Are you highlighting all that you and your business has to offer with your headshot? Or are you damaging your business’s image with a poor photo?
Your headshot directly reflects on the integrity and quality of your business and who you are as a working professional. You know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well the same is true for your business headshot. Think about it, when we’re researching a business or service and come across bad photos, how does it make you feel about their services?
A good headshot is critical in today’s working world. You need it for resumes, business cards, websites, LinkedIn, etc. This means your headshot is often the first point of contact between you and a future employer, or potential client.
You are your brand – what do you want your photo to say about yourself?
Are you a therapist wanting to convey safety, warmth and professionalism? Are you a department head wanting to project approachability, intelligence, and expertise? Whatever it is you do, you want a photo that “speaks” highly to you and/or your business.
Along with making you look more professional, a great headshot gives people a sense of who you are. People want to connect in with an image and feel like they can really get a sense of who you are by looking at your photo.
Whether you know it or not, within the first few seconds of seeing an image, we all make snap judgments about the person, what they’re offering, and whether or not we can trust them. Having a great business portrait can be a complete game changer for you and your business. Do I feel uncertain, confused, or disorganized when looking at your business portrait? Or do I feel assured, inspired, and like I trust you and your services?
Investing in yourself, by investing in a great photo, makes people want to invest in you.
Here are a few tips that we believe make for a great business portrait:
– Keep it current – you want people to be able to recognize you as you are now. We recommend getting a new portrait at least every two years.
– Communicate with your photographer about what you want your images to convey as well as any background color specifications you want (to match a website, business card, etc.).
– Be sure to put your best foot forward on the day of your session by properly grooming.
– Dress the part – whether you’ve been in your industry for 20 years or hoping to break into it now, dress appropriately for your field and the message you want to convey. That being said, absolutely work a little personality into your photo. Maybe it’s a custom suit with your favorite pocket square, or your favorite necklace and earrings set. Again, people want to get a feel for you when looking at your photo, so letting a bit of personality come through in your style is a good thing!
