What is a brand ?

I am looking forward, as we all are, to Post-Covid Pandemic norms.  I believe many of us will take this opportunity to "re-boot" our worlds.  At MJLStudios Photographic Portraiture, I'm planning many wonderful new paths forward starting in 2021.  Branding updates, Studio upgrades, and personal goals (like exercise - oh my! ). 

The term "Branding" has been popping up more and more in our cultural lexicon - not just with business, but with personal branding as well.  Branding is far from a new process.  It is just getting much more attention as a process for all of us to consider.  In non-business ways, branding can be seen from socialites to hippies to fitness connoisseurs.  Successful businesses know that branding is as important as the product(s) or service(s) offered. 

A Brand is identifiable in a number of ways - customer service, product quality, verbal messaging and visual messaging being the big umbrella subjects.  As a photographer, I am here to help others focus on the visual part of their Brand business or personal.

MJLStudios' Brand "Makeover" will involve location, products and HEADSHOTs.

After a year of Covid closure, I am excited to officially reopen my studio this Spring.  This is an optimal time to review and enhance MJLStudios' brand.  I am expanding my studio space from a large camera room to an entire Cottage giving me more space to breathe and interact with my clients. 

I am upgrading the quality of the products I will offer in 2021 to incorporate higher quality materials.  Investing in higher quality materials will enhance the heirloom wall portraits and photo albums to a stronger legacy product.  

And, the biggest item on this path to enhancing MJLStudios' brand is to update my own professional headshots and branding images on a regular basis.  In this social media / digital world, fresh visuals are a vital way to stay relevant.  I am going to live what I recommend to my clients and get in front of the lens more often.  

Renewing your headshot and branding images is an important way to revitalize your marketing on a regular basis.  In today's "instant" society, out of date imagery and information can get passed by as something more recent grabs your potential client's attention instead.   Your need to update could be every 2 years or every 2 months.  An annual review is my recommendation.  

One way to extend the time between headshots is to take advantage of multiple looks during your camera session.  By changing outfits and changing poses, you can obtain a number of looks that can be recycled out on social media monthly.  A change in your profile is a classic way to get your image in front of your audience each time it's updated. 

Professional headshots rather than a good "selfie"?  Check out my Blog "Professional vs Selfie".