The Power of Photography
I was reminded this week of the power of professional photography in the most unexpected place – the kitchen.
If you’re anything like me, the pandemic was a return to the kitchen. But without the benefit of instant grocery store access. And without time off for good behavior. So like many of you, I dabbled with the home delivery meal kit. It simplifies life. No grocery stores. No waffling among recipes. Hardly even any chopping. It’s the absolute best kind of DIY.
As a consequence, over the past year, my boyfriend and I have given a wide variety of brands a go, from HelloFresh to Blue Apron. The deal is: I prepare the food, and he expresses his opinion.
Recently, we switched from one brand to the other.
As the head chef and chief chopper, I noticed the ingredients in this kit were much fresher than the previous brand’s box. While I thoroughly enjoyed the meals, my boyfriend didn’t think they were as good as the other company’s offerings.
Wondering what might be behind his preference, I inspected the brands more carefully. I noticed that the dishes on the new brand’s recipe cards were not as photogenic as my beau’s preferred brand. Also, the new brand’s cards didn’t announce that the meals were “GOURMET” in big, bold letters like the other company.
Could this REALLY be what was affecting his palate?
A preconceived notion about which brand was better just from taking a peek at the recipe card????
Yup. Showing him the fresher ingredients didn’t sway his opinion. No amount of persuasion on my part could shake his initial, favorable impression.
I have clients who make The. Most. Amazing. Products. But they get so caught up in the day to day business of running their shops that they forget to photograph the amazing things they make, sell, and do. Ultimately, that means no one aside from a few lucky pre-existing clients gets to take a peek at these incredible offerings.
Can a bad photo be worse than none at all?
Maybe, if my boyfriend is any indication. A photo that doesn’t do your products justice could leave the wrong impression or put your wares in an unfavorable light relative to the competition.
Dedicating a portion of your budget each year to professional photography can increase the perception of value of YOUR product immensely. Photoshoots are probably less expensive than you think, and their value in digital assets (website, social networking, slideshow videos) can last the lifetime of your company.
As you set your quarterly goals, think about the super cool things you have done or made – and then get photos of them. Add them to all your channels – and watch your value grow in the eyes of your customers.
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