Your Picture: Worth 1,000 Words?
- May 2, 2011
- Posted by: Rochelle
- Category: Brand + Design, Marketing + Selling
What do you see in this picture? A happy pair of newlyweds exchanging their first public kiss? Or a tiny cherub looking mighty unhappy?
Clichés are often clichés for a reason. Pictures do tell an immediate story. They telegraph your message in an instant.
So tell the RIGHT story.
Take a look at the photos you’re using—on your website, social media sites, marketing collateral. What story do they tell?
No photo on your on-line profile says: out of touch. It’s hard to connect with someone who is a faceless bio—on LinkedIn for example. People like to see who they might be dealing with. Most clients will vet you on-line before agreeing to meet or chat. Tip: the more they see your face, the more they feel they know you. The more they know you, the more they can like you. And hire you.
Formal, posed photos translate to stiff, formal. If you’re the CEO of a money center bank, this may be a good thing. Tradition and solidity are valuable assets. But it’s also possible to wear a suit and tie and not look stuffy with the right attitude. Depending on your marketing approach, you may want to look animated, thoughtful, modern, smart, street-savvy. Toss the stiffly posed photos and spend some coin on a good photographer.
Personal photos scream unprofessional. Unless you’re a residential realtor, avoid primary photos with your spouse, pets or kids. You may want to toss in one or 2 on your site to show you are a real, warm person (love those skydiving lawyers), but don’t let it be your primary photo. Save it for Facebook.
What story does your picture tell?
2 Comments
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Right on but note that many people also view Facebook and what you post there so consider how those pics reflect on you. I like the photo I have been using; the only reason to update it involves my preference for a tie I am actually wearing as I type that I did not own then. I call it my TV tie.
Another reason for a pic. People may recall you by face even if not by bio. I reject or delay LinkedIn or Facebook requests/ invites when I do not recall the person reaching out. Often the lack of a photo is a factor.
Hi Corey–I have always liked your photo–right on point for who you are/what you do. I’ll wait for your TV tie 🙂