Why Photography is the Catalyst of Modern Marketing

For the last 15 years, I have focused on traditional selling and have sold many millions of dollars within the construction/technology industry. I love sales but found that by combining sales, marketing and photography was a far more effective and powerful sales tool that could be used in any industry.

1. Why photography is so important in branding your business?

If brand photography is done correctly, it will be the most powerful marketing tool to set your brand apart from all the others. Ideally, your clients will immediately recognize your brand, craftsmanship and projects solely based on photographs (with your logo) and its highlighted content.

2. Do you want know how to start using the power of photography in your business?

Images from ALL construction processes can be used in many ways starting from professional head shots to the traditional “capping off” ceremony celebrating your recent high-rise project to getting published in a magazine. The opportunities are endless.

3. In my experience, using photography has allowed me to visualize and tell a story even before picking up a camera. The most important element is for leaders to value the power of photography and allowing the photographer to their job to deliver award winning images that can be used for various marketing campaigns, shared online and on social media.

Bonus is to be THAT rock star contractor who has stunning images from THAT big or small project to share with the architect, owner, general contractor, electrical contractor, infrastructure, furniture, glass and other trade partners with YOUR metadata and colorful logo embedded on each digital file! This is my favorite “gift” to share with trade partners and creates a positive perseption. Best is that they share the images that keep getting shared and so on.

I do recommend hiring a professional (like me) that can professionally process and edit your images in a timely manner and not your friend of a friend's cousin who just got into photography! If your budget does not allow for a full-time photographer, ask around your company to find an employee who might be an aspiring photographer.

4. When working with new clients I do have a specific process. First step is to photograph the leadership team for executive head shots and at the same time, conduct a brief interview. I then proceed to the primary office and warehouse team members to obtain a good collection of images and interviews to build upon.

Next is to visit ongoing construction projects to create phase photos to share. Another important item is to ensure that all marketing is fresh or rebranded, up to date and utilized across all areas of the business. This way you can build consistent content on social media, your website and employees can share on their personal Linkedin and other social media platforms.

Because I am specifically creating quality images of employees and projects, these can be used for employee highlights, new client presentations, proposals and getting published (this will be shared in an upcoming episode).

Other excellent uses for photography in construction falls in the areas of training, events, promotions, holiday parties and sporting events such as sporting events, fundraisers, awards, etc.

Networking also lends itself to promotion! Can you say photo op??? Tip of the day is try to get your picture taken with the host of the party or significant event sponsor. Wear your logo or always dress it up! Post to your social media asap and share your experiences while attending the event.

Let’s talk liability - Creating a photography collection for each project can also helpful in the event of client or partner issues, complaints, and disputes. Construction photos provide accurate details and can smooth the way for repairs, renovations and possible dispute resolution during each project.

I highly recommend that you have a plan for storing and managing access to the professional original/edited images folder. It is imperative that your company stores the specific “marketing folder” in a network location that is restricted with a higher level of access to ensure preservation, integrity and prevent unintended use or sharing.

A marketing strategy plan does take time so when you are planning to begin using photography as part of the program, it does take time to understand the business, who the players are and WHO is your intended target audience (which can evolve and change over time). In my experience, within 2 months, there will be plenty of photography projects completed to create content on a daily basis. Consistency is key and recommend a commitment to using photography well into the future! A picture is worth a thousand words so keep telling your story!

Photographs evoke emotions from consumers. Epic marketers use moving and compelling photos when building a visual marketing campaign in any industry. If the photos you use are dynamic and capture your intended audience, you can EASILY drive them to support and love your client’s brand and products.

Images that you share begin to establish trust in your brand!

That is all I have for today but will continue to provide photography insight specifically with techniques on how to make a building look sexy! More on that in upcoming episodes.

No successful marketing campaign is complete without captivating and breathtaking photographs. If you want to learn more about how the art of photography can catapult your brand, be sure to connect with me to find out how to create a plan to do just that ??https://linktr.ee/kevallyn or send a personal message on Linkedin!

Thank you, Kevallyn

#marketing #construction #branding #photography