June 2019 – Duluth Studio Company

Human beings are visual people. We like to see things, especially in business. If we’re going to shop somewhere, or hire a service, we want a visual representation of what that will look like before committing. That could be photos of the products, of the location, or of the people themselves. If you own a business, or are thinking about starting a business, it won’t be long before you realize just how important photography is to your clients. Even beyond social media, updated photo and video content can be the cornerstone of your marketing.

However, if you’re a business owner, photography and video marketing is probably the last thing on your mind. You might take photos right when you open, and three months later you realize you haven’t updated a single product image. It’s so easy to get caught up in the everyday life of running a business, you miss taking the imagery that can really tell your clients the story of what you do and why.

It can be hard to decide when you’re too busy to handle something and it’s time to hire someone to do it for you – especially when you’re a small business owner and you feel like you need to do everything yourself. But when it comes to photo and video content, it can’t be put on the back burner, it’s easier to keep up with than it is to catch up with, and if you’re taking it on alone you will get behind. At L’Co, we can offer a solution to keep your social media and web imagery updated all year round. Our imagery content subscriptions will provide you with professional updated photo and/or video every month or on a schedule that fits your company needs. The imagery can be headshots of your new employees, seasonal photos of your new products, monthly video productions of your newest hoppin’ brew (no pun intended), or shots of your current seasonal restaurant menu.

We’ve seen a trend of stock imagery being used in companies – but can stock really set your company apart from your competition? Does it help you uniquely brand yourself and tell your company story – does stock imagery stop your audience scroll? If you’re a realtor, you could have professional photography of your new listings – If you work in fashion, photo subscription can help you show your seasonal clothing line – If you’re a vlogger imagine having your video channel production complete! Even if you’re a solo entrepreneur routinely updated brand imagery can help your social media and blogs professionally stand above the rest. Relevance is so important in the world of media and marketing, and imagery content subscriptions can help you stay relevant and on top of your brand.

L’Co. offers photography and videography content subscriptions on a schedule that fits your content needs – imagine the possibilities! We’re excited to share recent imagery from a shoot with Midcoast Catering and the oh so famous, The Rambler food truck. Pretty appetizing photos of amazing food to die for… if we don’t say so ourselves!

If we were to put a group of small business owners in a room and ask them what good branding is, we would immediately get a list of examples. They would list companies like Apple, Target, Nike – Huge multinational corporations with locations all over the world, stock options, and billions of dollars in assets. When it comes to small business, most people look at these examples of “good branding” and just think it’s not for them – It’s for big companies with marketing teams and influencers. But if we were to ask them to define branding, we would get blank stares or answers all over the place.

Branding isn’t just logos and letterhead. Branding is actually better described as an emotional exchange. It is the way customers and clients feel when interacting with a company through websites, social media, in-person and every layer in between. Every business has a brand, whether they’re aware of it or not. A brand is built by a business’s audience with every interaction. Designers, photographers, and branding teams like us lay a foundation for them to build on. Without the foundation of a brand identity, a company’s message can be inconsistent and out of control. Once control of a brand has been lost, it’s very hard to get back.

We understand that small business can feel like a footrace in cement shoes and creating a brand strategy is the last thing anyone is thinking about when the tasks are rolling in. In fact, this is something we understand more than most as a company made up of small business owners. The truth is, taking the time now to establish a brand identity and brand strategy will only help in the long run. Here are a just few things that a brand strategy can help businesses achieve:

Promote familiarity and recognition

People like to buy from businesses they are familiar with. Successful branding shows clients a company’s personality and helps connect with them on an emotional level, making people more likely to buy and refer their friends.

Sets you apart from the competition

While we have actually run into businesses that have no competition, this is extremely rare. We live in a world with options. Branding adds a layer of personality to a business that can help a customer choose between those options.

Helps make decisions

A company with a clear brand can use that brand to stay focused and make decisions about how they run their day to day business. If they know how they want to be perceived and how they want their clients to feel, small and large decisions become easier to make. This isn’t only for business owners but also for anyone they employ or plan to employ. Having a brand message keeps employees motivated and gives them direction.

Manages client expectations

There’s nothing worse than when everything goes right and a client still walks away unhappy. With clear focussed branding, businesses can help clients understand what to expect from them.

Guides marketing efforts and SAVES MONEY

This is the bottom line – The number one reason why small business choose to forgo professional branding is the cost. We get it, starting a new business is scary enough as it is and upfront costs can be high, making anything other than the bare necessities seem frivolous. However, branding helps guide marketing strategy and will save time and money in the end by eliminating costly advertising mistakes.

Month: June 2019

What can Content Subscriptions do for You?

What Good Branding Can Do For You