Allen continued to be an absolute dream to work with. We wanted to give him a special signature brand that he can build his business with and will have the longevity that kind of investment (time and money) deserves. We’re going to work a bit backwards and showcase the custom portfolio WordPress site first. We really pushed the envelope in terms of what a WordPress BlogSite can look like, using only HTML and CSS. We have always felt that it should look as good, if not better than their flash competition. But the functionality… oh, the open and search engine optimized functionality.

Marty Thornley and I had been toying with a retractable menu for a while and Allen was the perfect client to develop it for. We strive to make our custom sites, just that, completely custom, and therefore different from every other photography studio site. The retractable menu allows for extra real estate so you can display your photos. Which is, in fact the point. This is the home page.

The next thing we added was a NO FLASH pop up Gallery that can be updated easily and indefinitely with an unlimited number of galleries that can be displayed anywhere on the site. Therefore, his site can grow with his business.

Because the entire site is powered by WordPress the portfolio sections, the galleries and the blog are all one cohesive system – all editable from the same backend. Plus, because it is a portfolio site first it is portraying the best view of your business. The well known SEO benefits of the blog will draw potential clients not just to your chronological blog but also to your main site. One seamless marketing effort.

The backend is one of my favorite parts. Easy to update, unlike many other CSS sites. The dashboard areas have been tabbed so social media, home page and blog photo galleries can be easily updated.

As with all our sites, we used a combination of amazing WordPress plugins, including a trio of SEO plugins that are freely available and highly recommended for any WordPress site.

• The first on is the famous All in One SEO Pack, the most downloaded of all WordPress plugins.It is very powerful and does too much to explain here. But follow the link to get it and find out more.
• The second is SEO Friendly Images, a great plugin that adds ‘alt’ attributes to each image in your blog posts, all behind the scenes, just install and let it work.
• The third was developed by our own Marty, especially for photographers, called SEO Image Galleries. as an alternative to flash based image galleries. It is all CSS and HTML based and loads every image with SEO information.

Here is a look at the SEO Image Gallery backend:

Finally, the BEST part (did I mention there is NO FLASH). The site looks EXACTLY the same on the iPhone. It is not a duplicate or a mirrored site, it is not a paired down site it is the same site. Exactly the same on all mobile devices. One site to manage so you can go back to that thing that makes your business money…shooting!

View the site live here. Interested in getting your own WordPress custom portfolio site, like Allen’s? Contact us here. In the next few months will be launching affordable WordPress portfolio sites at PhotographyBlogSites.com, with many of these same bells and whistles. Check back for updates, we are currently in Beta Testing.

A few years ago, they decided to thank their loyal customers and send special discounts every year for customer’s birthdays. This year the below card came and really blew my branded mind away. The seemingly hand-stippled card includes a candle necklace as well as a 15% discount, to be used in my birthday month.

I’ve had many clients compare their brands to Anthropologie. Boutique, high end, with that element of  extraordinary. I challenge you to make your loyal customers feel special…maybe cherished. Set up a calendar and offer a free sitting and 8×10 for each child’s birthday, maybe send a tiny box of confetti as the invitation? Be memorable, be inventive, and remember to honor your loyal customers, they understand your brand and want to give you their repeat business.

We’d love to hear your ideas on making your customers feel the love, and getting them to return again and again.

I am so honored to be speaking at tonight’s Los Angeles PUG meeting. We will be talking about photography branding, and more specifically “How to find your Voice”. We’ll be breaking into groups to help each other find their marketing voice. Please bring 3 samples of your best work, and a few of your marketing pieces.

Can’t wait to see y’all ;)

Today, I logged into thesaurus.com, where my wordsmith lacking brain spends quite a bit of time, and saw a list that I would like to make into a poster. Or at least tape on my monitor. Each word sent my mind down a colorful path, and really made me smile. I hope it sends you on a colorful day.

As some of you might already know, I’ll be traveling to Sydney Australia for the last two weeks of April. Specifically, I will be away April 20-28th. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns beforehand. I will do my best to answer some emails while away, but will also be recharging that creative battery a bit, so most things will be taken care of upon my return.

The Business of Branding: 9 Things To Know Before Designing Your Logo

Design magnate Steven Gilliatt said “[A logo] should look just as good in 15-foot letters on top of company headquarters as it does one sixteenth of an inch tall on company stationery.”

A logo or logotype as it is often called is defined as a graphic representation or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., uniquely designed for ready recognition. In other words it is the color, font, the gives an instant impact and an overall feeling of who you are as a photography business. But before you put pencil to paper, or hire a designer to do the same, there are a few requirements you should have to your logo.

1)    Do your research: Know who you are and what you like before you get started. The more your designer knows about you, the better chance they have of nailing your design. The better you know your company and the image you would like it to have, the easier it will be for you to recognize it when it is presented.

2)    Design in black and white first. A logo should be simple enough to work in black and white first. Color is a very strong influence. It is much better to pick a logo when the playing field is even, you can see the fonts and shapes clearly in black and white.

3)    Make it memorable.

4)    Make it scalable (see opening quote).

5)    Make sure it has “legs.” In other words, will this logo work on every application you need it to? On your business cards as well as your website? Can you see it as part of your entire brand?

6)    Know the difference between a logo mark and a logo type. Not every identity needs both.

7)    Make sure it conveys your studio’s personality, style, and attitude.

8)    Know your audience’s demographics then make sure your identity speaks to your target audience.

9)    Ignore trends and make it timeless. A good logo or identity should last you and your studio 10 years. That is why it is worth the investment. Even after 10 years you may just need a facelift, especially if you have established yourself.

Does your own logo stand up to these rules? What are some of your favorite photography studio logos?

I am honored to be contributing to the Pictage Blog. I’m a huge fan of Pictage both as a company filled with amazing hardworking people and a leader in the photography community. I’ll be doing a post about twice a month called “The Business of Branding”. This week’s post is “Dare to be Different” it really can be the best marketing decision you can make. Feel free to leave a comment about unique ways you are daring to be different with your studio or business. We can all use a little inspiration.