It’s 2019!  A new year – a clean slate.

With the clutter of the holiday season behind us it’s time to review and refresh.  Having some down time to take a look at your business and your brand is essential to staying current and interesting to potential clients. As you scour the Internet, forums and trade shows to find the hottest new item. Before you commit to adding  the flavor of the month to your collections, be sure this new product is in line with your brand. Meaning, if a potential customer took a look at your marketing and your website, are the albums and products that are shown cohesive with your brand story? Does your stuff look like you? For example if your style is light and airy and you’re lugging around the big black album with gold imprinting, you could literally be showing anybody’s premium wedding album. And, you’re not just anybody.  

Be bold and throw out the cookie cutter!

If your brand concept is modern luxury, and your albums have wood and cork covers it’ll seem like you’ve climbed up the wrong trend tree. Your clientele is drawn to you, because they’re attracted to the imagery and the style that you are putting out there. If you show products that doesn’t match that vibe, it’s very easy for them to say, “No thank you, I’m not interested in an album…” because your album isn’t that interesting. 

To really make an impact, be sure your premium album matches your brand.

We talked in the past about a Good, Better, Best  approach to creating album samples. Let’s talk a little bit more about the Best. Try to find a product style that says “you” like nothing else. This is a little advanced for samples. But if you’re going to stretch yourself in 2019, give this a try. Of course what you end up with might be a little outside of the box and not necessarily in everyone’s price range. But at least, your premium wedding album  can start a conversation. 

Here are some examples of how to match your brand style with your premium album.

• If your photography style is bright and romantic, and you shoot a lot of beach weddings offer a thick page Luster Book with a leather spine and canvas photo cover. Pick Aquaberry for the spine and feature an iconic beach image.
• Let’s say your style is bold and dramatic and you don’t mind being a little heavy-handed with the saturation slider. Create impact with a Splash Cover on a Zook Book. Choose two bright colors from the bridal decor. Add a cameo with a feature image and custom monogram.
• Do you like a rustic look? Is your website peppered with vintage barns, burlap and wildflower crowns? Then try one of the distressed leathers on a with a square cameo and branded imprinting for that handcrafted feel.

• If you go for more of a modern urban feel and no fuss go ahead and offer black leather on a Zook book with black gilding and branded imprinting. Yes – black on black on black. It makes a statement and if that’s yours, go for it.

• Are you hanging high-end all the time? Then get out all the bells and whistles on a  Zook book with a glove white spine and back. Choose gold gilding and add an acrylic cover and you’ll get loads of attention.

These are some fun ways to let you do you and create a memorable impression. Again, it might not be everybody’s cup of tea and of course your offerings in general should be simple but it wouldn’t hurt to have one item that really showcases the look feel and experience of your photography business.