for your business are and figure out where you are currently sourcing your images from.

Werkman, Boven & Associates were using some smartphone snaps which definitely have a place, especially for social media posts. Unless you’re someone who knows a lot about lighting and angles however, smartphone snaps don’t always present professionally on your website. 

For their website, they were purchasing and using some stock images. Stock images can be useful for sure. But you want to be careful that your website isn’t full of stock imagery. You run the risk of using the same stock images as other businesses in your industry, and that doesn’t set you apart. And you run the risk of potential customers not seeing your business as authentic. Instead of paying for stock, it makes more sense to hire a photographer to capture the heart of your business.

So what are the must have images for your business. Depending on the business this list can vary somewhat. But, if you are a business owner you will find something in this list that applies to you.

Your Space

Werkman, Boven & Associates own a clinic, and therefore they have a physical space. Showing their building from the outside is a must. Their building is at the back of a complex, and harder to find, so we also captured the complex from the street view. This has been very helpful in new patients finding their clinic. Both of these images appear on the Home page of their website. By the way – did you notice the first image on their home page below? Their headshots! Who they are, what they do for you, and how to find them – amazing information for the home page. You also need to show images of the inside of your space so clients/patients know what to expect and trust that it’s a safe and clean environment. What if I have a home office only? There can still be creative ways of showcasing you working in your space. Googling images of home office might give you some great ideas.

Product Shots

If you sell products, you will need professional images of your products. Product shots surrounded by white space are super versatile as the client can use the negative space for copy. This opens up a variety of usage possibilities. See the example below where the Care Lotion image has been used in an instagram post. Shots of your product in use (action shots) are fantastic as well.

   

The Client

If you can, it is best to get shots of your happy client. Or better yet, you working with your client. Or your client using your product or experiencing your service. These types of images give huge credibility to your business.

 

Behind the Scenes

Or as we photographers call “BTS”. You’ll want to show some images of what working in the business looks like – whether that is you making your product or delivering your product. In this case study my client needed to show images of their modalities, their products and their office space and how they serves their clients.

More of You

You will want to have some more relaxed shots of you. Shots that have more personality so people can get a sense of who you are beyond the headshot. Images that help reveal your character. Images that show how you connect with your client (or patient). If you’re a solopreneur, you’ll want more story telling images.

Our Solution

Once we established that Werkman, Boven & Associates needed more than just headshots, we set aside 2 days. The first day was in the studio, with a professional makeup artist, dedicated to capturing the staff individual headshots and group headshots. 

On the second day I went to the clinic to capture a library of images for their website. We had pre-organized a couple of clients to sign off permission to let us capture them being treated. I had also asked them to make a shot list – a list of products they wanted to showcase or to post about, a list of modalities that they commonly use and that show what services they offer for their clients, and a list of the special features of their office.

After spending the time photographing Werkman, Boven & Associates, they have a library of must have images for their business to cover social media and blog posts. Their website is fantastic. They look pro, trustworthy and caring. They are getting more inquiries, and converting more clients.

For lots more examples on where to use your professional photographs and how to strengthen your brand with professional photography check out this blog.

Grab your FREE Online Presence Checklist to see how visible you are online.