As a wedding photographer, your brand is what sets you apart from others in the industry. It allows you to share your unique photography style with ideal clients who are a perfect match for you.
Every few years, it becomes necessary for you to work on and elevate your brand to keep up with the changes in the photography industry. Since that can take time and can be difficult to know where to start, we put together a list of tips to help you strengthen your brand this year with help from some top wedding pros. These tips can help you share a strong and clear brand message, to assist you in booking the clients you desire.
Discover Your “Why”
One of the first ways to strengthen your brand is to discover your “why.” Think about why you wanted to become a photographer, and what qualities motivate you to capture special moments from your couples and their loved ones. When you identify your “why,” you can share your unique qualities with ideal clients who want to book you as their photographer.
Beverly Hills wedding photographer, Joe Buissink, studies his past images and knows that his experiences in life shape him as a photographer, which helps him understand why he documents certain photos from the wedding day. He can use his insights to share his passion for photography with clients and continue to take photos that represent his brand.
Related: Are you properly representing your brand through your specialty?
Define a Style
After you discover your “why,” take a look at your current photography style. Find out if your style is up to date with your skills, and if it helps showcase who you are as a photographer. It is normal for you to make slight updates to your style every few years, so ensure your style reflects where you are in your abilities and matches the qualities you want to share with ideal clients.
The most important thing to remember is even if you update your style, you must ensure the quality is still intact. If the quality of your images lessens, your ideal clients may not get the same experience they expected from you after they saw your past wedding images.
Related: How can mastering lighting and posing during the wedding day help you define your style?
Create a Strong Brand Message
Once you discover your unique style, create a strong brand message through your various platforms. This means your ideal clients should access your website, blog, or social media platforms and understand what your brand is and who you are as a photographer. Similar to the images you deliver to clients, ensure they have a consistent experience with each of your platforms.
Ben Hartley of Style & Story Creative knows that a strong brand message is one of the top ways to help you create trust with ideal clients. Hw recommends that on your website, you have a strong image gallery, compelling text to share about you, an intriguing “About Me” page, and a clear pricing page. For your social platforms, choose headshots and cover images that represent your brand. Make it easy for clients to contact you on social media, and easily access your website and blog.
Tip: Apply this concept to your personal style, and the way you manage conflicts. Dress and act in a way that represents your brand and the message you desire clients to see.
Share a Consistent Style
Whether you make adjustments to your style or not, you must share a consistent style on the images you provide clients. This helps you attract ideal clients, and build trust with them from the beginning. When an ideal client visits your website or blog, and sees consistent images throughout, they will have an expectation for what you offer. After you send the images to them from the wedding day, and they are all in your specific style, you will deliver on your promise and create happy clients.
Tip: Create consistent images to deliver to every client when you outsource to a wedding photography post production company.
Practice Regularly
As you define your “why,” define your style, and share your brand message, give yourself time to practice. Practice is the best way for you to continuously grow as a photographer. The more you practice your skills, the more defined your style will become (which allows you to share a strong brand with clients).
Luxury Brand photographer, Scott Robert Lim, recommends for you to find a photography mentor to guide you. A mentor can help you critique your images and practice new techniques to advance your photography, which gives you the opportunity to reach the level you desire for your brand. The more you practice, the more confidence you will have to attract ideal clients.
There are many elements that help you attract and book ideal clients to your photography business, and your brand is one of the most important. Continue to work on your brand to ensure it is free of mistakes that may cost you future weddings. Our free Guide: 7 Branding Mistakes Wedding Photographers Make (and How to Fix Them!) can be a roadmap to help you strengthen your brand this year. Download it today!
