Business Branding

Whether you’re just getting started with your photography business or have been in the game for a few years, now is the perfect time see if your brand is communicating what you want to potential clients. It’s not just your logo. A brand is every interaction and impression that a client has with your business to tell your message. So if you feel like you haven’t been attracting the right kind of clients, it may have a lot to do with what your brand and messaging is saying.

What’s in a name?

If you’re just getting started, the first step is deciding a name for your business. A lot of photographers will simply use their name and this is a great option! Using only your name works like a clean slate that you can dress up however you want with the rest of your branding. Use a website like NameCheckr to see if your URL and social media handles are available. If you are using something other than your name, take time to think through what potential clients might associate it with. What someone would choose to use as a high end wedding photographer versus a lifestyle newborn photographer will be very different.

Attract YOUR people

You’ve heard us talk about finding your ideal client before. Taking the time to think about the type of person you want to attract will affect everything about your brand. Write out what you visualize that potential client to be. What kind of job do they have, what are some of their hobbies, do they have a favorite style of decorating or clothing, etc? Get as specific as you can. Then things like your colors, the language you use, what type of images you share. This will all be determined by the type of client you want to attract.

Your Mission

What kind of experience do you want to offer your clients? What do you hope they see or feel when they look at their images? Having a mission statement that outlines the answers to these kind of questions will give you something you can look back on later to make sure your business is still in line with your original goal. Here are a couple big business mission statements:

“Our customer is a creative-minded woman, who wants to look like herself, not the masses. She has a sense of adventure about what she wears, and although fashion is important to her, she is too busy enjoying life to be governed by the latest trends. To her, Anthropologie is a portal of discovery—a brush with what could be. A place for her to lose—and find—herself.” -Anthropologie

“Our purpose is to nourish people and the planet. We’re a purpose-driven company that aims to set the standards of excellence for food retailers. Quality is a state of mind at Whole Foods Market.” -Whole Foods

If you’re familiar at all with either of these brands, you know that their mission statement is clearly reflected in what they offer and how they present themselves.

Quit Changing Your Mind

Once you’ve outlined your brand, stick to it! Don’t be one of those photographers who “rebrands” every year or two. It shows that you don’t know who you are or what you want to communicate. Sure, every brand needs a refresh as it evolves over time. But if you are drastically changing your messaging, colors, editing style, how you photograph your clients, they aren’t going to know what to expect from you. The the key is to stay consistent so that your clients feel confident in the final product.

By taking the time to figure out these key things, especially in the beginning of your business, you’ll be way ahead of the competition.

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