When developing websites, print ads, direct mail pieces and other marketing materials, you need some “pop” to get noticed. The right imagery can make all the difference. In fact, some of the best ads I’ve seen have been less about the words and more about the perfect photo or illustration.
There are two main ways to secure photographs: buying from stock-photo companies and hiring a professional photographer.
Stock photos
Online stock-photo companies allow you to quickly identify dozens, even hundreds of photos related to the topic you desire. Enter a few keywords on the stock image site’s search bar and seconds later, you have an array of photographs to choose from. Some prominent providers are Corbis Images, Getty Images and iStockphoto, all of which let consumers review their catalogs for free.
Stock-photo companies provide two main types of licenses, royalty-free and rights-managed. Purchasers of royalty-free photos receive unlimited use of the images. Rights-managed photographs involve contracts specifying parameters such as how many times the image can be used and geographic markets where it can be distributed. Rights-management contracts also can provide exclusivity terms prohibiting your competitors from using the image. Often, royalty-free photos can serve most purposes in advertising. But if you want an image to represent your brand and be its “face,” you should consider a license granting exclusivity.
Hire the right photographer
Hiring a professional photographer should always be part of your marketing toolbox. It provides an opportunity to customize your images so you can display your products, facilities and staff or create that perfect custom image that you can’t quite find on a stock photo website.
But you need to hire the right photographer. Someone who’s a terrific landscape, portrait or wedding photographer won’t necessarily be well-suited for your company’s commercial photography needs. Review a candidate’s portfolio to make sure they’re a good match for your project before hiring them.
The right images are essential to creating successful marketing materials, so whether it’s a stock photo or custom, be sure to leverage this important component.
Josh Sommers is president and CEO of Focus Media, a leading Hudson Valley advertising and public relations agency. He can be reached at josh@advertisingandpr.com or 294-3342, ext. 303. Read his blog at www.advertisingandpr.com. His column appears Fridays.
