In this video, the single easiest way to improve the look, impact and appeal of your website and digital marketing.
I’m Martin Bamford and my creative agency, Bamford Media, works with professional advisers to drive engagement and retain ideal clients.
Earlier this week, we spent a few hours with Joe Denyer, Hello, I’m Joe:, our professional photographer of choice. Joe recently engaged Bamford Media as his new representation and we’re already working together on a variety of projects for our clients.
We’re sending Joe out to capture photographs for our clients, and we realised that the photography we use on our own website and social media channels is looking a little dated. So he came in this week and we had some fun creating new images.
The single easiest way to improve your website, whatever stage you’re at of the digital marketing journey, is to hire a professional photographer and refresh your visuals.
I know that more or less everyone has access to a high quality digital camera these days. The camera in my iPhone XR is higher resolution than the £1,000 DSLRs I started shooting with more than a decade ago. But having the right kit and being able to use it are two very different things!
Working with a professional photographer – someone with professional kit, who knows how to use it and has a creative eye – is important for a number of reasons.
It gives your website visitors the perception of quality. Using professional images on your website and social media immediately raises this perception of brand quality in the mind of your prospective and existing clients. Keep in mind that we subconsciously make decisions around quality very quickly, almost instantly. You only get one opportunity to make a positive first impression, and that starts with your images.
Another reason for working with a professional photographer is a half-day shoot gives you access to images you can apply across a wide range of different mediums. The photos Joe captured allow us to update our website, update the company and individual social media profiles, and use them in print and online publications.
We know that people buy people, especially in a profession like Financial Planning, where trust is such an important factor. I constantly come across websites for professional advisers where there are no photos of the people in the business. So by using a professional photographer, you can capture profile photos that you’re happy sharing with the world, ideally bringing your personality to life. Please don’t spend the day coming up with 1980’s style portrait photos against a mottled blue background; inject some personality into the shoot!
There are all sorts of reasons for not working with a photographer. I know people get embarrassed about having their photos taken. That’s only natural. We did our best to make our shoot fun, by cranking up the music, starting with a group shot, and telling jokes throughout. Working with an experienced photographer like Joe who puts you at ease is a big factor too.
Another reason people avoid the use of a professional photographer is a cost. But it’s really not that expensive. Depending on the size of your business and how many photos you need, budget anywhere from £300 to £1,000 for a shoot and the subsequent editing. This is a price worth paying, for all of the benefits of using professional images, and the versatility of those photos.
Once you make the decision to work with a professional photographer, start with your overall marketing strategy and design a shoot that reflects your brand values. And make sure you keep your portfolio of images up to date. This isn’t a one and done activity! Book in a shoot at least once a year, preferably twice a year, to keep your images fresh and current.
We’ll be adding the photos Joe took this week to the Bamford Media website and social media channels in due course, so keep an eye open for them.
Question of the day: What’s holding you back from bringing in a professional photographer to shoot your team before updating your website and digital marketing visuals? Let me know in the comments below.
Make sure you subscribe to our channel for more videos like this and leave this video a like. Until next time, I’m Martin Bamford from Bamford Media, helping you drive engagement and retain your ideal clients.
The post The easiest way to improve your website and digital marketing appeared first on Bamford Media.