You already know how important personal branding photos are in helping your brand stand out. They capture the face behind the business and make your clients fall in love with you. But do you know how to plan your personal branding photo shoot? Planning your shoot will take the stress out and give you the images you need to represent your brand. Personal branding photography is an investment in your business and when you invest in the planning, the results will be photos you can use and that truly represent your brand and show the world what you do, how you do it and what makes you and your business different.
.
Things to know to plan a successful branding shoot:
Know your ideal client.
Knowing your ideal client will help you attract the right clients and customers. The more you know about your ideal client, the better you’ll be able to serve her. What are her pain points, goals, and dreams? Begin with creating your ideal client avatar (if you haven’t already) so that you can know what she desires from you and ultimately be able to attract, sell to and serve her.
Know how and where you want to use the photos
Are you just starting out and need photos mainly for your website? You’re going to need banner photos, headshots, and product shots. Are you planning a rebrand and need to update existing photos? Are you launching a new product or promotion? Go over or plan your 6-month goals and strategies. Outline your content strategy for social media so that you can prepare for what you need from your personal branding photo shoot.
Then you can start planning.
Create a Mood board.
Mood boards are a visual and powerful way to help you find and create the right look for your brand. And they’re a lot of fun to create. Think about mood, brand colors, style, and poses. Know how you want your ideal client to feel when they see your photos and think about when you’re creating your board. Do you want to appear creative, edgy, confident, luxurious?
Scout for locations.
Where does your ICA hang out? A downtown coffee shop is a great place to show where/how you work while drinking your favorite beverage. Local arboretums often have elegant spaces to photograph in – just check any location before planning your shoot to see what requirements and/or permits are needed. Your home office could even be the ideal location and it makes changing super easy and convenient.
Choose Your Wardrobe
Dress like a rock star – you want to wear what you would wear to a very important meeting with an ideal client. Choose what makes you feel confident and comfortable because when you feel confident you look it. Not every outfit has to be your brand colors but do make sure the colors you choose compliment your brand’s colors and the style should reflect the personality of your brand. A great way to add your brand’s colors is by choosing a scarf or other accessory in similar hues.
You can find more ideas on what to wear here and here.
Props
Props are important because they give you something to do and they help you to look comfortable and feel natural while doing it. They’re also a great way to bring in your brand’s style and colors. Think about what you use to do what you do. Is your computer a huge part of the process? Are you an artist that uses paint brushes? Don’t forget about the simple props like a coffee cup, champagne for celebrating, a journal or note pad. You can get my list of prop inspirations here
Planning your personal branding photo shoot is easy when you have a process. I have a process for my clients that helps them and guides them along the way. I even create a mood board for inspiration after finding out about their business and needs. I want my clients’ photos to be so amazing that their clients can’t help to fall in love with them. If you are ready to upscale your business and reach more clients, I would love to show you how easy the process of planning your personal branding photo shoot can be.
Let’s plan your personal branding photo shoot!
I’m currently booking personal branding shoots for May. If you would love to work with me to create a professional and polished image for your business that gives you the online presence you deserve, contact me today so we can start planning your strategy.
