Excited to share the transformation? Let’s take a look at the best way to use Before and After Images in your Marketing!
One of the questions I hear all the time from my interior design clients is, “Can you share my “before” pictures on my new portfolio?” And my answer is always the same…
“I don’t recommend that, but there are other ways you can share them.”
And that my friends is what I thought we could share in today’s blog.
The Power of Before-and-After Photos
When done well, and presented in the best way, your before and after images can speak volumes without saying a word.
- They provide visible and tangible proof of your skills, creativeness
- They demonstrate the value you bring to a project
- Capture the viewer’s attention and imagination
- Can evoke emotions within the viewer
- They tell a story of progress and transformation
All of these help the people seeing your before and after photos make a real connection to you and the work you do. Making it that much easier for them to imagine working with you someday.
So how do you take these hidden gems and transform them into marketing gold? With a little forethought and planning at the beginning of a project.
Capturing Before Photos
Before you can use these images in your marketing, you need to think strategically.
Identify Key Areas:
- What areas of your project are going to be transformed the most
- What WOW factors are you incorporating into the new design
- What changes are going to be the most impactful
By identifying these key areas of your project you now have the foundation of where to take those before images. A few quick shots with your iPhone isn’t enough to really capture the transformation you are creating.
Take a few minutes to plan…
- Consider the angles you want to capture. Showing the before and after of a fireplace from the same angle makes the transformation more apparent and striking.
- Think about the lighting. If you are going to ensure great lighting for after photos (which you definitely want to do) then take some time getting good lighting on the before photos as well. If lighting is part of the transformation be sure to share those details when revealing your before and after shots.
- Use a good camera to capture high-resolution images. Clear, crisp photos make a better impression and showoff your transformations that much more.
Capturing After Photos
Once the project is finished and you are ready to capture those stunning after images, make sure you pull out your old before photos and make a plan to get images that best showcase your hard work.
- Consistent Angles: Capture images using the same angles used in the before shots.
- Quality Lighting: Think about the lighting and make sure you are showing your project in the best possible light.
- Professional Photography: When you hire a pro who is fantastic with interior images (not the family photo lady you found on Instagram!) then you are getting the quality images that best show the quality of your work.
Using Before and After Images in Your Online Marketing
Okay, you planned and were strategic in gathering your before and after photos, now, let’s take a look at how to use them effectively across various marketing platforms:
Sharing to your Website
As I shared in our post “Developing a Strong Interior Design Portfolio” I do not believe in sharing before images in your main design portfolio. Your main portfolio has one purpose. To showcase your designs in a way that makes your dream clients swoon.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a place to showcase your transformations.
Create a blog that shares the before-and-after transformations as a journey through the project from start to finish. Include written details such as what your client envisioned, challenges you faced, and your design approach and the outcome.
Share on Social Media
Share these images on your social media channels to engage your audience. Use captions to tell the story behind the transformation.
You could do this as the project progresses, creating a project related album or highlight so that followers can stay up to date and view the full transformation once it’s complete.
You could also create a multi-image post or carousel to show the before and after images side by side. Add a descriptive caption that highlights key elements of the transformation.
Email Newsletters
We all love behind the scenes looks and an email sent to your subscribers is a great way to show your own behind the scenes transformations.
You could send out progress emails throughout a project, or do one big final reveal including those before-and-after images to keep them engaged and interested in what you do.
Client Testimonials
Pair before-and-after images with client testimonials on your website and social media.
A few final thoughts…
Before-and-after images are a great way to demonstrate your design skills. They have the power to inspire potential clients by showing the real impact of your work. And when used strategically they become a powerful tool in your marketing.
Good luck! If you have any questions or need help showcasing your amazing transformations, feel free to reach out. I am here to help you shine and connect with your dream clients.
