When you’re in the business of delivering solid results as a home improvement contractor, there’s nothing that displays the quality of your work more vividly than letting prospects see the outcome for themselves. For that reason, the art of before and after marketing is key. Here, we’ll talk about some of the do’s and don’ts of this kind of marketing and how you can make it into a powerful tool for selling your brand to the public.

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The Reasons For Before & After Marketing

Part and parcel of improving your online presence is the ability to take effective home improvement before and after photos. Before trying your hand at before and after marketing, you should have a clear idea of why you’re doing this kind of marketing and what you want your pictures to achieve. There are several reasons “before and after” is such a powerful conversion tool.

A Sense Of Connection

When people start searching for a contractor online, simply seeing a picture of a beautiful home won’t necessarily convince someone they have the budget and resources to enjoy that kind of setting in their home.

With the right selection of home improvement before and after photos, though, you can make the possibility of successful renovations and improvements a concrete reality for your prospects. When they see a before photo of a boring or run-down space and an after photo of that space transformed to be more attractive and livable, they can begin to think: “I can have that, too.” And they can see you as the kind of business that can get them there.

Framing Your Story

The best way to convert a prospect’s intentions into action is to present them with the story of your brand instead of relying on them to imagine it for themselves. Simply telling people about your quality work leaves you blind about how they’ll respond to that claim. Maybe they’ll believe you, or maybe they’ll simply think to themselves, “They all talk like that; talk is cheap” and move on.

Showing them a specific narrative gives you a lot more control over how your business is perceived. If you can present a picture of, say, a cramped dining room space before you went to work and the same space transformed by the bay window installation you carried out, you’re providing an implied story about how you made this living space more attractive and functional. You’re showing a positive impact on the lives of your customers.

That kind of visual evidence can make all the difference. It’s precisely why the old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” has always rung true.

Showing The Journey

People can best understand a good result when they understand how bad the situation that preceded it was. You can see this in fitness-related before and after marketing. The most vivid examples focus on making the image from before the subject began their fitness journey as unflattering as possible, then making the after picture an illustration of the amazing change that came from using whatever product, diet, or regimen they’re marketing.

The same principle applies to construction before and after pictures. The more stark the contrast is, the more effective they’ll be at convincing viewers just how good your work is.

Taking Effective Before And After Pictures

Once you’re ready to get started and have a clear goal in mind, you’ll need to make sure you’re comfortable with the essentials of photography. The first step is simple etiquette: getting the homeowner’s permission before you start snapping away.

Beyond that, the important points to remember are:

• Investing in the right equipment and accessories
• Getting uncluttered shots with good natural lighting
• Opting for wide shots wherever possible
• Letting everyday objects provide a sense of scale and context

Remember that while you want the “before” picture to present a vivid contrast with the “after” picture, that doesn’t mean the quality of the before photo can be poor. It still has to be a clear and recognizable presentation of the space you’re transforming so that the eye can immediately recognize the after photo as being that space transformed. Use a high-quality digital camera and a tripod to prevent camera movement.

Show The Transformation

Focus your before and after marketing on the kind of projects that will reveal the transformation of a space. Document each step in the process and make sure the images are presented in a clear order that tells the story of transformation to people visiting your site. Pay particular attention to the quality of natural light and colors in your final image, which should showcase the beauty of the final product.

Provide Informative Photo Descriptions

Remember to include clear and informative descriptions with your photos when you upload them to your website. This helps with search engine optimization (SEO), since Google indexes photos. It also further clarifies for the viewer which stages of the home renovation process they’re seeing and provides an added opportunity to showcase your skill and attention to detail.

Pay Close Attention To Layout And Navigation

Photo sets should be clearly laid out, numbered, and easy to navigate, with pictures that enlarge when clicked on. Sets should be organized by product or trade to make it easy for visitors to find what they need. Avoid overwhelming your page with too many images; there should be just enough to clearly set out the story of transformation you want to tell.

Done right, there are few better ways to establish your credibility as a contractor than before and after marketing. Keep the above tips in mind as you build your portfolio and you can expect to see a real difference in your bottom line.