WHY IS A GOOD HEADSHOT SO IMPORTANT?

We are all online. With professional and social networking, our first view of someone is their headshot either on a website, LinkedIn, marketing materials, or even social media. Like it or not, judgement based upon someone’s appearance plays a powerful role in what they believe about you. It’s human nature, it’s the way we’re wired.

Adding a photo to your LinkedIn profile increases the likelihood you receive a message by 36 times and profiles with a photo receive 21 times more views than those without.

As a consumer, whether we realize or not, we jump to conclusions while searching for a doctor, attorney, real estate agent, financial advisor, or salesperson. Our modern dating apps are built based upon those first impressions. Up-to-date professional quality headshots are vital to your success, there’s no way around it.

Split Second Judgement

It’s cliche to say, but there is truth to the adage, “you only get one chance to make a first impression.” To raise the stakes, according to research conducted by Princeton University, it only takes about 1/10 of second to form an impression of a stranger from their face. Harvard Medical School’s study determined the time it takes to judge someone’s appearance is 39 milliseconds. Research has shown that unconscious judgments are made on appearance—everything from whether someone is emotionally stable, religious, and their political affiliation, to how confident, successful, and trustworthy they are. Those initial impressions are vital.

Your Face = Your Brand

Everything matters when it comes to your brand. Are you using a picture your spouse took in your back yard or worse yet, a selfie, as your headshot? What does that say about you to the world? If you want clients to spend money with you, you must go first by investing the time and energy into that important image. It reinforces credibility and professionalism for who you are and what you do. People want to work with people they can trust.

It's considered an investment, though it’s not that expensive. Most photographers who will provide a quality, retouched image will be around the $200-$250 range, which is a great value considering how important it is to your business.

If you are interested in making the best possible first impression with an updated headshot, we’d love to work with you. Contact us for your consultation.