Ever since the beginning of time, we used images to communicate. The advertising world has always known this, relying on powerful imagery to tell a marketing story. Every designer knows the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words”. So in today’s world of short attention spans how do you capture your audience’s attention?

Show, don’t tell.

Frankly, people don’t have the time to read in a world that moves too fast.

So, if you are a business owner, a blogger, a salesman or a marketer pay attention!

Why integrating visual content into your marketing strategy and communication is a must.

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy for information to get lost or ignored, if it’s not in a digestible format. Using visual imagery to tell your story can boost how much your audience absorbs and recalls.

• Research at 3M Corporation indicates that our brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text.
• Not only do we process visuals faster but visual content warrants relatively more attention than verbal content. Pictures generally result in a visual representation as well as a verbal one, whereas words simply result in the latter.
• Imagery is able to accurately communicate emotion, emotions that drive purchase behavior. Which may be why TV ads, that are able to capture the full gesture of emotions, are so effective in influencing purchase behavior.

These research findings combined with the growing popularity of Pinterest, Instagram, and Snapchat, clearly show that we are already relying more and more on images to communicate.

What Tru-Stories can do for your imagery needs.

We have worked with clients of varying needs, however, this growing trend means we use imagery that tells a story. Here are 5 simple steps in improving your visual imagery.

1. Support your message with your image – Your visual should support the message your copy is making. Your image must extend the conversation, not baffle.
2. Take the time use an attractive image to tell your story – Your visual must be eye-catching and deserving to be etched into their minds long after they have glimpsed it. This doesn’t mean hire a professional photographer, nor does it mean use royalty free images or expensive stock photography. Often some simple cropping, a little color enhancement can turn an okay photo into a really memorable one. (stay tuned as we dig a little deeper into photo filters in our next post).
3. Space is your friend – Hiding your great image under the weight of more words diminishes it’s impact and doesn’t do it justice. Give your image the appropriate space to do its work, give it room to speak.
4. Select images that connect with your audience – Remember that just because you love an image doesn’t mean that image connects with your business or audience. Make sure you find out what your audience wants to see.
5. Design your visual identity early and remain consistent – Your visual imagery is your backbone, they say something about your business and your style. Make sure you define your visual identity early on, so you send a clear, strong message to your audience and not a jumble of different messages.

Imagery plays an important role in all communications, making sure they are relevant to your audience and your story is crucial to your marketing strategy. No matter your marketing and communication goals we can work with you to find solutions. Contact Tru-Stories today to help improve your visual imagery.