You know how that saying goes – you never get a second chance at a first impression. The same thing is true for your personal brand. On most social media platforms you have just one photo to convince people that your brand is the right choice for them.
Recently, I came across this brilliant video from Andrew Ford on building your personal brand. The points that Andrew makes in this video are so apt – you have just once chance to convince people that your brand will be suited to the potential client. That once chance tends to be your profile picture and your picture needs to reflect you! The current you, this means that you need a recent picture that actually still looks like you.
It shocks me that I still see professional business men and women using profile pictures from 5+ years ago or cropping a picture of themselves on a night out or from a photo with friends or family. It looks unprofessional and would always discourage me from using their brand. I find it quite astounding that people still see their headshot as an expense rather than as an investment when social media is becoming increasingly popular for businesses.
With so many people now conversing and finding leads from social media platforms it is important that their 
profile picture is a high quality, professional shot – a shot that represents how they see their business. Another key factor that Andrew touches on within his video is that the photo should match you completely – if you wear a suit to work every day then wear a suit, if you’re job is less formal then dress less formally. Dress the way you would as though you were going to meet clients. Be true to yourself and your business so that people will know exactly what you look like if you were to arrange to meet them. It is important to be seen as we really are.
A good headshot photographer will strike a rapport with you to make you feel relaxed and at ease – allowing them to capture the best shots. They will make conversation with you and capture you naturally looking energised and inspired. That’s my aim in every shoot to capture a photo that reflects you and your brand at it’s best. To find out more please get in touch here or tweet me @theheadshotguy and let’s start building your personal brand today.
