In the age of AI, where customers are continually questioning what’s real and what’s fake, authenticity is invaluable for your branding. One way to increase the genuine representation of your business is to feature your field team and their photos in your marketing.
“We see photos from our field staff as a true ‘POV’ of a landscaper,” says Emily Seely, director of engagement with Farmside Landscape & Design, based in Sussex, New Jersey. “When you send out a photographer, it’s hard to get a true experiential representation of the work being done.”
Jim Engineer, director of marketing and communications with Visterra Landscape Group, based in Rosemont, Illinois, says they have built their website brand and internal culture centered primarily on their teams in the field since launching their platform in December 2022.
“Similar to a bank teller, our crews in the field are our best ambassadors; they project and practice our best-in-class safety ethos, comport themselves in a professional manner according to our core values, deliver the quality our brands are known for, and represent everything good in the Visterra name,” Engineer says.
Rob Pelino, director of sales and marketing with Beary Landscaping, based in Lockport, Illinois, adds that when they use photos of their field employees in their marketing, it can help tell the right story to both their target clients and potential job candidates.
“They’re more receptive to those types of things, just with the access to AI, and you could basically do whatever you want there,” Pelino says. “I think seeing that more personal, authentic approach is good.”
What Content to Capture
One benefit of utilizing images captured by crew members and pictures featuring them is it goes beyond the traditional completed project. Engineer says some of the best moments to capture is when they have each other’s backs by assisting others across their operational footprint when they’re in need.
“What better way to tell our story than by chronicling the experiences of our front line?” Engineer says. “By spotlighting the goodness and authenticity of our hard-working crews, we are strengthening our story and brand, building goodwill, and earning the trust of our customers.”
Seely notes that showing a more personal representation of your team helps people relate to who they see working on their properties and driving trucks in their local community. In one instance, their maintenance manager took a few photos of a commercial planting he was working on with a small crew. He also sent Seely a selfie with the plant material as well as a “final look” at the seasonal color.
“We always post something like this when it’s shared with us because our following sees the brand of Farmside behind it,” Seely says. “Real people, doing hard work well, owning the outcome of our efforts. To put it simply, they see Jake planting flowers at a building they drive by daily. Now they associate the Farmside truck they see next with Jake. Now you’ve made a personal connection.”
Pelino adds that your field team is on the job site far more than any marketing person can be. When crew members are encouraged to take photos of their work, you get to see from their perspective what work they think is good and what makes them proud.
Pelino says they also make a point to capture photos of their crews conducting safety training, participating in community engagement or company cookouts.
“I think that when we’ve shared those, that sense of ‘I’m part of this company, not just another guy on a shovel or behind a mower or a machine of any sort,’” Pelino says. “I think it just gives them little bit more identity that ‘I’m proud to be an employee of Beary Landscaping.’”
Creating a Reliable System
If you want your crew members to provide you with photos from the field, you need to communicate that on a consistent basis. Pelino says their branch managers make a point to discuss this with the team during their weekly tailgate talks to keep it top of mind.
“That consistent message of ‘Hey, your eyes are out here way more than any of our marketing team can be and even if you don’t think it’s a good photo, just take it and share it,’” Pelino says.
Seely says they encourage employees to take pictures of things that stand out to them and feel is worth being posted. She does recommend still filtering what is submitted and controlling what is shared for the public to see.
“If they send me something I can’t use or don’t feel it presents the way they intended, I let them know, and often they adjust and resend,” she says.
Seely acknowledges that getting the work done is the priority for their field staff, so they don’t always have time to take pictures.
“When we are in need of some good field point of view, we entice the crew with rewards such as gift cards to a local stop or Visa gift cards to spend wherever they want,” Seely says. “We give these out at our weekly safety meeting and make sure everyone knows what it’s for, to encourage others to participate even more!”
Additionally, you can broaden your pool of contributors, so field staff doesn’t feel like it’s solely their responsibility to take pictures. Pelino says they also encourage their ops managers and account managers to take photos in the field along with crew members.
“Our field staff are working hard and focused on the jobs ahead of them,” Engineer says. “So we depend on our field operations managers, branch managers and administrators and other regional leadership to capture the special moments.”
It is also a good rule of thumb to have a privacy policy in place if you wish to use photos of your field employees in your marketing. Pelino says when employees are filling out their application, they can check a box if they do not authorize the usage of their photo in any materials. He says while they have some camera-shy individuals, very few team members check this box.
Engineer says similarly they respect any employee’s wishes to not have their likeness used in their social media or marketing efforts. He says they are also mindful of using employee names or any personally identifiable information.
The Ripple Effects
Sharing field workers and their photos may not result in immediate sales, but consistently using it to help tell your story can make an impact with your branding and employee morale.
“Since we launched our socials in the third quarter of 2023, we have seen a steady uptick in following, influence, and ultimately lead generation with corresponding sales,” Engineer says. “It’s a cumulative momentum build rooted in transparency and goodwill: from our social media and internal culture building to our business development professionals who proudly pitch the Visterra brand.”
Seely says they’ve noticed when they share team member photos on their social platforms, they often get engagement from family members, friends and clients.
“Family members are proud to see their loved ones on display as our business values them, friends think it’s fun to see their peers featured online, and clients will frequently comment on that particular team member’s skill,” Seely says. “All of which helps support our brand online.”
Engineer says employee morale is also boosted when they spotlight exceptional performance, safety best practices, employee volunteerism, or practices that go above and beyond for our customers.
“Being transparent and treating folks with mutual respect builds trust and helps us tell a more authentic story,” Engineer says. “Our employees feel valued and included and are more willing to go the extra mile knowing that together we are all part of one team with one mission in common: to safely deliver the highest quality commercial landscape services in the industry.”
By engaging your team and encouraging them to share what they see every day, you can not only build a library of marketing material but also show job candidates and clients who is behind the work.
