Good photography is so important for your business…but it isn’t everything.

Sometimes business owners who have invested in photography can find that their images aren’t really working for them or that their business isn’t moving forward as a result like they had hoped.

As a person who has crossed paths with A LOT of business owners wanting to make the most out of their photos, I’ve found that there are a few key things that need to be in place in order for images to have the desired effect for a business.  So here’s what you can do to up the productivity of your photos.

Packaging and Labeling

From a product standpoint, packaging and labeling are a huge deal — just as important as font and color choices and website appearance.  The camera picks up all the details of packaging and labeling, so imperfections there will bring down the quality of an image.  That’s why having these materials on point BEFORE you take your products to a photographer is essential.  It makes a huge difference in the photography outcome and how potential buyers will perceive your products.

Solid Business Plan

You need a real plan for your photos and how they’ll fit in with your business goals, girl!  How are you going to use those photos to promote and grow your business?  Where are you going to use them? And who will be helping you? Know your resources and have your tools lined up to help you!

Most of us start in the DIY phase, in which we’re making our own graphics and marketing materials.  I know I did!  So even if paying people to take care of those things isn’t in the budget yet, you can always look for free and low cost sources of advice on subjects like sizing your images correctly, getting the resolution right, choosing templates, etc.  And once money becomes less tight, it’s helpful to take stock of what photo-related tasks you’re good at and what you might want to outsource to someone with more expertise.

Quality Control

You’ll want to have your quality control process figured out BEFORE you have a photographer snap pictures of a product.  If what someone actually receives doesn’t match a pictured product, it’s easy to end up with an unsatisfied customer.  So don’t figure this out along way.  Take the time to get your product consistent, and then invest in images that show what you have to offer at its best.  In that way, you can make a great first impression and follow through with a satisfying product.

Social Media Plan

How are you going to use and share your images specifically on social media?  Having a plan there will help you present your photos in a more focused and meaningful way, and there are a lot of tools that can help you do this.  One of my favorites is Unfold.  It’s an app for prepping Instagram Stories that lets you create a strategy around what products you can highlight, plug and play your photos, and see what your Insta grid would look like ahead of time.  Brand designers, marketing specialists, and photographers can also help you figure out how to use your images in the best way possible, whether you consult with them in person or use their materials to increase your own knowledge as a DIY-er.

So don’t just make an investment in photography and hope for the best.  Make a SMART investment by getting these key success factors in place so that you can maximize what your images will do for your business.  If you have comments or questions about getting the most business photography bang for your buck, I’d love to hear from you below.  And don’t forget that I have my Flatlay Method Ecourse to help all of you DIY-ers take your own beautiful flatlays!

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