Comet Corner: Photography Tips for Small Businesses Brands

Taylor Thomas BS’14 planned to study actuarial science at UT Dallas; however, her discovery of a passion for photography opened a door to a creative side while at the University. A difficult calculus class changed her mind about her major, and Thomas switched to marketing with a minor in visual arts where photography classes planted a creative seed.

“In my initial marketing career, I realized I needed a creative outlet, and remembering how much I loved the photography courses I took at UTD, I decided to first do it as a hobby and then continued by making it a business,” Thomas said.

She started Taylor A. Thomas Studio in 2019 and now provides photography services to small businesses along with branding and marketing strategy.

“I really love to help other creative entrepreneurs, or those who are working 9 to 5 while building their businesses to help solidify their personal brand using quality photos that speak to who they are and what they do,” said Thomas, who also works as a senior marketing specialist for Sharecare.

Use Thomas’ tips on how small business owners can use visuals to share the beauty of their stories to attract, connect and grow their customer base:

1. Quickly captivate. In the digital world, we have seconds to make a lasting impression. It is important to have scroll-stopping content that will intrigue your audience to learn more about your brand.
   
   
2. Build credibility. Those outdated photos aren’t doing you any favors. You need photos that capture who you are today, what you do (your expertise), what it feels like to work with you and what makes your brand unique! This will help your audience like, know and trust you.
   
   
3. Grow connection. When done correctly, high-end imagery will humanize your brand, better tell your brand story and connect with your ideal audience on a personal level. This deepens the connection, which will help grow your brand and/or business.
   
   
4. Increase consistency. You’ll receive a variety of photos to use. It is important that you have photos that are cohesive and are consistent across your website, social media, blogs, email marketing and other ways you plan to market your brand. This will help your brand and business to be recognizable and memorable.
   
   
5.  Boost confidence. Imagine having a gallery of photos that tells the right stories and represents your brand excellence. Without a doubt, you’ll have more confidence to show up more frequently now that you have the photos to complete your content. In turn, this will give your ideal audience more confidence to work with you because they see you valuing your business brand by investing in your visuals and showing up consistently.

If you’re a small business or creative entrepreneur in need of strategic, vibrant photos that represent you and your brand, feel free to reach out to Thomas at hello@taylorathomas.com.