Creating a Memorable Portrait Experience

Packaging Ideas for Your Portrait Studio

Are you leaving your clients with a lasting and memorable experience when they receive their family’s portraits?  As a family photographer once the portraits are taken and ready to be delivered to your clients, this is when you have another instance to stand out and deliver beautiful family portraits.  Have you seen an unboxing video lately?  My youngest son is fascinated by those videos and tend to spend hours watching them.  Unboxing videos have become a popular trend in recent years and with custom branded materials, you can give your portrait clients an unforgettable luxurious unboxing experience.  

​As a small business owner it's difficult to stand out from bigger established companies; however, it can be done, and your clients will thank you for it.  When your clients receive their portraits are they mesmerized and blown away by your packaging? 

​The branding of your portraits and how they’re delivered is another way to illustrate to your clients why they hired you as their family, wedding, or headshot photographer.  It also establishes your value as a professional in the industry and making your portrait studio stand out from the rest.  Packaging is a significant component in communicating your brand to your portrait clients, therefore it’s vital to invest in a great design.  Creative packaging is more than just putting your portrait studio’s logo on, it needs to be creative and send a message that gives your clients the feeling of being special and important...because they are.  

Tissue Paper

Custom branded tissue paper is a great way to update your packaging and give it a luxurious touch.  Custom tissue leaves a positive and lasting first impression about your packaging.  It also sets your portrait studio apart from your competitors.  Of course it enhances the overall customer perception of the portrait products value.  

Your branded tissue can be used for several different things:

• Tissue inside boxes mailed to your clients
• Wrap products
• Wrap albums
• Inside bags
• more...

Have you shopped in a luxurious store in the mall?  It is a life-altering for a business owner.  Also consider a signature scent.  I picked up this tip after visiting France.  After making a purchase, the shop owners would spray their stores signature scent on the tissues before placing them in my bag.  Yes, every time I smelt the tissue, I remember the store I visited.

Branded Tissue Paper inside portrait bag

These tissue papers will have your portrait clients wondering what's inside their bag or box.  Again think about the significance of unboxing videos and the impression it leaves.

Branded Tissue covering Heirloom Album

Signature Scent

Or another way to state is; a Scent Logo.  As mention up top, this idea came to me after visiting France last summer.  Every store I visited had a signature scent.  After i purchased something from their store; as they were wrapping my item, they spray their store's signature scent on the tissue paper.  So when I smell that specific scent, it reminds me of that particular store.  Do you need help finding the right signature scent for your brand?    Contact me and let's talk about it.

Delivering Your Portraits

How do you deliver your clients portraits?  Your delivery is another way of leaving a memorable experience for your portrait clients.  I have two ways of delivering family portraits and portraits from National Archives military ceremonies.  For clients that are within the Los Angeles area, I hand deliver in a branded bag.  For clients in the Washington D.C. area, I mail their portraits in a branded box.  

The company I use for branded boxes allows you to pick several different styles and dictate what size box you need.  It's really convenient and amazing.

Mailing Tape

Have you received a package from Amazon and ever wondered where they purchased their branded tape and wondered how you could get your own portrait studios branded tape?  I have and looked for months to find something that would fit my brand.  Custom tape is great for improving your brand exposure and package deliverability.  

Ribbon

Branded ribbon is another way to give an added touch.  This is great for wrapping portrait folders and more.

Custom Branded Ribbon

Pens

Do you have your portrait clients sign agreements or model releases?  Custom pens are a great way to reinforce your brand and a great way to show your professionalism.  I've even had clients beg for a pen because they write so smoothly.  

Branded Pens

USB Drives

In the images below you'll see customized branded USB drives and the lux packaging for them. In each drive I create for my clients, I include a folder containing the High-Res portrait files.  I also include a Print Release file which gives the client permission to print their photos.

Thank You Cards

Do you send your portrait clients a thank you card?  This is a great way to show them appreciation and to keep them coming back to utilize your services a portrait photographer.  Saying "thank you" isn't enough, however receiving a handwritten thank you note with two of their favorite portraits inside will definitely leave a lasting impression.  

I went through several iterations of thank you cards until I began using this one below.  

This is another example of a card.  This card uses a chain instead of a ribbon.  There are several different possibilities.  During the holidays, a bead of berries could be used.
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Your clients spend countless hours looking for the right family or wedding photographer and hopefully they’ve picked you.  If they’ve selected you to photograph the story of their family or wedding, I’m sure they’ve spent significant money to ensure they receive a luxurious portrait experience.  You don’t want your clients to receive a Walmart bag with their images placed in a plain manila envelope or their digital images on a DVD-R jewel case from one of the office supply stores.  How do you want your portrait clients experience to end?  

Remember when considering what packaging you will use for your portrait studio, you are original and stand out from others, evaluate the cost, and ensure your packaging is consistent with your overall brand.
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Force Insulated Bottle

This bottle is a great way to market your business.  I use it when I go to networking events to advertise my business or even give a door prizes.  This bottle is so nice, my husband wanted one.  Now he uses it everyday.  I even shared the niceness of this bottle with another business owner and she purchased some for her business as well. 

You see these bottles everywhere; but how nice and cool would it be to have a bottle with your company name on it?  Adding this bottle to your marketing will set up apart from other business owners.

I would love to see your packaging or answer any questions you may have about branded packaging.  Feel free to ask your questions in the comments or send me a message.

Other Things to Consider

When creating and designing your photography packaging, these are several other things to consider:

• Eye Appeal - using decorative shredded paper
• Personal touches 
• Give your presentation and delivery something mega-classy; consider embossing or letterpress
• Portrait Envelopes
• Glass or Wooden Box

You want your portrait presentation to be the talk of the town.
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Branding Consulting

Remember your brand is more than just a logo.  It consists of your logo, your brand colors, your communication and the overall client experience. 

​Are you looking and in need of creative ways to brand and present your business?  Contact me at (571) 250-5073 or online to schedule a consultation.
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