It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. As far as your brand goes, that may never have been truer than it is right now. We are in a design phase where one large photo covers the home page of many web sites. At a glance, that photo has to define your brand.

There has been much stated about the impact of a single visual. A few years ago, Time magazine published The Most Influential Images of All Time, 100 photographs that changed the world. Some of them marked great moments in history, victory in sports, raised social awareness, were firsts in business and more. You can see them here.

Tell your story visually

The fact of the matter is we are a visual society. We tend to believe what we see in photos more so than what we read in print. And right now there is a push within content marketing to build your brand by telling your story rather than to advertise your brand. If you are going about it the right way, a good visual will help you make your story more compelling. (Take a look at this article from my good friend, Dr. Scott Livingston, Your Story is Worth Reading.)

Make it personal

Here is the rub: there are billions of images on the web. How do you make yours stand out? First, it helps to make it personal. I tire of the stock photo metaphor shots. You know, the photos of people in suits playing tug-of-war, climbing ladders, pointing at charts superimposed on window panes, smiling and shaking hands in a board room… you get the picture? Metaphors are great if people have not seen them millions of times before. Ask yourself: what defines my company? What is my brand? What images come to mind when I think of my brand? If you are running the marketing for a non-profit company, this may be easier. Typically non-profits are raising money and awareness for a cause and it is easier to create a compelling visual for a cause. However, the for-profit corporate story can be just as compelling if you tell the story the right way. If you are a for-profit company, what are the services you provide or the products you make that define your brand? Now, how do these products and services help people make their lives better? If you can, show those products in action with real people, you have a base to tell your story visually. Here is an example of that from the semi manufacturer, Mack Trucks. 

Hire a professional

I cannot stress this enough. Photos shot on your cell phone are not worthy of the photo we are talking about. Neither are the photos shot by your Aunt Nellie’s hairdresser’s nephew who is living in her basement. The money you pay a professional photographer will be well worth it when your brand is conveyed simply and accurately with a photo that is well lit, in focus, and more importantly, speaks the visual message you want to convey to your customers. It is too important to cut corners. Take some time to look at the portfolio of professional photographers. Interview them. Explain to them what you are trying to say in one photograph. Hire the one who gets it and has done it before.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. That is why selling your brand in pictures is so crucial. Make sure the visual impact of your imagery is communicating the story you want to express.