Your photo is quite often the first impression someone has of you. It’s your social media face, and your print marketing personality for business cards and postcards.
What your photo says matters, a LOT.
And how often do you get to make a first impression? (You’ve got this answer, I know you do.)
If a photo is worth a thousand words, then a great promotional headshot for your business is worth thousands of dollars. Seriously!
So why do we put off taking those new pics? Well let’s see… here’s what I hear:
- “I need to lose weight” (I hear this a lot regarding video and speaking, too!)
- “I don’t like my picture taken” (This explains why your Facebook page has everyone’s face and paws, except yours!)
- “I’m not photogenic” (I beg to differ… read on)
- “ I already have a photo” ( True, but it’s from 1999)
So, brutal honesty here, if your image is lacking, your revenue likely is lagging. Although, you may not realize it. An old photo can suggest you are out of touch with current things. A lack of photo hints at possible lack of confidence. And how about those Emoji’s? Sorry, just makes us wonder what you’re up to.
How to overcome the trepidation? Or heck, just have a great shoot, and get your money’s worth?
Well, here’s a few quick tips:
- If you feel you want to look better (thinner, younger, etc). here is your opportunity to practice self-acceptance. Keep striving to be healthy and pulled together and for now, though, find what you absolutely LOVE about you and decide to let that shine. Forget about the extra pounds (most of us have our own to worry about) and celebrate your smile, your eyes, your legs, your skin or hands. Have great hair, let the wind blow!
- Hate how you look in pictures? First, re-read number one here, then make a decision that your photos are a time for you to have fun with you. A true smile is always more attractive than a posed one. ALWAYS. Take your photos in a space where you are comfortable, and with people that allow you to relax and feel good.
- Shift your mind. You are not looking for a “pretty picture” as much as you are looking to capture an essence of you. Have a shoot where you move, laugh, play with your dog. Those shots where you may NOT be looking into the camera can be some of the best marketing tools you’ll ever invest in. So kick your heels up and giggle!
- Finally, make the investment. You are worth it.
If you want to make an impact with your brand it starts with your first impression. I know when I someone who is destined for success when I see that they value themselves and they seek to create a personal brand that is true and authentic to their core nature. This starts with your photos, your personal presence on camera and speaking your business every day.
These first impressions are the door openers!
****For more advice on selecting a photographer and what you should expect from an awesome business photo shoot watch my interview with Celebrity Photographer Lesley Bohm. Her passion is bringing to life, in one singular image, the indefinable qualities that make an author the source of powerful prose, a CEO he inspiration for a global enterprise, an actor the conjurer of a whole new reality. I ask her.. how she does it, and what tips we can take from her work with her celeb clientele.
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