The saying may go “you eat with your eyes,” but as every fresh produce marketer knows, people must be enticed to buy before they ever eat. That’s why investing in visual content is imperative for your brand. In today’s saturated media space, consumers have to be enticed into giving your brand anything more than a passing glance—and while you hopefully have a stellar copywriter and a marketing funnel that will wrap the “sale,” it is your visuals that tell the story first.

There is a plethora of creative assets you could theoretically create, which can be overwhelming for anyone—so to make it easier to determine what visual content you need, we’ve created a recap of must-haves to position your brand in exactly the right frame.

Tradeshow

Call me a millennial for this one, but in some ways, interacting at tradeshows is a bit like experiencing a dating app live (yes, it does sound like a nightmare if you were to show up unprepared!). The last thing you want a retailer to do is “swipe left” (which means “no,” for all of you out there who have escaped the online dating experience) because you didn’t find a way to catch your prospect’s eye. Now we are not saying that substance isn’t important—ultimately that’s what will solidify any relationship, trade or otherwise—but visuals are key to starting that first conversation. These elements are key for tradeshows:

1. First Impression: This consists of the overall appearance of your booth, your logo and collateral, and even your team, and should both convey who you are and provide insight into your brand’s personality. The last thing you want is to be easily forgotten—or confused for someone else!
2. Seal the Deal: You don’t want to confuse your audience by sending mixed signals, which is why consistent visual branding is paramount. Fonts, colors, highlighted messaging, and overall aesthetic should come together in a clear message throughout all visuals you present related to the show, from your advertising to sales materials and digital assets, including social media.

Social Media

Social media is often the gateway that introduces shoppers to your brand, and as we all know, first impressions are key. So much like when you first “meet the family,” you’ll want to be prepared.

1. Dress it Up: Give your product a little tszujing with recipe photos. And this is not the time to wear your lounge wear—unless it’s Lululemon (by which we mean athleisure that hasn’t ever actually gone to the gym). Pull out the stops for well-plated and stylized photos that are sure to impress today’s foodies.
2. Be Interesting: Mix up your feed with lifestyle photos! This is the time to showcase how your products fit into everyday life. Go beyond the kitchen to capture photos in various settings “where people eat”: think snacking at work, barbecues and other outdoor eating occasions, tailgates, etc.
3. “Humble-Brag”: Use quotes and infographics to subtly convey that you are a trustworthy, top-of-the-line brand. This is all about being strategic, so choose the information that is likely to have the most positive impact—just be careful to not overdo it.
4. Be Authentic: This is where you pare down the flash and show all the natural beauty—though still in good lighting, of course. Produce beauty shots and natural behind-the-scenes visuals are a go-to here.

Website

At the end of the day, one of your main goals should be converting your audience into actual web contacts with whom your brand can actually interact. You don’t want to go through all the work of reeling them in only to lose them when it’s time to pop the big question (and by that, we mean, “Would you like to subscribe?”). For visual content that helps you seal the deal, consider the following:

1. What you’ve promised in on social media needs to be delivered on your website. Consistency is key here. This means that some of the photos you share on social should also be featured, though with more depth, on your site (this definitely applies for recipes!).
2. Graphics are the best way to convey the high-level information you want your audience to pay attention to. Much like in a conversation, where instead of dancing around an important subject, you know when it’s time to get straight to the point.
3. Do you immediately want to capture attention? Video is one of the quickest ways to keep your audience coming back. For more!

After you’ve laid out all the groundwork, it’s time to ask for the ultimate commitment, but you still have to set the stage. Engaging CTAs are the easiest way to turn that blog subscription proposition into a resounding “yes!”

Now that we’ve played a little matchmaker, it’s time for you and your brand to spread your visual wings! But don’t worry, if you’re in need of a little assistance for putting yourself on the scene, we’re here to help, with 13+ different kinds of visual content tailored to your brand.

Have more to add? Leave us a comment below, or tweet to us at @TheCoreBlog!

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