Case Study: How Professional Photography Drove Record Sales for Sprouted Planner
In the world of online product sales, first impressions are everything. For a growing business rooted in deeply personal experiences, elevating visual branding is more than a luxury—it’s a necessity. Today, we’re excited to share the story of a paper planner company that partnered with Venlo Studio to revolutionize their product photography, regain precious time, and dramatically boost their sales.
This case is officially open, so let’s dive in!
Lifestyle Photography
The Start of a Purposeful Planner
After navigating a challenging season of loss, new beginnings, and monumental life changes, Heather recognized a glaring gap in the planner market. Traditional planners weren’t cutting it: they demanded time and energy that didn’t align with the realities of life. What began as a personal project—a planner to support intentionality in a simplified way—quickly turned into a mission to help fellow women in their post-20s embrace what really matters. Thus, Sprouted Planner was born in 2020, bringing a line of beautiful planners and coordinating stationery products.
These planners, born from hard-won lessons, are designed to bring function and purpose to daily life through mindful planning. By offering a product that resonates deeply with its audience, the company has grown into a trusted resource for simplifying and intentional living.
Meet the Founder –
Heather
Challenges That Sparked Change
For the first three years, the founder, Heather, relied on DIY photography methods: a photobox, an iPhone, and preset filters. While practical, this approach fell short in capturing the planners’ true quality and colors. Product pages, social media, and the website often looked inconsistent, unpolished, and unprofessional.
On top of that, the process was time-intensive and stressful—stealing focus from the marketing and sales strategies that could drive growth. Approaching a new launch season, the founder realized it was time to invest in professional photography to elevate the brand and free up time for strategic work.
Before image: Dim lighting that doesn’t highlight the gold components, low resolution, off white balance, background removal creates uneven edges
After image: Studio lighting creates a directional light with a soft shadow which grounds the product & adds depth, an off-white background enhances the authenticity of the image, high resolution quality, correct white balance for true-to-life color representation
Choosing Venlo Studio
After researching several recommended photographers, Venlo Studio stood out. Their specialization in brand and product photography, along with an impressive portfolio, made them the perfect choice. Beyond that, Venlo’s ability to seamlessly combine product photography with lifestyle sessions and graphic design services for a look book made the decision a no-brainer.
Heather described Venlo Studio as a partner that not only understood the technical aspects of photography but also cared deeply about the story and quality behind each image.
Product photography flat lay
The Perfect Moment to Invest
The timing couldn’t have been better. A detailed cost-benefit analysis revealed that outsourcing professional photography would save time, reduce stress, and deliver a return on investment. With profitability as a top goal, it became clear that high-quality visuals were key to driving sales.
Venlo Studio’s Transformative Impact
Venlo Studio provided a comprehensive suite of services that transformed the planner’s visual identity:
Product Photography: Showcasing the planners’ true quality with consistent, professional and true-to-color images. The project included 45 products, resulting in over 200 e-commerce photos that captured the products both on a clean white background and in styled setups with colored backgrounds and props.
Lifestyle Photography Session: Capturing the products being used in action at the founder’s on-brand office, including fresh lifestyle headshots of the founder.
Graphic Design Support: Developing a polished Lookbook to enhance the brand’s appeal and get customers excited for the new product launch.
A peak into the gallery
The results were immediate and profound. The founder credits Venlo’s photography as a significant factor in this year’s launch success:
Sales Growth: The business earned the same amount in one month of this year’s launch as it did throughout all of 2023.
Efficiency Gains: Outsourcing photography saved countless hours, enabling the founder to focus on marketing strategies like YouTube videos and email campaigns—all powered by Venlo’s photography.
Beyond the Numbers
The partnership brought peace of mind and eliminated the stress of last-minute, inconsistent DIY photography. Having professional photos ready ahead of launch allowed for better planning and execution across marketing channels.
Venlo Studio's help was two-fold: They helped my business and products look as legitimate and quality as they are. I cannot emphasis enough how important that is for product businesses. It's everything. They also saved me an incredible amount of time by not doing it all myself (and badly at that). In other words: Venlo Studio has both saved me money (since time is money), and has caused me to earn incredibly more money in sales. They also care as much about the outcome of the photos as I do, which was incredibly reassuring.
-Heather
Looking Ahead
With a new level of confidence in their visual branding, the company is gearing up for their next big launch: mid-year planners for the 2025/2026 academic calendar year. Thanks to Venlo Studio’s exceptional work, the future of this purposeful planner business looks brighter than ever.
Stop by Sprouted Planner’s website or follow along on social media to see the planners in action and discover how they can transform your days!
Interested in working with us?
Visit our Product Photography page or fill out the inquiry form to learn more!
