Enhance emotions, reinforce memories, and provoke print sales with when you add royalty-free music to your clients’ photo viewing experience.
If anyone understands the power of music, it’s Roy Ashen.
For two decades, the Telly-winning film producer performed with Grammy and Emmy winners. After receiving his own awards as a guitarist and songwriter, Roy directed his attention to music licensing, and in 2006, he cofounded Triple Scoop Music.
Roy wanted to make it simple for photographers and filmmakers to find and license great music for any creative endeavor.
Today, the Triple Scoop library contains more than 45,000 hand-picked songs, with a range of available licenses from single-use to royalty-free to fully-custom projects. And while Triple Scoop Music’s award-winning songs and soundtracks have certainly served numerous photographers and filmmakers, their client list also boasts brands such as Nikon, Adobe, Square, Canon, and (our personal favorite) LEGO.
We wanted Roy to share his insights on the power of music over a client’s photo-viewing experience.
After all, many photographers hesitate to add music to an online photography gallery. What if my client is at work and the music is too loud? What if I choose the wrong music? What if my client has no soul and they HATE music?
It feels safe to forego music altogether and stick with a familiar, silent gallery experience. But what if you’re missing out on something? Or – even worse – what if you’re depriving your clients of something?
Photos of Kyera Delesandro by: Vanessa Hicks
Q: Why should music matter to photographers?
ROY: The more your clients see you as a great storyteller, the more they’ll trust you with their business.
The story is there, in your images. The question is, how do you share that story in the most compelling way? If you present the best version of the story, the next step – print sales – comes easily.
This is the case with ALL businesses. What would your favorite movie be without a soundtrack? Stores and restaurants use music to shape the way that you feel while you’re shopping. Music has the power to shape the mood and energy of the listener in a big way. This leads to more enjoyment, and more print sales.
Photo of Kyera Delesandro by: Vanessa Hicks
Q: How can photographers use music to increase print sales?
ROY: If you want to promote print sales, give your gallery visitor an emotional connection to the images on the screen. When clients feel emotional, they think with their hearts.
Music can radically change what people perceive and feel about photos. Carefully-chosen music can even evoke emotion about a simple piece of technology! Hit mute on an Apple ad. You’ll feel a piece of that story evaporate.
If your client’s print and product selections are rooted in emotion, they won’t be hyper-focused on price, quantity, or need. Instead, they’ll truly see what they love about an image, or why a specific photograph is meaningful; and this translates into print sales for you.
When your clients feel the emotion of the story, they’re more likely to make larger purchases.
Q: How does Triple Scoop integrate with ShootProof?
Pre-created playlists make it easy to add music to any gallery – all from within ShootProof. Simply visit Photos > Music in your ShootProof account to get started with a FREE 30-day trial!
ROY: ShootProof users have access to pre-created music playlists, already curated to enhance your photography genre and style. But it’s important to remember: just because a particular song is good for one gallery doesn’t mean it’s right for every gallery. You need to experiment to see how music changes the feel of the viewing experience.
As an example, we’ve set up three galleries here for you to view:
- No Music – Experience the gallery at its most basic.
- (Hilariously) Mismatched Music – See what happens when music is not matched to the images!
- Emotionally Matched Music – This music was selected to best match the loving, low-key family and their simple, serene day at the beach.
Photos by: M. Colichio Photography
Q: There are so many songs! How do I choose the right one?
ROY: If you don’t know what kind of emotion you’re trying to share, you can’t match the music correctly. Stephen Spielberg doesn’t just stick his favorite song into his next movie. He uses the STORY as a guide when making music choices.
Take one minute to write down a couple sentences describing the story of the gallery.
For example, you might write, This is a portrait session for my beautiful client Kyera. She reminds me of a Golden Goddess! She exuded playful, vibrant energy, and her strength and beauty shined from the inside, out.
Selecting songs for Kyera’s gallery is suddenly much easier. Now you’re looking for bright, energetic tunes instead of serious ballads or instrumentals.
Photos of Kyera Delesandro by: Vanessa Hicks
Q: What are your top three tips for using music with photography?
#1: In Your Own Portfolio
ROY: If I want to hire you as a photographer and you send me some standard link, that’s great – but it doesn’t tell me anything about you. It doesn’t tell me how working with you feels, or how awesome it is to have you as my photographer.
To help you select the perfect music for your portfolio images, write down three words that describe the emotional spirit of who you are as an artist. Then, pick music that matches.
#2: In Your Client Galleries
ROY: When you put your client galleries together, think about who’s viewing it, and choose music that speaks directly to that viewer.
#3: At In-Person Ordering Sessions
ROY: Show your clients their slideshow in ShootProof, and attach the appropriate playlists. By utilizing genre-specific playlists for your different client types, you’ll more easily create a connection between your clients and their galleries. This is how music helps promote print sales and strengthen your overall brand and business.
A PDF for Your Pocket
These printable tips and reminders will keep your print sales high, your clients happy, and your music on point.
Not yet using songs to help you sell?
Written by: KRISTI KVENILD & ANNE SIMONE | Featuring: ROY ASHEN & TRIPLE SCOOP MUSIC | Photographs by VANESSA HICKS PHOTOGRAPHY & M. COLICHIO PHOTOGRAPHY
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