I'm going to be biased for a moment. There are too many people who use cell phone pictures of themselves on Linked In, business cards, email thumbnail (most don't use a picture for their email!), and other media sources. Why is this important?

Let me start by saying investing in your personal brand means first and foremost investing in quality imagery. The saying "first impressions are the lasting one" could not be more true in today's business world. It doesn't matter if you are just getting started or a 30 year veteran. You must have the first impression of you (your personal brand) be the best.

Cell phone images are great when you want to show something on Facebook. But when you are on the hunt for a career or reaching out to a wealth client, you need the viewer to see the best of YOU!

I've compiled three main reasons for you to get even one professional headshot:

1. First Impression

   I was recently searching for a CPA do help with my business taxes (yes I hire out that part). My initial search came up with a ton of pin marks on Google Maps around me of people who were CPA's and their contact information. Each one that I clicked on came up with a website, their name, and a contact phone number. What was missing? A photo of the person I was contacting! 

   Now I don't base that completely off of my decision, and I certainly don't judge a book by its cover. However I want to know who I'm doing business with before I do business, like most of today's consumers in the United States.

   I found one person with a Professional Image and low and behold they are the one I will be meeting with to discuss tax options. The point is, I went with the person I can see before meeting!

2. Branding

   Today's consumer want to work directly with a person rather than a large corporation. I think after the 2008 Financial Crisis, your average consumer became fed up with Corporate America. Now I work for a top ten bank in the United States, and my clients still would rather work with me directly than call our "800" number because I've branded myself where they want to work with me.

   This is no different when it comes to a consumer browsing for their next financial advisor, insurance agent, realtor... well, you get the point. Your personal headshot should be the first thing they see on Google when they put in something like "Peoria Area Photographer".

3. Be Prepared!

   I spoke with a friend of mine who is a business professional here in Peoria, IL a month or so ago. He told me of how his company was being featured in a local print and he needed a headshot for the article, and the deadline was fast approaching. The only problem with this was... HE DIDN'T HAVE A PROFESSIONAL PICTURE OF HIMSELF. Luckily, being the nice photographer friend, I set up in his office and we made this happen within a day!

   Lesson learned? Yes. Now I'm not "tooting my own horn" but he claims if I were not available, he would not know where to go to get this image of himself. None the less he was taken care of and his business was successfully featured in said magazine!

   Now there are many other reasons why you should invest in a professional photographer to do your headshot portrait. There is nothing more disappointing that hiring an amateur and not getting your pictures for weeks only to find they are sub-par.

   My call to action for you this week is this. Look at your Linked In profile. Look at your business card. Look at any other outlet you use to advertise yourself and evaluate it. Does it make you want to buy from you? Hire you? If not, click here and use coupon code PROPORT2018 to get 20% off of your next session with me, Addison Blair!

    Thank you for reading!

    Addison

P.S. Share this on Linked In or Facebook and get another 10% off your session by putting in coupon code SHARE18, click here.