Chances are good you’ve heard a lot about personal branding, especially if you’re an entrepreneur who markets anything online. Before social media became the way everyone connects and marketers reach their clients, you really didn’t need to worry too much about branding photos. Your personal brand used to be encapsulated in your logo, the fonts and colors you chose for your website, and at least one good headshot you could use everywhere.

That has completely changed, however, and if you’re someone who sells services like coaching, consulting, or speaking online, you’re going to need professional, branded photos to put the “personal” in your personal brand across the myriad of places you’re sharing it online.

Here’s why:

#1 - Client attraction requires trust

It’s easier for your potential client to trust you when they see a professional photo of a confident, authentic person smiling at them from your social media profile. Good branded photos capture exactly who you are and what your business represents.

#2 - You need to show up differently on different platforms

Gone are the days of that single headshot working across all platforms. Platforms like TikToc require relaxed, fun, casual images, while your LinkedIn images need to be more business-focused. Facebook requires multiple shots, to differentiate between your personal profile, business page, and groups. So you’re going to want several great headshots that work for wherever you show up online.

#3 - Your clients want to see your authenticity

While you want to be taken seriously by showing up with professional photos, it’s also imperative that those photos show the “real” you (because, at the end of the day, that’s what your clients are buying). Forced or overly formal photos that don’t fit your personality can do more harm than good to your brand.

#4 - You should change your profile photo every few months

The only constant is change, especially online. If your profile photo on any platform is more than a few months old, you should consider changing it. The beauty of a brand photoshoot is that you’ll typically have several different outfits and backgrounds or props so that you’ll have several options for updating your profile picture with a professional photo more frequently.

#5 - Branded photos allow you to showcase your creativity

A good branding photographer will encourage you to infuse your personality into your photos. Maybe you’ll bring your dog along to the shoot or some of your photos will feature you on your bike. Capturing what it is about you that makes you unique is what a branded photoshoot is all about

#6 - People invest with people who invest

If your profile and social media photos are a series of selfies, that speaks volumes to a potential client, and it says, “This person isn’t willing to invest in themselves or their business.” It’s a lot harder for your potential client to make an investment decision for their business with someone who’s not willing to do the same for theirs.

In the end, if you’re serious about your business, you need to make sure you have awesome, professional, branded photos that show that to the world. More than all the reasons I shared above, great branded photos that you’re proud of are photos you can’t wait to share on social media.

That alone can have a huge impact on your bottom line

P.S. If you’re looking for some specific resources to help you get amazing branded photos, head over to the Branding Resources page on my website.

Better yet, schedule a branding photo session with me, and let’s do this together. Click here to get on my calendar and let’s talk about working together.

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