HOW TO USE VISUAL STORYTELLING TO ATTRACT BETTER CLIENTS

Images are powerful. Sometimes even more powerful than words. In a world with dwindling attention spans, visuals help communicate meaning and emotion in an instant. If you’re looking for creative ways to elevate your brand experience and distinguish your business in the market, visual storytelling offers you a compelling edge.

In this blog, you’ll discover why more business owners are using visual storytelling to connect with their audience, enhance brand recognition, and increase perceived value. You’ll also learn how to start crafting your own visual story to improve your brand’s it-factor to land more clients.

CONTENTS

• 5 Benefits of visual storytelling for small businesses

• Dos and don’ts of impactful visual storytelling

• My favourite free visual storytelling image sources

• 4 simple steps to start visual storytelling through your brand

• Where to use visual storytelling in your business

5 BENEFITS OF VISUAL STORYTELLING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

1. Visual Storytelling Provides Context and Clues

Not all business names tell you what the business does. In some cases, neither does their logo. And that’s okay.

For businesses using an abstract business name, like my client Moderno, visual storytelling fills in the gaps and tells you immediately what type of industry they belong to. No need to clutter up the space with added text. Let the photography do the talking.

2. Strategic Visual Storytelling Can Improve Your Inquiry Rate

Reassure your target audience with strategic visuals that mirror back themselves.

For example, let’s say you were looking online for a business coach who works with women business owners. If you land on a coach’s website and primarily see pictures of men, you can quickly deduce that this may not be the right coach for you.

But a business coach whose brand experience shows images of female entrepreneurs increases the likelihood you’ll inquire about their services. Visual storytelling can help potential clients self-identify.

3. Visual Storytelling Distinguishes Your Business

When you really understand the brand you’re inviting people to connect with, thoughtfully curating visual storytelling images is an excellent strategy for brand distinction. Using visual storytelling through photography across your brand experience will help express your brand personality, tone, and set expectations about the quality of your offers.

4. Visual Storytelling Improves Brand Memorability

To stay top of mind with your target audience, your brand experience needs to be memorable. Businesses that use generic stock photography all wash together in our minds. But those that employ visual storytelling hold a unique space in our minds, not to mention, pique our curiosity.

5. Visual Storytelling Improves Your Perceived Value

It doesn’t matter if you’ve hired a photographer or not, using distinct brand visuals across your brand experience communicates thoughtfulness and professionalism. To a potential client visiting your website, when the visuals steal the show with a distinct look and feel, it shifts the value they can expect from hiring you.

DOS AND DONT’S OF IMPACTFUL VISUAL STORYTELLING

Do Use Your Brand Strategy to Guide Your Visual Narrative

Your brand strategy guide already has everything you need to shape the narrative you’ll tell through photography. When you have a clearly defined tone, voice, purpose, and nuanced understanding of your ideal clients, these are your best sources of inspiration for creating the narrative around your brand’s visual story.

Do Focus on the Emotions Your Audience is Seeking

Consider how your ideal clients desire to feel and use visual storytelling to present those feelings. Use your brand experience as an opportunity to give them a dose of what they’re looking for.

Do Think Outside the Box with Your Visual Storytelling

To really make an impact on your audience, be creative in the way you tell your visual story. Remember, your brand’s visuals don’t have to be a literal reflection of your industry, they just have to tell a story. Dare to be inspired by exploring search terms that have nothing to do with your industry and see where it takes you.

For example, if working with you feels like a picnic in the park, then use images of people picnicking. When you leverage a metaphor in your visual storytelling like this, really lean into the theme by using emojis to enhance your brand experience even further. 🥐 🧀 🍓

Do Focus on Visual Cohesion and Consistency

Before you start curating a brand image library or plan your photography shoot, decide what colour palette your images will have. For most brands, it makes sense to use images that prioritize your own brand colour palette for consistency. But it’s not required.

The goal is to ensure your visuals are cohesive and consistent across your various brand touch points. Similarly, decide on an image style to use consistently. Here are some considerations:

• busy versus minimal

• dark versus light

• vibrant versus subdued

• literal versus abstract

• fun versus formal

Don’t Use Generic Stock Imagery

There’s a lot of bad stock imagery out there with no heart or soul. Avoid using stale photos that don’t conjure up any emotion—other than boredom. If the image feels overly staged, skip it.

Don’t Use Images that Contradict Your Brand Values

Be intentional with how you curate your visual storytelling images. If your brand is all about freedom and comfort, then avoid images that are dark and moody. Or if your brand is all about community, make sure you’re using images with groups of people rather than individuals.

Don’t Take Photos Yourself—Unless You’re a Pro

As great as iPhone cameras are, unless you’re a trained photographer, please do not DIY your own photography for visual storytelling purposes. This will only hinder your credibility. Instead, refer to the Visual Storytelling Image Sources list below or hire a photographer for something truly unique to your business.

Visual storytelling on social media

brand kit example of visual storytelling

MY FAVOURITE FREE VISUAL STORYTELLING IMAGE SOURCES

As a brand designer, I use visual storytelling when I’m presenting brands to clients and when I’m designing my semi-custom brand kits. Logo designs on their own aren’t enough to capture the heart of a brand, so I rely on free stock photography websites to enrich the brand experience.

I’m so grateful for the many talented photographers who contribute to these stock photography platforms. Here are my go-to sources for visual storytelling images that are free to use commercially, all of which have video content too.

1. Pexels

2. Unsplash

3. Kaboompics

4. Dupe Photos

Pro-Tip for Curating Cohesive Visuals

When you find a stock image that aligns with your vision on a website like Pexels or Unsplash, click on the image and scroll down for related images. Often you’ll find more shots of the same subject matter which can help complement the visual story you’re trying to tell through your brand.

4 SIMPLE STEPS TO BEGIN VISUAL STORYTELLING

1. Establish Your Story’s Vibe

Refer to your brand strategy guide or strategically decide what narrative you’re aiming to tell through photography. Factor in the emotions and personality your ideal client’s may be looking for in a business like yours.

2. Brainstorm Different Ways to Tell That Story

What are some not-so-literal ways to tell your story? Think of visual storytelling as an opportunity to use metaphors to improve memorability. Make a list of any keywords that stand out.

3. Search Keywords and Be Inspired

Search unique keywords on stock imagery platforms to see what creative directions you could take. Search for the vibe, the lifestyle, the supporting narrative you want associated with your brand. Start scrolling and be open to possibilities. Photographers are so creative and your brand will only benefit from their talent.

4. Save Photos to Your Visual Storytelling Library

This is a process you don’t want to rush. Start saving photos that align with a few possible directions for your brand’s visual story. Ideally, you want to find a visual narrative that can be fulfilled by similar cohesive photographs or share a similar look and feel. Once you’ve found the most promising direction, create a Visual Storytelling Library folder on your computer to make it easy to grab on-brand images for your website and marketing.

strong visual storytelling elevates this client service guide — get Canva template here

WHERE TO USE VISUAL STORYTELLING IN YOUR BUSINESS

Every business will be different with unique touch points. Here are the primary areas you’ll want to use visual storytelling in your brand experience:

On your website → This is the main area you’ll want to use strategic visual storytelling. Use your most aligned brand images here to create a meaningful first impression that makes them want to come back for more.

On social media → When you’re not in front of the camera yourself, use compelling imagery to tell your story and keep your audience engaged. Don't forget emojis that tie into your story.

To promote your offers → For offer memorability, curate a distinct set of images for each offer.

On blog posts → Maintain that distinct visual experience by choosing images for your blog covers and posts that align with the story you’re trying to convey through your brand.

Inside your client guides → Visual storytelling makes a huge impact when used throughout your client experience. When your service guide or proposal PDF carry over the same visual narrative they’ve become familiar with, they’ll know you’re a worthy investment who pays special attention to thoughtful details.

For small business owners, visual storytelling is one of the most accessible yet impactful tools you can use to shape perception, build emotional resonance, and create a truly memorable brand experience. By being intentional with the imagery you choose, you not only create consistency, but also connection. Visual storytelling has the ability to impart new meaning and elevate the brand your audience is experiencing. But more importantly, they leave a lasting impression in our hearts and minds.

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Jenny Henderson Studio develops memorable brand experiences and strategic brand foundations to improve recognition and revenue for service-based small businesses.