Photographers, Your Photoshoots Should Be A Branded Experience – Here’s How To Do It.
What if I told you that branding isn’t limited to how you show up online?
Nope. It’s not limited to your portfolio, your social media pages, or your website.
And it’s not just colors, logos, words, and pictures.
Branding is everything you do for a client. Every interaction you make with them.
I get it. People often talk about branding like it’s something digitally tangible, something you can find on their website and social media pages – and it is to a degree.
Online branding allows your audience to begin to like, know, like, and trust you before they meet you in person.
But branding shouldn’t stop there.
If you are a photographer, staying true to the brand you’ve established online will not only help clients feel more comfortable during their sessions with you but also encourage them to return again and again.
Here is how to create a branded experience for your clients that will allow them to feel relaxed, happy, and pampered.
Step One: Craft the perfect invitation.
Make them an offer they can’t refuse. Okay, maybe not in an ominous way. The good way! The “this invite was made for me” kind of way.
The perfect invitation doesn’t just include essential details like the date, time, and location; it should also include your unique selling proposition (USP) – i.e., what separates you from the other photographers in your field, making you special and unique.
If you're unsure of your USP, it could be your style, your approach, your target audience, or even all of these things combined.
An on-brand invite is one that introduces your shoot's concept or theme in a way that oh-so-subtly includes your USP as a photographer. Try to use the wording of your invite to match the tone and style of your photoshoot. This will help get your clients excited!
Once you’re sure you’ve done that, don’t forget to include all other important instructions for your clients, such as:
Date
Time
Location
Attire suggestions
Contact information
How to book
You might also include a thematically or conceptually relevant image or a sample photo from your portfolio of past clients.
When it comes to posting or sending your invites, timing is everything.
If it's too early, people won’t plan that far in advance. If it's too late, everyone’s calendars are already full. It’s a good idea to warm the waters first. Share posts that relate to the need for the photoshoot experience you are going to announce so that when you do, you provide the solution they’re ready for, the invitation they’ve been waiting for.
Step Two: Set up a personalized photo shoot set.
A personalized set is a powerful way to create a truly branded experience for photography clients. At Alight Collaborative, we have furnished our North Austin studio with many beautiful statement and general-use pieces, including several couches, chairs, stools, tables, rugs, lamps, desks, and live plants (all of which are rotated and changed seasonally.)
Our Central Texas studio can serve as a canvas on which you stay true to your brand’s aesthetic and values. Always go with colors, themes, and styles that you know are going to vibe with your clients and in a location that complements your brand.
You can even add customized props to cater to individual clients, making them feel special, and send them on their way with branded merchandise, ensuring they feel more connected to you.
Step Three: Offer refreshments and create a memorable ambiance.
Some on-brand tunes and snacky snacks can really set the scene. For that reason, at Alight Studio (located in Pflugerville), we have a wireless speaker ready to connect to your personal device and a well-stocked refreshment station.
Want to find a branded playlist to play for your clients? No matter where you shoot, we’ve created some of those – for 4 of the brand personalities we see most often! Check them out on our Spotify channel.
Step Four: Send out post-shoot perks like custom galleries or thank-you notes.
Yep. Branding doesn’t end when the shoot does.
After your session with them, send your clients a branded thank-you message, perhaps with a sneak peek of their photos. You can do this digitally (faster) or in a handwritten thank-you note (often more appreciated!).
In your thank-you notes, be sure to include a personal message expressing your gratitude. When their custom gallery follows the thank-you note, it should be…you guessed it!…branded accordingly.
About Alight Collaborative Studio – The Best Go-To Rental Space For Photographers in Central Texas – Austin, Pflugerville, and Beyond
If you're a photographer in the Austin, Texas, area who needs to provide your clients with an elevated, branded experience, we can help.
Check out our complete amenities list, to see the ways in which you can provide a superior experience for your clients, and then book your date for our hourly studio space to see how we elevate the experience for you, too.