Saalt is like… couple’s photography extraordinaire. They exist to tell beautiful love stories and for that alone they’re my favorite brand/client ever!
When I began working with them, they already had their vision and brand story down pat.
This made work mainly focused on translating that vision into:
Engaging copy
That spoke directly to their targeted audience
By making them feel special and seen
While highlighting Saalt values.
The email I got from Eli, creator of Saalt, said “I need a no-nonsense approach explaining my
way of working to anyone who visits my website.” I knew I was in for a challenge and I loved
it.
So, first things first:
a clear, no-nonsense hello.
One of the first things you’ll see on the home page is Saalt’s new driver phrase:
“Your story made art!”
The headline before me was “Your photographs are the stories we couldn’t put into words.”
And while that is lovely, it’s not as punchy (or no-nonsense).
The reason I love this new driver phrase is that it’s memorable, while still addressing
What the brand offers
Why it matters
Who it’s for
It might not look like it, but “your story made art” easily (and beautifully) filters those folks
out.
Additionally, it feels accurate.
Because instead of telling you that your wedding photos will look great and amazing and
other adjectives of the sort… the copy tells you to take your own love story and picture it as
art. That’s what you get with Saalt - in four “simple” words.
Saalt was looking for a website that would introduce people to their way of working.
Having had a Saalt photoshoot a few months prior, I knew exactly what this meant.
When Eli’s behind a camera, he moves the world to make sure you’re comfortable.
You’ll say “But I don’t know how to pose!!” and he’ll say “You don’t have to.”
The entire experience is about you being you. Rediscovering your own beauty, instead of needing whatever’s cool at the moment to affirm it for you.
So I simply used some of Eli’s directedness as headlines.
“You are beautiful.”
“You should be free.”
“You radiate love.”
This might seem like an unorthodox approach. It didn’t feel as creative, but it works for Saalt.
Not only because of who the brand is but because of who the audience is.
Most of the clients/prospects feel nervous and self-conscious. Even though they want their story told, it sometimes feels impossible to imagine it being worth telling.
This is why the homepage is straightforward in affirming viewers. This way, if Eli says those things again during a shoot, which he is likely to, it’ll only be a reminder.
It was a wonderful challenge! And working with another artist just makes things a lot more interesting…
Pictures do so much storytelling on their own, it was fun to find a way to add to that.
But because I understood Saalt’s language, and spent time getting to know their audience, I
was able to know:
What needs emphasis
What goes without saying
How to say the boring “logistical” things in a manner worthy of the brand
How to make people feel (and only the right things) - throughout the website.
