Flowerpot’s Design And Photography Make For Fantastic First Impressions

Odds are that you have a smartphone. In fact, the data says that more than likely, you’re reading this blog entry on your smartphone.   

This tiny machine you can hold in your hand is a modern miracle. You can use it to video chat with basically anyone you know, just about wherever they are in the world. You can use it to get directions to your next meeting across town. You can book a flight to Peru in a matter of minutes. Your smartphone contains the entire sum of human knowledge garnered across the history of our species. Oh, and cat videos.  

But… 

And we beg of you… 

Don’t use it to take the pictures you’re going to use on your company’s website.  

Let us ask you this: as a business owner, are you satisfied with “good enough”? Is “good enough” the level of service you provide to your clients and customers? When it comes time to take pictures that best showcase your company’s products and talents, then using your phone to do it is simply being just good enough. 

Yes, the photos will be in focus (probably). Yes, the camera has a flash. And yes, you’re making sure anyone in the picture has their eyes open.  

But what you’re getting will be just good enough. You can do better.  

That’s why you hire a professional photographer for a wedding, or formal family portrait, or other important events. Pictures matter. 

Your website is no different. Your website is a billboard for your business. When you invest in doing it right, it shows the customer you don’t cut corners. When you invest in yourself, people are more likely to invest in you.

For instance – take the portraits of company executives that many businesses publish on their websites. Sure, you can line people up against a wall and take photos with an iPhone. But is the person taking the photos going to know how to make sure shadows don’t show up behind them? Or whether the lighting in the room is conducive to flattering photos? It even extends to smaller questions: do you want people smiling or serious? A straight-on headshot, or a more candid, profile version of a picture? 

Invest in Yourself with Professional Photography 

Photographers can help you work through those questions, giving you the best technical abilities while also helping with the more aesthetic parts of the photography process.  

In addition, if you’re holding an event, it’s vital to hire professional photographers. First, it lends a greater air of legitimacy to your event rather than having people snapping pics on their phones. Consider this blog from Markets Insider: 

“People want to know about the organizations they do business with. As a result, companies are taking photos of their operations, showcasing them as ‘behind the scenes’ shots. These images give your audience insight to what your company is all about, helping them understand what you stand for and what you value. When customers like what they see, ‘behind the scenes’ shots become a powerful way to build brand loyalty.” 

Furthermore, professional photographers are experts at blending into the scene and making themselves inconspicuous while still capturing tremendous candid pictures that people will want to share on their social media feeds.  

To that end, the Flowerpot team provides photography services for our clients. Whether you need headshots of executives, event photos or pictures of your products, our team can handle it. Our Instagram account has samples of our photography, and you can see some of our client work with clients such as Gravitas Impact Premium Coaches,  Oregon Growers, Lacamas Magazine, Southwest Washington small businesses and more.

Make a Lasting Impression with Strong Branding & Design 

Going hand-in-hand with photography is the branding and designs of your business. Done correctly, it can evoke strong feelings in potential clients, and create easy recognition.  

Think of some of the iconic brand logos that don’t require the company’s name for you to still know who they represent: the swoosh, the Apple silhouette, the golden arches. And sure, maybe right now you’re not looking to compete with some of the biggest corporations in the world, but you have to start somewhere, and good design can create a memorable look for your business.  

A great graphic designer can even hide messaging about your business within your logo. FedEx is a famous example – as a business that gets things from one place to another, they need to send a message that they can do it quickly and efficiently. Hence, the famous hidden arrow within the logo: 

That one is well-known, but there are many other examples of incredible hidden message in company logos. Take the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium’s logo – what do you see besides a tree and a few birds at the top?  

Take a close look – do you see the gorilla? The lion? The fish? Don’t worry…it took us a few minutes too. Pay careful attention to the white space in the logo and you’ll see that the graphic designer did an incredible job hiding some of the animals you’re bound to see at the zoo.  

These are two examples of how graphic design done well can give your company a memorable look. Your logo will appear on just about everything the public sees in reference to your company: business cards, advertisements, your website, your social media accounts, everything. It’s an image that people will immediately tie back to your business.  

And more than a logo, there are also the color schemes you go with, the fonts you use, the look of your website and so much more. Cutting corners on branding is essentially cutting corners on your business as a whole. 

At Flowerpot, we know the importance of design, and last year we revamped our color scheme and look as we brought our company into a new era. We selected vibrant colors to brighten up our logo, with the bubbles each representing our core values: Communicate, Connect & Achieve: 

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but fair or not, humans are visual creatures and aesthetics get implanted into peoples’ mindsets. 

And when it comes to websites and content, it goes beyond the look and feel and into inclusivity. It’s details like viewers who may be hearing impaired having to watch videos with no sound, or the visually impaired struggling with navigating your website. Details such as those ones matter.  

So ask yourself this: isn’t it worth strengthening your brand with superior photography and design? 

You build your business on your talent, your service and your reputation, and having top-tier photography and design to attract your target audience can help in each of those elements, not to mention your bottom line.  

For help with that first impression, Flowerpot has photography and design experts here to help. We can build your aesthetic from ground up with logos, designs and pictures that will set you apart from the competition. Contact us and let’s sit down and see what we can do for you and your brand.