Professional photos are probably going to gain you more bookings than anything that you write or the qualifications you have.

Sorry, but it’s true.

On social media, on your website, on printed materials, in your clinic window, on your Glowday booking page…how you visually present yourself and your aesthetics business REALLY MATTERS. After all, you’re in the business of aesthetics which is all about people looking good!

Your head shots, clinic photos and branded materials will all be instantly judged by existing and potential clients. And remember, they will come to snap decisions about you, your skill, your work and your business based on what they see.

First impressions are 94% design-related!

The response you want from people viewing your business online is “ooohhh, that looks like a lovely / professional / clean / welcoming / friendly clinic/practitioner.”

Anything that falls short of that is losing you business.

Professional photos are essential for businesses

AirBNB have done in-depth research on the power of phenomenal photography on bookings.

They found that comparable properties with professional photography attracted 7x more profile views, had 25% more bookings and the owners generated 40% more revenue.

Not only were businesses with the best photos more bookable, they were also able to premium price their offering.

How to get phenomenal photos

Getting professional photos for your business is not as expensive or time consuming as you think. It’s also worth remembering that you get reusable assets that can be used across your website, socials and printed marketing materials.

Here’s how to get the best photographs for your aesthetics business:

Step 1: Find a Photographer

Great clinic photography needs a great photographer.

Have a Google in your area, ask for recommendations, or head to perfocal.com to find a professional photographer.

Step 2: Brief the Photographer

Brief the photographer and establish your budget. You can expect to pay anywhere from £300 for a 1 hr shoot and digital copies of the photos. It is a VERY worthwhile investment.

We have created a professional photography brief specific to aesthetic practitioners. Check out the bottom of this article.

Step 3: Prepare for your Shoot

• Before the photographer arrives, clean, tidy and declutter your clinic. Consider it in the same way as you do when an estate agent is taking photos of your house to put on the market. Or that mad half hour ‘sweep’ before people are coming round for dinner!

• Although aesthetics is a medical specialty, the aesthetics part is important. Avoid overly medical paraphernalia - needles, masks, gloves aren't necessary for a professional photoshoot which showcases you and your clinic space.

• Furnishing your areas with beautiful accessories - plants, fresh flowers, candles, ceramic pots – these can form cohesive elements across your photography. You can move items around, from room to room, shot to shot, so don’t worry about having things in each room.

• The key is to get a good balance of environments that people enjoy (think spas, hairdressers, nail salons) against an environment that is clearly reassuringly professional, clean and tidy! Consider the kind of place you like to go for treatments and add those little touches that give your clinic an edge.

• Don’t forget your brand! Branded signage, prints and materials are also great additions.

• Ensure you showcase your skincare products you’d like to feature in stock.

• Check that your outfit, hair and make-up are authentically you. If you’re having a team photo, try and coordinate your outfits to complement each other and look super professional! Choose colours and styles that are on brand.

• Most importantly relax and SMILE! People engage well with smiley people!

Step 4: The Day of the Shoot

By this point, your clinic and treatment rooms should look incredible and you should be all prepared for your professional shoot. Try to relax and enjoy your shoot, as this will come across in your photos. Ensure your photographer is clear on the shots you need and make sure you’re happy with them BEFORE the end of the shoot.

Step 5: Utilising the Photos

You photographer should provide you with high resolution digital copies of all of the photos taken. Save a copy of these to your phone camera roll, laptop and any other device or software you use to create content. That way, they are always on hand when you’re creating posts for social media, blog articles, updating your website or creating leaflets or posters.

Sweat your professional photos! You’ve invested in them…now put them to work for you and your business.