I talk a lot about how important great, branded headshots are for your business. It’s one of the most important business assets you have. Professional photographs are also expensive, so making sure you’re getting the most out of your investment is crucial.

Here are my top three tips for making your headshot work for you.

#1 - Keep Your LinkedIn Photo Up-to-Date

This applies to all your social media profiles, but I’m focusing on LinkedIn because it’s a strictly business platform. You’re there to network and create new business relationships, so people should see a great, updated profile photo when they interact with you. It takes someone about three seconds to make a determination about who you are and whether or not they’d like to work with you, and, to begin with, that impression is always visual. That’s why having a branded headshot photo that allows your personality to shine is so important.

#2 - Make Your Email Signature Personal

Even though there are many different ways to have a business conversation in the modern online world besides email, it’s still one of the primary ways we communicate for business. A signature that shares your details is great, but adding a headshot to that block can make a huge difference in your “know, like, and trust” factor with a new or potential client. Most email providers have a signature creator option that allows you to add a photo. Make sure the one you’re using is a professional, up-to-date headshot.

I use this image for my Zoom profile as it also shares my mission - to show everyone their beauty.

#3 - Make Sure You're Showing up on Zoom as a Professional

Since the pandemic, pretty much everybody knows how to Zoom, and many of us use it daily to communicate for work. Whether you’re part of a corporate team or an entrepreneur meeting virtually with clients, you want to show up on Zoom as a professional. Most of us think about grooming and wardrobe choices (at least above the waist) before we go live, but you might not have thought about your Zoom profile. That photo of you shows up if you have your camera turned off. Make sure that photo is a professional headshot so you’ll look just as put together when you’re not sharing your screen as you do when you’re live and in person.

BONUS TIPS: Use Your Headshot on Your Website

“About Me” page

If you have a website, you should definitely have an “About Me” page which tells your audience who you are and why they should work with you. Having a good-quality portrait on this page can be the difference between being hired for a job, and not. Beyond just your headshot, a few other branded photos showcasing who you are and your hobbies are also appropriate and an awesome inclusion on your About page.

Facebook Business Page

Just like with LinkedIn, if you have a Facebook business page, it’s important that your profile photo is a professional headshot. Remember that social media needs to be “social” so resist the temptation to use your business logo or a photo of one of your products in place of a photo of you. People want to do business with other people, not brands or products. Facebook pages with a personal photo of the business owner or representative are more effective than those that don’t include this personal touch.

Hopefully, this gives you an idea about how to use your professional headshots to help increase business. If you have a photo shoot coming up and would like some help preparing so you end up with awesome, branded photos, you might want to book one of my “Make Your Brand Pop” Photo Consultations.

If you haven’t had professional photos taken recently, we should talk about how I can help you get that perfect, up-to-date headshot. Get on my calendar and let’s chat!

3 Easy Ways to Make Your Headshot Work for You!