Here is a copy of a letter that I once wrote to a local plumbing firm. They had sent me some advertising literature that was well-intentioned, but was decidedly amateurish. Here is the analysis that I gave them.
Dear Sirs and Madams:
I received a copy of your advertising materials in the mail. I mean no offense, but I felt that I just had to provide some feedback on your choice of photographs. Developing marketing materials is an important part of my job, and so this is something that’s dear to my heart.
Your introductory flyer, for example, includes a photograph of your employees sitting around in striped shirts. No offense, but I think there are several problems with this idea. For one thing (and I’m sure you’ve heard this before), it makes the employees look like their in prison. I showed the letter to my co-workers, and every single one immediately commented that these fellows looked like they were in prison.
A second problem (and again, I mean no offense) is that it’s a dull photo that sends the wrong message. I think it’s safe to say that most customers don’t want to see your employees sitting around doing nothing. This doesn’t catch their attention, and it could even turn them away. By and large, customers respond better to photographs that show employees hard at work in more action-oriented poses.
The third problem (and I really hate to say this) is that the photo is unimaginative. It immediately says, “We couldn’t think of anything else to include, so we snapped a picture of our employees.” Let me elaborate.
Often, when small companies try to think of images that they can include in their brochures, they immediately think about a company photo. This is usually a huge mistake. Unless your company is a modeling agency, an actor’s guild, or a den of prostitution, customers generally don’t care what your employees look like. They’re more interested in knowing that you can get the job done – especially in service-oriented industries like plumbing. What’s more relying heavily on employee photos tends to bespeak a lack of creativity, and (deservedly or not) this tends to cast a negative impression.
Speaking of which… Your brochure included a photo of your plumbers sitting around their training room. I think this photo suffers from similar problems. To give you an idea, I showed this photo to one of my colleagues. His response? “They’re just sitting around at a bunch of desks! Doesn’t look like they’re getting much training to me.”
Another photo did show two employees holding some equipment; however, they were clearly posing for the camera instead of getting any work done. Another has a fellow sitting in a forklift, but also posing for the camera. These photos are somewhat more interesting, but I think that they convey the wrong message as well.
Mind you, I’m not saying that employee photographs don’t have their place. Our company’s website does include a company photo as part of a background image, for example. By and large though, they should be used sparingly, and the focus should always be on providing images that communicate action, competence, and a desire to serve.
I hope that these remarks don’t offend you, as that truly was not my intent. I felt that perhaps you might appreciate the feedback, though. As someone who also works for a small company, I understand the importance of using creative, well-designed marketing materials that will catch the customer’s attention.
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