AKA 10 Times your professional headshot will come in handy!
What are professional headshots used for? You've heard me drone on time and time again about the importance of headshot photos for business. And the importance of a professional photographer taking your picture. Not just a quick snap on your phone.
Professional photography is an investment in your business and whilst headshot costs may sometimes seem high, have you ever thought about how much use you can get out of the one photo? You haven't...? Let's talk about what our professional headshots are used for?
Firstly, what is a Business Headshot?
A business headshot is a photograph of an individual, usually taken by a professional headshot photographer, with the simple purpose of showing what they look like.
Professional headshots aren't just for high-flying executives anymore. Everybody needs one! They have a multitude of uses and have become an essential part of business.
The importance of a great headshot photo
AKA "Why do I need professional headshot photography?"
Often a prospective client's first introduction to you is through the photo on your website or social media profile. Your online image is a powerful park of your personal brand and using professional photography is a great tool for building a solid reputation online.
A professional headshot conveys your professionalism. If you want to be perceived professional, you should look polished and professional. Your headshot shows that you take your career and business seriously.
A good headshot photo shows the viewer who you are and offers a hint of your personality through your expression and your smile.
A good quality profile photo will help potential clients identify you. It's important that your headshot photo is current and looks like you now. I get it, aging is hard. An old photo may feel flattering, but is is unauthentic and won't encourage trust.
A professional taken photograph helps you feel good. A professional headshot photographer is an expert in what they do; they know how to work with light and how to pose people. Knowing that you look good increases your confidence which can only be good for business!
What are professional headshots used for?
That's the what and why questions answered. Now for the where. You have these lovely photos, but what are professional headshots used for?
1. COMPANY WEBSITE
Professional headshot photography on the company website enables customers and clients to put a face to the name. Matching headshots for everybody in your team creates a consistent visual identity. They unify your brand and make your company appear professional.
Having no photos on your website will make it look bland and lack identity. What's worse is a site with poor photos of your team. Blurry, badly lit and out of focus photos snapped on someone's phone give the impressions that you don't care about your own business. If you don't appear to care about the perception of your business, why would a potential client hire you to look after theirs?
Top fact: 60% of consumers who use online searches say they prefer to contact a business whose listing includes an image.
2. LINKEDIN PROFILE
Adding a professional headshot photo to your LinkedIn profiles helps create a great first impression and starts to build trust between you and the people (read potential clients) looking at your profile.
LinkedIn is a business network and it's important that your photo reflects this. An out of focus selfie taken in a badly lit office just doesn't cut it and won't present you in the best light.
3. ONLINE PROFILES; FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & TWITTER
Using your headshot photo on your social media profiles will remind people you met at networking or business events of who you are. Being able to put a face to a name that pops up in their notifications, they are more likely to accept your friend, follow, or connection request.
4. BUSINESS CARDS, BROCHURES & MARKETING
When we attend a business networking event, we all come away with handfuls of business cards. Nine times out of ten we can't remember which card belongs to which person and who does what. Using a professional headshot on your business card helps people you meet to remember who you are and what you do.
Using the same photo on your business card and marketing materials as you do on your social media profile will help your face become recognizable to potential clients and customers.
5. MAGAZINE ARTICLES & NEWSPAPERS
A headshot is often printed alongside written articles in magazines and newspapers. Using a professionally taken one that matches your brand helps keep that recognizable visual identity across all of your work.
6. PRESS RELEASE
A major company announcement, a promotion, a new job. Profile photos are often required for press releases. If you want to present you and your brand in a positive light in the press, a professional photo is a must.
7. CV'S & RESUMES
Your headshot is on your LinkedIn profile. Putting a headshot photo on your CV allows you to introduce yourself directly to recruiters. Just like you do on your online profile. A photo will make you more memorable than just a name and a list of experiences.
8. PERSONAL BRANDING
Investing in a high-quality, professionally taken headshot is an investment in your personal brand. It shows you at your best, the way you want prospective clients to see you. In the simplest for, it's marketing YOU.
9. ACTOR HEADSHOTS
A headshot is an actors' business card and is integral to getting noticed in a highly competitive industry. A high-quality professional headshot with genuine facial expressions and show the actor to a true likeness is the first thing a casting director will look at when scouting for talent.
10. AUTHOR PAGES
Including a profile image on your book covers help to introduce you to and connect with your readers.
Where else have you used your professional headshot? Drop me a comment, I'd love to know if there any places I haven't thought of.
