Smile! You’re on camera!

Last week we kicked off the Sanity Series with a session on social media, focusing particularly on personal brand. Participants left not only with a social media policy guide, but a shiny new head shot to pop online. We had a good old chat about the who, what, where and when of your personal brand including the first thing everyone sees – your face!

Yes, we live in the social media era. No, that does not mean a selfie will suffice for your LinkedIn profile.

Yes, LinkedIn is technically social media. No, it does not work the same way as Instagram or Facebook.

We all have the internet at our fingertips at almost any given moment in time and we are using it to search not only things but people. Your headshot isn’t only important on your social media profiles but anywhere else it pops up when someone Googles your name.

So with that out of the way, let’s get down to why a professional headshot it so important.

• First Impressions Count

Unless you have already met someone in person, your online presence if the first glimpse they get of you. You want that first impression to be good. ‘Don’t judge a book by it’s cover’, yeah right – if we are doing business together you need to look the part.

• Stand Out from the Crowd

Again – social media era. We are bombarded with information day in day out. People consume so much, help them remember you by having a rememberable professional headshot online (for the right reasons).

• Familiarity

Ever met someone semi-famous and felt like you already knew them? That is because you are already familiar with them. Having a friendly, professional headshot will make potential contacts more likely to approach you and existing contacts to want to engage with you.

• Your own personal logo

You would never doodle your company logo on a napkin and then proceed to use it on all company merchandise and plaster it on your website, so why would you not take the same care over your headshot which is essentially the logo of your personal brand.

• You’ll look the part

Finally, get one so you look the part. No matter where you are in your career if you consider yourself a professional then you need a professional headshot. 

Join the 2020 Sanity Series for more tips and tricks throughout the year to help grow and protect your personal brand. We kick off the year with public speaking.

Want help with your online presence, get in touch.