As the final month of the year approaches, entrepreneurs and businesses are thinking about how and where to allocate their remaining marketing budget. Q4 is an especially strategic time for both investing in a solid brand foundation for the year ahead while also taking advantage of significant tax benefits - so make it count!

While there are many marketing routes to consider, one area that should be high on your list of priorities is your visual brand identity.

Here are four strategic ways to spend your marketing budget in December so you can kick start the New Year with a bang:

1. PROFESSIONAL COMPANY HEADSHOTS FOR YOUR TEAM

With employees coming and going throughout the year, setting an annual ‘Q4 Team Headshot Refresh’ calendar reminder is great way to consistently update your company team profile, while also strategically allocating your marketing spend.

Contemporary, high quality headshots are essential in communicating your companies professionalism and for building trust with your ideal client when they interact with each touch point of your business.

2. UPDATED IMAGES FOR YOUR WEBSITE

It goes without saying - your website is often the first touch point for potential clients and customers. Outdated or lack-lustre Website images can seriously let down your brand and turn away valuable business. Like your team headshots, Q4 is an ideal time to update your web presence with high impact visuals that professionally represent your brand, your values and your products.

As a best practice (and for consistency accross all marketing channels) I reccommend my clients combine their Team Headshot Refresh with a full Branding Photo Session in the one day. Bang for buck baby!

3. BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY TO ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE AND YOUR IDEAL CLIENT

You’ve invested wisely in your people, your product and your unique point of view. Your visual brand should not be an after thought. Its mission critical in how you communicate your message.

Compelling, high impact commercial and personal branding photography has one major goal - to powerfully position your ‘WHY’ and place it at the forefront of your ideal clients mind - and rounding out the year with a Q4 brand re-fresh is a great way to leave a lasting impression on your audience with a cohesive and comprehensive asset library for all your marketing channel needs.

4. HOLIDAY EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Hiring an event photographer for your year end gatherings is a brilliant (and fun!) way to capture candid moments of your team and your clients. It’s a fantastic way for not only preserving special moments of the event, but also for providing an often overlooked asset library for future marketing endeavours to engage your audience.

You might also consider a photo booth experience with on-site image printing to create a fun and engaging activation that your guests can then take a branded (and perhaps coupled with an offer or product gift card) keepsake image with them. Think end of year celebration AND marketing opportunity! It’s a Win Win!

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR Q4 MARKETING BUDGET:

Invest In Strategic Content Partners: Work with professionals who specialize in your niche and who seek to understand your brand and your vision.
Be Consistent: Maintaining a consistent visual style cross all your marketing channels is essential in reinforcing your messaging, your company values and your brand identity.
Asset Strategy: Incorporate your visual assets strategically and consistently across all your marketing touch points both external and internal: Website, Social Media, Company Newsletters, Email Campaigns, Internal Communications and Presentations.
Use It Or Lose It: Work with your Tax Advisor to see where you might strategically allocate any end of year budget surplus to your tax advantage.

If you found these Marketing Spend tips helpful, sign up for my newsletter here and if you’d like to learn more about my Branding Photography Packages, reach out to learn more. I’d love to support you in ending the year right!

#benowensphotography #branding #portrait #makeitcount