We started our conversation on styled shoots over on Instagram and here on our blog last week, and I’ve been blown away by the great response we’ve seen! To keep it going, this week we’ll be focusing on how to start thinking about one of the most important parts of any shoot: design.

Get our free Design Process Guide here!

So, you have an idea for a shoot. But – how do you ensure that design is something your ideal client will be attracted to, or that people in general will be interested in? Here’s where we start:

Research

You are the best authority on what your idea client wants. That is, if you choose to listen to them. It’s time to take a look at your metrics: what posts on social media are getting more likes? What weddings have your clients cited in their bookings? What do these things look like? By focusing on what your ideal client and audience want, you can narrow down your design ideas. If your audience are huge fans of modern weddings and when you post these kinds of photos they get huge engagement – maybe a rustic or ranch design is not the way to go, no matter how much you’d like to try it.

 

Fresh Ideas

No one wants to see the same ol’ thing over and over again. You have to think of a way to position yourself differently from your competitors. Yes, your audience likes modern weddings. That doesn’t mean you should give them the same modern wedding ideas that they are already seeing around – it means you have to be the next thing in modern weddings.

Tell a Story

Random things put together is not going to impress anyone. There has to be a reason you choose to do this design, and why you are showing the things you are. Simply putting together a pretty table dosen’t really cut it anymore. You have to be purposeful in your design, and the easiest way to go about that is to tell a story. This way all the elements of your shoot work together instead of fight against each other or have conflicting messages.

If you’re curious how we move from a hint of an idea to a fully-fleshed design, you’re in luck! You can now sign up to grab our Design Process Guide, totally FREE! We’re sharing how we use Pinterest as part of our design funnel, how we use color and so much more!

Click here to Get our Design Process Guide! It’s FREE!

Ar you following us on Instagram? @harmonycreative If so – use the tag #styledshootsuccess, we’d love to see shoots you’ve done, or what you’re working on!

 

Photo Credit: Diana McGregor