Out of all the business topics I focus on, I rarely talk aesthetics. So, I want to take some time to emphasize what good professional photos can do for you and your business.
They say that first impressions are the most important. Although when I first met my boyfriend, he was about to get into a fight with someone on the train and now we have been together several years, so I guess there are some exceptions. But a photo is a worth a thousand words. If we could take time to convince potential clients and had the chance to talk to them with a thousand words, wouldn’t you want to? But if the only way to do that is with a photo, why risk it by not using a good photo? And think about it, if you’ve ever went on Craigslist, Facebook or even Twitter, the posts that caught your attention had photos. Plus, professional photos differentiate you from your competitors.
To further illustrate this point, I will refer to an article on realtor support site, agentimpress.me, where they highlight 15 facts about using professional photographs to sell homes. Here are six:
1. Buyers spend 60% of their time looking at listing photos, and only 20% each on the listing description and agent description. (The Wall Street Journal)
2. Homes with high-quality photos receive 47% higher asking price per square foot. (cbsnews.com)
3. You have two seconds to grab the buyer’s attention without a photo, and 20 seconds with a photo. (marketleader.com)
4. Homes with professionally photographed pictures can sell for up to $19,000 more. (marketleader.com)
5. Agents who outsource photography earn twice as much commission as those who do not. Only 35% of agents use professional photographers. (inman.com)
6. Listings with professional photographs sell 32% faster, spending only 89 days on the market compared to 123 for other homes. (PR Newswire)
And hipcamp.com, a company where private landowners can list their properties for outdoor stays, suggests that hosts invite “photo scouts” or professional photographers to photograph their properties rather than relying on taking their own photos. In 2016, they found that, on average, photo scouted properties got 15 times more bookings than non-photo scouted properties.
The same holds true for products. If people can see your product, they are more likely to purchase it. Findings from a weebly.com survey cites that over 75% of ecommerce shoppers say product pictures are very influential when they're deciding whether they want to buy a product online.
A word of caution: do not use stock photos unless it’s absolutely necessary. People are hip to the stock photo game. So if it is possible, use personal high-quality photos.
To get a photographer, my advice is to seek out freelance sites and ask photographers to bid on a proposal. Also, see if there are budding photographers who may want to build their portfolio. Although great photographers can span the range financially and go to the extreme, you should think of these photos as a good investment. Also, if you get it done right, you will not have to do it again for a while.
Now, even though I am all about the hustle, do not undermine creatives when it comes to pay. Time is money and remember you were once that budding entrepreneur.
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