Client: Lilac Paper
Lilac Paper produces custom dental and medical planners with personalized covers. They contain a treasure trove of dental facts, making these cheery planners an essential tool for students and professionals alike.
While I’ve worked on backend SEO for their Shopify site and written blog posts, product descriptions, and even created IG Reels & shot product photos for Lilac Paper (those planner images? That was me), the main takeaway from Lilac Paper is this: Email Marketing WORKS. Every time (and I mean every time) I crafted a marketing email for Lilac Paper, the analytics spiked: web traffic increased, and so did the sales. It was too easy! Everyone should use email marketing to their advantage. Wanna make money? Send an email. It’s like MAGIC.
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Lilac Paper Dental Planner with Stickers & Ruler
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September's the best month, by the way.
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Lilac Paper Dental Facts. It's why this planner is so valuable to students and pros alike.
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Lilac Dental Planner. Images by Melinda Holland.
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Everything you'd need in a dental planner.
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A quick phone pic for social media. So many personalized cover designs to choose from, like this classy number.
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A phone pic for social media in collaboration with an influencer.
Let’s nerd out on some backend Shopify analytics. I wish I could see the analytics for all my clients, but alas, it’s not something I’m often able to get my hands on.
After setting up Lilac Paper with Flodesk, I wrote and designed a welcome email to kickstart their email marketing. The email went out to over 8200 subscribers on May 20. You can see the email, below, branded with their lilac color. (Not every email I sent was lilac, but the very first one needed to be on-brand.😉)
Pro tip: Notice her hands are showing in the welcome email image. Body language expert, Vanessa Van Edwards, recommends showing your hands (ideally a palm flash) within the first three seconds of meeting someone to increase the appearance of your trustworthiness, honesty, and competency. Sooo, scientifically speaking, choosing that particular image (with both hands showing) definitely increased the email’s engagement. Just sayin’.
Below, a 36.5% Open Rate and 1.2% CTR. Not too shabby for a first email on a list that hadn’t been nurtured for years. Scroll down to see what the effect was on the backend of Lilac’s Shopify site.
Here we are in Shopify’s backend. Remember that the welcome email was sent on May 20. Notice the spike in website traffic between May 19 and May 21. Wowzers. What a way to jolt a site back to life. All from ONE email. Notice how sleepy the numbers are until the email is sent. We have a 94% jump in visitors and a 96% jump in web sessions, hence the spike in the graph. Uh-mazing.
Ok, Melinda. That’s nice. But did your “little email” actually bring in any money for the business? So you increased website traffic. Big whoop. Show me the money. 👇
Geez. Tough crowd. And, by the way, increasing web traffic is a big deal, silly. Keep scrolling.
Let’s look at the total sales after May 20. Notice the 154% jump in total sales, plus the jump in total orders and conversion rate. It’s a small biz, so we’re not in the billions. Yet. But you gotta start somewhere, and as long as the progress is upward, there’s no need to fret.
(Also, sidenote, if you get some unsubscribers while email marketing. Don’t stress. We’re culling the herd. You want the best fit on your subscriber list: the engaged people who want to be there; the people who will open and click through your emails.)
Upward trajectory. That’s what we want. The important thing to note is that the percentages keep rising.
Scroll down to view links and visuals to every photography article I’ve written for V-Flat World, plus a few other pieces. As a copywriter, my work is usually ghostwritten. However, the following articles might contain a byline with my name listed at the end of the article.
Don’t Forget About SEO
SEO isn’t hard. You just have to know what to tweak and be diligent about it.
What should I focus on when it comes to optimizing my website for SEO?
H1s, title tags, meta descriptions, alt text, URL slugs…just to name a few.
We’re not going to take a deep dive into SEO and the definitions and best practices of the above terms because…I don’t want your eyes to glaze over and your head to explode. 🤯 SEO can be tedious, monotonous work—but it’s vital for raising your Google ranking, increasing site traffic, and decreasing bounce rate. Strive to be number one for the keywords and phrases relevant to your brand on SERPs. Doing so builds trust with those looking for exactly what you offer, and increases your authority and brand awareness.
Want to discuss SEO and how it pays off in the long run? Shoot me an email or set up a call.
Shooting in Harsh Midday Sun in NYC with Tyler Agajan
One v-flat, one model, midday sun, and the streets of SoHo. Will Tyler create noteworthy images? You’ll just have to click and see.
How to Photograph Jewelry
Learn about this fine-tuned niche, the tools you’ll need, and how to achieve the best shots when it comes to photographing jewelry. Read the article.
BTS with Photographer Nathan Elson. Learn How to Create Compelling Color & BW Images.
Take a peek at Nathan’s 3-light setup + V-Flat, here.
Food Photography: Three Angles to Know
When photographing food, should you shoot overhead? At a 45 degree angle? Or straight-on/at the same level as the food? Not sure? This article should give you clear pointers for your next food shoot.
Moroccan-inspired Fashion Editorial with Eric Wallace
Jewel-tones and intricate patterns play out in this Moroccan photo shoot using natural light and strobes.
Go behind the scenes and learn about the gear Wallace uses to achieve the shot.
Using Gobos to Achieve Creative Lighting with Hudi Greenberger
Play with shadow patterns and light by using gobos with photographer Hudi Greenberger. Watch him create “window light” and hard daylight with stones, gobos, and tabletop v-flats. Learn here.
Self-Portraits with Jeff Carpenter
Achieve three completely different self-portraits with photographer Jeff Carpenter. Read the tutorial on how to achieve a white background, a gray background, and a black background using one light, a modifier, and a v-flat.
Using a V-Flat to Control Light Outdoors During a Portrait Shoot in the Virgin Islands
Let’s go beachside with photographer and filmmaker, Emmanuel Phillips, as he shoots portraits using natural light and a V-Flat.
Food Photography Tips & Tricks
This comprehensive guide to food photography takes a look at color, composition, angles, surfaces, props, lenses, and more. Interested in upping your food photography game? Then read this article now.
How to Create Soft Light with Emily Teague
What is “soft light” and why would you want it? Learn how to create soft light and when to use it, here.
Photo 101 | Lighting for Beginner Photographers
Start here if you’re new to lighting. Read the article.
Food Photography: Smartphone vs Mirrorless Camera
Watch food photographer Francesco Sapienza shoot mouthwatering croissants using an iPhone 13 Pro and a Sony A7RIII. Can you tell which image was shot with with a smart phone and which was shot with a $6K camera?
Take a look, here.
Jaw-dropping Vintage Photos with Manny Ortiz
Inspired by a vintage photograph, photographer Manny Ortiz and his wife, Diana, recreate the look. Watch the video and read about it.
Shoot a Sunny, Outdoor Portrait…Indoors!
Don’t be dependent on daylight. Learn how to use strobes and continuous lights to achieve the same effect inside with photographer Manny Ortiz. Read the how-to, here.
Three Different Portrait Setups with Jacklyn Lune
Using three different setups, Jacklyn Lune crafts unique portraits for three different models. Find out how she creates the look at the link, here.
Shooting a Split Background with High Contrast | Jeff Carpenter
Peep behind-the-scenes photos to see Jeff’s lighting setup and his final image, here.
Fashion Shoot with Minimal Gear | Dani Diamond
This one’s for the minimalists out there. Or maybe circumstances call for limited gear. Here, Dani Diamond shows us how to shoot with available light and two lenses while on location.
Using Duo Boards to Create a Fake Countertop Set for Still Life/Food Photography
Is your kitchen lacking photogenic appeal? Then create a set in just a few minutes with Duo Boards. Pick up tips for creating steam and morning light, plus how photographer Hudi Greenberger uses a fake window to add more dimension to the scene. Watch and read the article, here.
Dani Diamond Helps Us Think Outside the Box While on Location
Learn how to use V-Flats and an inexpensive painter’s canvas dropcloth to photograph a model indoors with natural light.
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