Product-based event businesses have just one chance to make a great first impression online. Consumers today are savvy, with extremely high expectations of their shopping experiences on the Internet. They can detect a professional effort over an amateur one in seconds. When developing your online presence, there are many best practices you must consider.
First and foremost, make sure that all of your images are professionally taken and consistent throughout your site in quality. This is absolutely essential. Commission a local pro photographer to shoot in batches. If this is not realistic for your budget, take a class from a pro who can teach you how to shoot products for your company.
When taking photographs of your products, make sure you don’t go overboard with the set-up. Keep it simple, and don’t include pieces that might be distracting or might take away from the product you are marketing. Your goal should be to draw your viewer’s eye to the product, not to distract a prospective buyer with staging.
If you have complementary items in your shop, such as linens and napkins that go well together, it is acceptable to photograph some pieces set together to help people better visualize the final result.
Photograph your products from a number of angles to give viewers the full picture. Avoid using flash if possible, as natural light is always preferable. Consider purchasing a light box to help keep your images simple and professional. They are actually quite affordable and user-friendly, and help by distributing light evenly around a product to cut down on distracting shadows and reflections.
A gallery of photographs of your products “in action” at events is helpful to consumers as well. Make sure that you contact your clients’ photographers after events and ask if they are willing to share photos with you for marketing purposes. In turn, don’t forget to credit and thank those photographers who share their images with you, ideally on social media and through your blog.
When creating your website, take necessary measures to allow your photos to be easily shared through social media. Further, anticipate the needs of your customer in advance. Be descriptive and establish a thorough FAQ page to reduce customer uncertainty as well as the number of repeat questions you have to address.
Above all else, give amazing customer service. Not even a perfect product photo can substitute for it.
Igal Sapir is the chief technology officer of 100Candles.com, an online market that pairs high-quality candles with superior customer service. From weddings and birthdays to holiday parties and fundraisers, 100Candles.com has enjoyed celebrating life’s biggest moments along with its customers since 2002.
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