We're doing a blog series on things that can take your business to the next level. Things that are crucial for you to go from amateur to money-making professional. Which is why we created the October 26 Next Level Business Workshop as a day where you can make these tweaks happen.
If you are like most handmade businesses you're multitasking and DIY-ing lots of things. Here's a few hats you wear:
- Designer
- Producer/maker
- Accountant
- Janitor
- Administrative Assistant
- Salesperson
- Social Media Manager
- Marketing Director
- Customer Service Representative
That said, there are hats you should really leave to a professional. Even though Pinterest is acting like you can DIY your whole life, do you really want your head shots and your product photos to turn out the way those crayon candles you had pinned turned out (or insert other pin fail here_______________)?
Since you don't want your photos turning out like a pin fail... well, you have two options: 1) hire a professional or 2) take classes and buy equipment that will get you looking like a professional. Either way, there is some kind of investment you will need to make. Now, every photo you take doesn't need to be at this level. Certainly your blog photos should be composed well and have good lighting, but they aren't your shop photos... they aren't what is actually making you and/or your products look like the amazingness they are!
Co-founder KC shared her own photo experience and why professional ones were worth it.
"Your product photography may suck terribly and you have no idea. How is this you ask? Until you see how vibrant, direct and informative your products can be in photos you very well may think your photos are the best you can get. OR you may also be in the trappings of denial... often because you think the photos will cost too much. But if you put tons of effort making product amazing with special details, then why wouldn't you have photos that actually show it?"
HEADSHOT EXAMPLE
Dave's amateur "before" and professional "after" headshot.
Member Dave Conrey is a business coach and graphic designer. He works with creatives and is one himself. For a very long time he was using the headshot on the left to represent him and his brand. Now, that photo is by no means terrible. But once he decided to get serious about his business, he also got serious about the photo he was using. He hired a photographer, and well, you can see the difference. Was that photo before costing him lots of business? It's hard to say. But now there's no doubt he's a professional and you are probably much more likely to hire the guy on the right. He also now has something to give out to bloggers whenever he is interviewed that will actually make people want to check out his brand!
PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY EXAMPLES
Scroll through KC's product photos above and it's pretty easy to spot the ones she did herself and the ones that a professional did. It's a guarantee that just about any blog worth submitting to would have flat out rejected her original photos. Plus, any magazines looking to feature her product would much prefer the product on the solid white background that they can easily use in their editorial spreads. For a relatively low price, she got some pretty high-impact images that she can use for years.
