Picture this: on a table sits a thick, juicy burger accented with lush green lettuce and bright red tomato slices between a soft bun. There may be a price listing and a meal description, but at the very sight of the burger, you can almost taste it.

Photography can make or break your marketing strategy.

Marketers understand that compelling visuals connect instantly with customers and lead to an action, decision, or shift in their perception. The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than the time it takes for the brain to decode text. Using bold imagery helps organizations not only illustrate a message quickly, but also stand out in an ever more crowded media space.

While it’s easier than ever to snap a photo, it’s important that brands leverage professional visuals that deliver results and showcase the quality of their product or service. Photography should reinforce key elements of your brand. Partnering with a creative services agency that understands the “big picture” marketing strategy is a critical part of the process.

Here are three tips for strengthening your marketing strategy with professional photography:

Choose Imagery that Impacts Purchasing Decisions

An image is the first impression many customers will get of your product or service. Whether they’re flipping through a magazine or conducting an online search, a great image can make all the difference in capturing their attention. In fact, a National Retail Federation survey found 67 percent of consumers say the quality of a product image is “very important” in selecting and purchasing the product. For those surveyed, the photography was viewed as more important than product descriptions and ratings or reviews. Using techniques such as storyboarding will give a professional photographer the guidance needed to capture not just a picture, but the essence of your brand.

Boost Social Media Engagement with Visuals

Image-driven social media platforms point to the importance of photography. A social media strategy that incorporates high quality images will lead to a better experience for readers and increased engagement. In a recent survey, the CMO Council found that 60 percent of marketing executives believed that visuals added excitement to content and helped capture customers’ attention and drive engagement. More images equals more shares, which can spur more conversation on your brand pages. When planning for future content, build in time to capture the perfect photo to accompany your link or text.

Develop a System for Your Assets

Once you’ve hired the photographer and received the photos, what happens next? Unfortunately, many marketers don’t have a system in place for organizing their visual assets. Professional photography is an investment and to get the best return, it’s critical that images are used appropriately. Having a process for aggregating and managing your images can help you keep a consistent brand look. Whether you’re developing a brochure, sales sheet or trade show exhibit, ensuring the right people have access to the right images at the right time can help you present a consistent story across all marketing collateral.

At Communicorp, we’re not just the top printer in Georgia. Our professional photography services are part of how we serve as a one-stop shop for marketing solutions. With our creative and top of the line equipment, we can stage product shots for your next catalog or website, or lead an on-site shoot for your specific needs. We can work with you to think beyond a pretty picture and explore what more you can do with visual communications.

Learn how our solutions can significantly improve your operational efficiencies while saving you time and money. Connect with us today and let us show you what more we can do together.

About Amanda Bass