Small Business helping Small Business! Nominate your favorite restaurants now!
A few months back, I had the opportunity to partner with Lia Littlewood, owner of Say Cheese Bergen County, on a deliciously plated food photo session of her cheese boards and class package offerings. We were catching up recently and she said it was such a game-changer for her small business to be able to have premium imagery to use across her marketing channels. She was seeing more interest, more classes booked, and an overall heightened brand positioning. It got us thinking…how could we do this for more people?
Small businesses are all challenged in this current environment and we wanted a way to use our small businesses to help others. So in that spirit, we are hosting a full-day food styling and photo session on June 24 and inviting four local restaurants (in our hometowns of Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ and Ridgewood, NJ) to be a part of the day. The goal is to provide restaurants with visuals to help make their favorite dishes and menu items tell the story about their brands and quality items they offer. The reasons we all missed walking in their doors these past few months. To help these restaurants invest in their brand story during a time when they are stretched thin for resources to do so.
We aim to make this easy (and complimentary) from start to finish. Backdrops, props, florals, linens, and tableware will all be provided. It’s as easy as drop-off day care…just come back an hour later and pick up any plates you left ;). We are partnering with some amazing local vendors including Piece & Pollen and The Little Flower Shoppe for florals and greenery; The Table at Latona’s for tableware; Bergen Greens for edible flowers; and World Naturals will kindly be allowing us to turn their storefront into a photo studio for the day! We are so appreciative of these local shops for lending their time and products to make these already tasty dishes as pretty as possible.
So…how does it all work?…
Most importantly…nominate your favorite Ho-Ho-Kus and Ridgewood Restaurants in the comments below or tag them on Instagram @lindapordonphotography or @say_cheese_bergencounty now through 6/11!
Lia and I first met in our corporate roles for a company that started the Shop Small initiative, and that focus and mantra is and always will be engrained in our DNA. I have been a marketer and brand strategist much longer than a professional photographer, and I feel so lucky to use this background to help package and build my own small business. Between branding and visuals, I’m not sure which language I speak first nowadays, but both are so important in letting customers know who you are and what you offer. Truly, deeply, from the bottom of my brand-loving soul — I am so excited to be part of this special day and can’t wait to see, hear, and taste more from our local restaurants.
Nominations are open now through Thursday, June 11. Leave a comment below with your favorites. Tag them on Instagram. Send a DM. Just don’t try to leave a voicemail…my inbox has been full for over a year and yes, I know it’s full ;)
