Until the day that computers and mobile devices are capable of emitting a scent, dispensaries and cannabis producers must rely heavily on the visual element of their products in order to help them sell. High quality images of the product you are growing and selling not only reflect the quality of your business as a whole, but there is a huge opportunity to stand out among the competition with stunning photographs. It’s not hard to be mesmerized by the aesthetic elements of a beautiful cannabis plant and your customers will equate that beauty to a superior product.
Hire a local photographer
Unless you have a professional photographer on your team capable of macro photography, we recommend searching your community to find a photographer to either bring on to your team or to hire freelance whenever photography is needed. Cannabis photography is a growing industry, with companies and photographers specializing in cannabis imagery specifically. Place a job ad or search a photographer directory to find someone excited to work with you.
Explore stock image sites
If you are unable to find a local photographer, you might have luck finding appropriate images on a stock photo site. Traditional stock image sites like Shutterstock and Getty Images include cannabis photos, but you’ll likely find higher quality and more interesting photos on a marijuana-specific service like Stock Pot Images. We do recommend finding a photographer over using stock images, however, because a photographer will help you to portray your business and products more honestly and accurately.
Besides taking photos of cannabis and the products you sell, it’s also important to take quality images of the interior of your shop. Potential customers in this new industry want to get an idea of what the experience will be like before walking through your door. Will the experience be more like a pawn shop or like an Apple Store? Show them the personality and amenities of your shop through images.
Maximize your ROI
Once you’ve decided to invest in cannabis photography, you will want to maximize your return on investment. Here are some ideas of how to get the most use from each image:
- Include photos of your products and store interior throughout your website.
- Make your marketing efforts more effective by including the images in your email newsletters, social media posts and blog posts
- Upload your images to directory sites like Weedmaps.com to make your business stand out among your local competition
- Send photos along with your story pitches when you contact local media so that they have relevant images to print
With most businesses in any field, but especially in the cannabis industry, imagery is incredibly important. Every dollar invested in photography (as well as video) is money well spent because it can set you apart from your competition, persuade skeptical new customers to check out your shop, and enhance all of your marketing efforts.