Working as a Shop Girl, you become accustomed to helping style people everyday. Big or small event, once you learn your store’s product and your customer’s needs, you can pretty much style looks in your sleep. Every once in a while though, you get to do something a little out the box while on the clock, and I had that day yesterday. This week, the Shops of Saddle Creek started working on their upcoming marketing campaigns which included looks from all of the retailers, and I had the pleasure of helping their stylists pull looks for our store. At the top of the week, the stylist came in with her pull list (it was moreso about looks than specific products), so we put a few things together for all of the models, but yesterday, they wanted to change up the looks a bit for one, and we winded up going with 2 different looks from what was initially pulled. Anytime I can be involved in the creative process is fun, so I was geeked that they were also open to my input on the model’s outfits. The fun thing about photoshoot styling is that you have a little more freedom with your looks: what may seem a little over the top in real life shows up perfectly on film, so you can’t be afraid to mix it up a bit. They worked with Clay Hayner, an amazing fashion & lifestyle photographer out of Dallas, Texas and I can’t wait to see the images. The model that we pulled for was full of personality so it was fun watching her “act” in front of the lens. Models that aren’t afraid to just go for it are the best! They were able to knock out 2 looks (with various poses) in a little over an hour which was great. Talking with the Center’s Director, I learned that what they’re shooting this week will be used over the next year in all of their marketing materials (print + online), which takes me to the 2nd part of my post’s title: no matter what industry you’re in (but ESPECIALLY if you’re in fashion/beauty), please take the time to invest in quality images to promote your products and brands. While they were shooting national brands today, there’s no reason why smaller businesses can’t do similar campaigns on their respective budgets. You may not be able to afford the top tier photographers in your area, but there are professional photographers at every price point, so don’t rely on your smart phone for anything outside of your website’s blog (you DO have that, right?) and social media posts. Plan out your shoots in advance so that you can hire a photographer for a batch shoot to give you images for marketing materials that are relevent to your inventory for at least 3-6 months. If you have high turnover in your inventory (which is a good thing), you may even want to consider hiring a staff photographer so that you will always have someone available. It takes a little money and planning, but the investment in your visual marketing will truly be priceless. Anyhoo, I will share the photos with you guys once the campaign launches, and if you would like to shop her looks, everything outside of her flats are from Banana Republic! Quick Bites | Noodles Asian Bistro (Germantown) Friday Faves | Creamy Knit Pullovers