Vickie Siculiano - Visual Marketing Secrets: How to Use Smartphone Photography to Engage Online and Attract More Customers

Visual Marketing Secrets

2014 Vickie Siculiano, Say WOW Marketing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

DISCLAIMER

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. The author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaims all warranties including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. The author shall not be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author endorses the information the organization or website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that internet websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this book was written and when it is read.

Acknowledgements

Thanks so much to my husband, Michael, for keeping me grounded and always giving me your valued perspective to keep me moving forward.

Thank you to my mom, editor-in-chief, who is also my webmaster. I am truly lucky to have your help with all that I do, and I couldnt do it without you.

Thanks to Brooke Artesi, for keeping me on my feet and always inspiring me.

And this book would not have been possible without the help of so many amazingly creative people who encourage and inspire me every day:

Matthew Sweetwood, owner and President of Unique Photo, for creating an unmatched educational photography experience that truly changes lives and even careers, including my own, and for agreeing to a second interview!

Michael Downey, head instructor at Unique Photo University, for always being there to catch me when I would stumble in figuring out the right camera settings and truly making me see the light with photography, especially at sunset at the Brooklyn Waterfront. And our Skype Interview while you were on your iPhone made it even more special!

Frank Corrado, owner of Corrados Market and fellow shutterbug (remember supermoon in Hoboken?). Your knowledge of how to use photography for your business and your knowledge as a business owner is a perfect fit for this book, and thanks for rearranging schedules for our Skype interview, too.

Sue B. Zimmerman, for your wealth of knowledge in the area of Instagram Marketing and for being a great resource in the area of visual storytelling. I am so glad that I took your CreativeLive course and thank you for introducing me to Nicole Tate, after your awesome CreativeLive course on Instagram Marketing.

Nicole Tate, entrepreneur, video creator, founder of Media in Action. Thanks for sharing your amazing tools of production.

Alicia Dunams, creator of Bestseller in a Weekend, who taught me the step-by-step process of producing this book in only a weekend, the prerequisite to becoming a bestselling author!

Lou Manna, special thanks for sharing your food photography, of which I have been a huge fan for years. I am so lucky to have connected with you. You are a true educator and inspiration to so many who want to learn how they can also dive into food photography. Thank you for our interview, too.

And of course, my feline muses, Patch and Jazzy, who keep me company and entertain me when I need a break during the all-consuming writing process.

And a special thank you to Jera Publishing for taking the tasks of proofreading, editing, and formatting off my lap and making this one amazing looking book!

Foreword

Last year a photo appeared in my social media feed of a cat perched on my Digital Food Photography book. The creative person who took and shared that smartphone photo online was Vickie Siculiano. I responded to this post and we connected instantly illustrating the power of an image. Our correspondence remains strong to this day.

I was impressed with the photos she shared in social media, and when she asked me for help with improving her food photography, I was glad to be of assistance. In turn, I knew she could give me some valuable tips about online marketing and digital technology.

When Vickie approached me with a request to share advice in a book she was writing about using a smartphone for visual content and online marketing, I was very happy to accept.

Ive spent over 35 years creating images of everything edible, starting my photography career at The New York Times . My photographs have appeared in more than 40 cookbooks. Major companies, such as Kraft Foods, Dannon, and the Culinary Institute of America, and industry publications, such as Wine Enthusiast and Food Arts , have used my photographs in their marketing campaigns and magazines. I have shot for numerous celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse, and Lidia Bastianich and have made many television appearances on the Food Network and ABC TVs World of Photography .

I was a visionary back in the early 90s and saw digital photography as the future of the industry. I began first with the Nikon digital camera series and then used Olympus and Canon digital cameras. Currently, I am using a medium format Pentax 645Z for professional use and personally using my iPhone 5! I can honestly say that I understand the value of DSLRs, but you cannot ignore the immediate gratification of a smartphone camera, one that consumers are all too familiar with. And the fact that you can upload photos quickly to a social networking site or email them, gives the image more value.

I have offered classes around the world in digital food photography, and now Vickie has given me the forum to offer my professional advice on using the smartphone camera for food photography.

In this book, Vickie will give you the basics of photography that are used for professional cameras as well as smartphone cameras. These tips will help you drastically improve the quality of your images. By sharing her marketing expertise, Vickie shows you how to be a better online marketer with your photos, the types of photos to take, and where to share them. In addition, she has gathered a group of well-respected photography and business experts in this book of which I am proud to be a part. You will be equipped to take your smartphone photography and marketing to the next level.

Vickie has taught me online technologies I did not know existed and made me more proficient in my own marketing. She is a natural born teacher, enthusiastic and truly amazing!

Read on to learn from Vickie Siculiano how your smartphone photography can bring you new clients and engage your audience.

Lou Manna
World-Renowned Professional Photographer
Brooklyn, NY
www.LouManna.com
www.DigitalFoodPhotography.com

Introduction

Ninety percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text ( Business2Community.com ).

Do you ever wonder how you can get better photos that really capture a memorable story and get your audience engaged?

Do you want more customers but dont have the time or money to invest in another marketing tool or training program?

With this book, you have taken the first step towards gaining the power of visual marketing and maximizing your smartphone cameras ability to be a powerful online marketing tool.