Now that it’s easy to find free images for commercial use, your communications can be improved tenfold. Well almost. Sure, there are millions of images to choose from – but with choice comes responsibility. It’s important to choose the right image for your piece. This is especially true if you’re looking to buy images, but equally valid if you’re assessing the appropriateness of a free image. Before you click, the download button, know the answers to these ten questions:

Before you buy images, make sure you ask yourself these 10 questions

1. Does Your Image Reflect Your Business and the Article?

Every image you use must reflect your brand personality. If your business upholds a premium image, your supporting imagery must look impressive. If your business aims to cut costs, you should buy images that are basic – showing that you’re taking a minimalist attitude to keep prices down.

And obviously, the image that you use must have some connection with the communication piece it’s supporting. After all, the image will help attract eyes, giving the promise of specific content. If that content isn’t delivered, your communication will fail reducing trust in your business.

2. Does Your Image Relate to Your Audience?

Using an image that will resonate with your audience is crucial. Your target market must not only be drawn to the image, but must also identify with the image and its setting.

For example, if you’re trying to recreate an image of cosy loving home, ensure that all the elements in the picture recreate this feeling accurately.

• Can your audience identify with the snow in the background?
• Should there be children?
• What clothes are the family wearing?
• Who is the hero of the photo?

A good image will either reflect life or portray a perceived better life.

Generally, images with people are more engaging, as they are more relatable. People also prefer looking at good looking people – however people that are too good looking or model-like do not lend as much credibility, as the scene becomes too staged.

The age of the people in your images must also reflect the aspirations of your target market. Younger teens want to be older teens, parents like seeing happy parents. Older retired couples like to view images of retired people that look younger and are active and happy.

3. What Size Do You Need Your Image?

Put simply, how physically big does the image need to be? To answer this you need to understand your sizing requirements. Image sizes are often quoted in pixels or millimeters. Ensure you’ve taken an accurate measurement before you hit the download button.

When in doubt, always opt to buy images of a larger size. You can always reduce the size of an image without hassle; however you can’t increase the size of an image without compromising on quality.

4. What Image Resolution Do You Need?

Resolution is the term used to gauge how detailed an image is – or in simple terms, how sharp an image will present when viewed close up. Print applications require images with higher levels of detail, whereas online images can require less detail.

• For print applications you will need an image that’s 300dpi (dots per square inch), at your required size
• For web based applications, seek an image that is at least 96dpi at your required size

5. When Downloading Your Image, What File Formats Should You Choose?

Usually, downloaded images files only come in a select format – jpg. Other times, you are able to choose the image format. Need help on which format to choose? Have a read of the Difference Between a JPG, GIF, TIFF, PNG and EPS

Most commonly, you will use a jpg.

6. Does Your Image Have a Better Angle?

Excellent. You’ve found a good image. But before you celebrate, consider if there something better just around the corner? Sometimes a designer will upload multiple options of the same image. This may showcase the same image from angles.

Before purchasing an image, it’s best to check for alternate angles that may provide you with a better result. To do this either:

1. Search for your current image in the search bar. Designers will most likely use the same naming convention for similar images. The search results should return your current image, along with other similar images
2. Directly search the image uploader’s contributions (usually by clicking on their name). You can take this one step further by conducting an advanced search for images uploaded by the creator which fit your sought category.

7. Who Else is Using Your Image?

Being successful in business is all about establishing and delivering your unique selling point. It’s hard to be unique if you’re following everyone else with your imagery.

Before you buy images, check the total number of downloads.  The more downloads, the more people are using your image – and the more likely people have seen it before. If you’re looking to use an image in key campaigns or products, consider against using a popular image. If people have already seen the image, its impact is lessened; it is seen as clichéd and dilutes the effectiveness of your message.

8. Does Your Image Look Good as a Sample?

Before purchasing your image, I recommended that you incorporate a test sample of your image into your artwork. This is known as showing your work ‘in situ’ (from the Latin ‘in the place’). To do this, save a sample of your intended image (with watermarks). This image sample will be in low resolution, but will still give you an indication of how well the image will fit your artwork.

Use a graphic design program (such as the free photoshop alternative Paint.Net) to organise your image in your expected final layout. Once complete, pay particular attention to whether post purchase modifications will work. This may include:

• Does your image physically fit the artwork?
• Do you intend to remove the background from your image?
• Does the image work in harmony with supporting images and text?
• Does the colour scheme work?
• Is the lighting consistent across the entire artwork?

9. Is There a Chance You May Use Your Image in the Future?

Is it possible you will look to use your image again in the future? If so, it’s best to buy images at the largest possible size. This will future proof your purchase and make it adaptable to your future needs.

If you don’t follow this advice and find yourself needing a larger version of the same image – you will need to purchase your image again at an additional cost.

10. What are the Image’s License Rights?

Ensure you fully understand the licensing rights when you buy images. Are you able to use the image again and again on any application, or are you restricted to a once-off usage over a set time? Does the photographer request that you provide an acknowledgment beside their image?

Typically, paid images have fewer restrictions, whereas free images may ask you for an acknowledgment. Make sure you know your obligations and give credit where necessary.

Growing your small business,

David Moloney
Small Business Planned

Image Credit: Filomena Scalise

The first purchase a new customer makes with you is the most important transaction you’re going to have with them. So much is riding on its success. If your customer’s first purchasing experience meets or surpasses their expectations, they are likely to make subsequent purchases. And then further purchases, all the while developing an ongoing customer relationship. If their first experience is less than ideal, they won’t be coming back anytime soon.

By nurturing this relationship, your customer will begin to depend on your expertise to the exclusion of all others. You become the trusted advisor. You become the port for all future purchases. If you’re lucky, your customer will even become an advocate and recommend you to their family and friends.

It all starts in being there for that first sale.

Be There When Your Customer First Needs You

A Customer’s Perspective: Their First Purchase

From a customer’s perspective, their first purchase is a difficult moment. They are not sure if they can trust you. They are not sure if your product will suit their needs and they are not sure how their friends will react. In short – they are not sure. Sometimes they’ll even ditch the planned purchase entirely, because there’s too much fear. Other times the purchase is deferred again and again.

And then, finally the customer strikes up the courage in their busy schedules to either give you a call, send you an email or drop by. This is your opportunity to shine. This is your opportunity to show them that your small business can save the World.

After a brief pleasantry, do you put your foot in it by giving a negative response like:

• ‘Sorry we’re about to close’
• ‘We’re out of that product’
• ‘Susan’s not in at the moment, she’ll be back next week’
• ‘Nah, we don’t do that, sorry.’
• Any other of the 15 mistakes that damage your small business

Ouch! Imagine that. The first experience your potential customer has with you is negative. You’ve indicated that you can’t help them.

Your potential customer retreats with their tail between their legs and looks for another solution. Not knowing that you could have actually helped, if you tried a bit harder.

Understand what your customer really needs, rather than responding to what they say they need. You could have an easy solution.

My Poor First Service Experience

We have three fish & chip shops within a 3km radius of home. While walking one day, I entered one of the shops and asked for a menu, the owner may have been under some stress and so shouted: ‘No menu, no menu.’ I then quickly exited stage left.

Result: I was looking for a good fish & chip shop, which could have become my regular haunt. This experience left me feeling embarrassed and vowing never to come back.

The First Sale is Critical for Service Businesses

The first sale is especially important for high loyalty service businesses such as health professionals, hair dressers, mechanics and tradesmen. If these professionals have good skills, comparable rates and good procedures, there’s a better than evens chance that every first purchase can blossom into an enduring customer relationship.

Knowing this, it’s a matter of welcoming the first purchase – even if it means bending over backwards. Even if it means working a bit later, making a few phone calls or sourcing a new product. Think of this as an investment in securing a long term customer relationship. The first sale isn’t one monetary transaction. It’s the chance to earn the right to a long term relationship which could bring in thousands of dollars over the coming years. Perhaps decades.

My Excellent First Service Experience

I recently bought a kitten. Within a few days she became sick, so I searched for a local vet. The first two vets I called could not see my kitten within my lunch break – as that time was designated surgery time. The third vet also had designated surgery time, but made the time to squeeze my kitten in, because she was concerned (and could tell I was a new customer).

Result: I’ve found a vet that I’m happy with. And this vet will receive all my future business, which could total thousands of dollars over the coming years.

Have you had a particularly good or bad experience when first approaching a business? Did that influence your decision whether to continue using them?

Growing your small business,

David Moloney
Small Business Planned