If you’re here, you’re no stranger to styled shoots. But we want to make sure you’re getting the best ROI, because that’s exactly what they are–a huge investment of time and energy. So let’s get into it. 

What is Your Goal for the Shoot?

Whether you’re looking to expand your portfolio in a specific direction or try something new, it’s always important to sit down with yourself before planning or agreeing to take part in a styled shoot to analyze exactly why you’re doing it. 

Choosing the Right Team

You probably have a go-to team of favorites that you like to turn to, but when you’re planning a styled shoot, it’s important to curate the team based on the aesthetic and execution rather than solely based on friendships. While we know that this should be obvious, it’s easy to slip into a routine with your favorite vendors, to say, “Yes” every time your favorite florist wants to work together. Another important aspect of curating your team for a styled shoot should be reach. Look for partners who have a good social media presence, who are attracting clients that you would like to work with. This is a key way that you can double or triple your reach.

Capture Behind the Scenes

On social media, BTS photos and videos often perform better than the end product. But you need to have your head in the game, so it’s important to have a designated content creator, whether you assign the job to someone on your team or collaborate with a professional. And make sure to share all the BTS content with the rest of the team so you can reach their audience as well.  

Delegate Submissions

Yes, you may be using the photos for your website or portfolio, but if you don’t submit the shoot, you’re missing out on a huge marketing opportunity! Real weddings help you attract couples that appreciate your signature aesthetic but this is your chance to showcase what you can do and where you want to go. This is how you evolve as a creative (and get paid to do it!). So, before you have the shoot, make sure it’s clear in the proposal who will be submitting for publication and where. And remember, we can always submit for you!

Track Your Reach

This is where most businesses miss out. You’re doing all of this work, why leave the results up to chance when you can know for sure what’s working and what’s not? Anytime you are spending time on marketing, be it submitting to a publication, sending a newsletter, purchasing an ad, or even posting a link on social media, you should always be tracking the interactions. If you’re new to link tracking, it’s actually super simple. You just need to create a custom UTM (Urchin Tracking Module). Don’t be intimidated by the name; it’s just a fancy way to say a custom link extension that gets added to the end of any hyperlink. Google Analytics’ UTM campaign generator is free and easy to use. The best part is that it will automatically update your Google Analytics for your company, so you can keep all of your marketing outreach information in one place. 

Let Us Help

At Masterfully Managed, we wear a lot of hats. We can help with everything from making vendor recommendations and curating a team based on a brief, vendor outreach, gallery curation, submissions, and generating UTM links. If you’ve got a styled shoot on the calendar and would like help lightening the load, schedule a call with Katie to see how our team can help you.

Let’s Stay Connected!

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