Your first line of introduction
By Hein Jonker
Whether you’re a new business building your website for the first time or a well-established business revamping your online presence, the cost of professional photography might prompt you to wonder if you might be able to get by without it… After all, why couldn’t you just take the photos yourself, or use stock photos? There are other, more important things you should be spending your company’s money on than a photographer, right? … Wrong!
The fact is that your business will benefit from having professional headshots on its website and other platforms or mediums. No matter who your customers are or what you are selling, high-quality photography, and showcasing the people behind your business, is an important asset that will contribute to your overall brand and success.
We get it, not everyone likes to be photographed, but it doesn’t have to be a bad experience! Hiring a professional who knows what they are doing is the key to a great photo and an even better experience. Great looks, good lighting, clothing, and natural expressions are key to a great business portrait; and everything a professional photographer will help you with for a positive and lasting experience.
So, what are the top 12 reasons to hire a professional headshot and portrait photographer?
1. Add value – Most importantly, it adds credibility and professionalism to your overall image. Potential clients, investors, and collaborators who find you online, either on LinkedIn, your website or even Facebook are more likely to take you seriously.
2. You’ll be judged – Did you know that we are judged within 10 seconds of meeting or being seen by someone? This seems crazy but isn’t it a good idea to take advantage of those seconds and showcase your very best? Like it or not, we judge a book by its cover. People want to work with professional-looking people.
3. Faking it – A good headshot will give your potential customers an idea of who you are; a great smile and facial expression can go a long way. Stock photos are one alternative that some organisations consider when they feel a photoshoot with a professional photographer might be out of reach. That is not the best way to showcase your business. Why? Because they are not photos of you or your business!
Stock photos are fake representations of who you are and should be avoided as far as possible. Show customers actual photos of your business, your team members, and your products. Be real!
4. Confidence booster – A great headshot will help you feel confident and professional when you are calling on a potential client. We do however suggest having professional makeup and hair done. We work with local professionals who can prep you in our studio before your session. It’s amazing how much more confident it can make you feel. In addition, our photo retouching will enhance your image and boost your confidence even more.
5. Stand out – A great profile photo on LinkedIn, for instance, will set you apart from the competition. It is not surprising to see how many people use outdated photos, from 20 years younger, on their social media profiles. Do not take your clients, current or potential, for granted. They can spot a fake very quickly.
Remember, your photo is the first line of the introduction, make it great!
6. Visual reminder – How many times have you been to a function and met someone you wanted to connect with for business? A good, clean (and current) headshot can be that visual cue for someone to remember you and connect.
7. Be consistent – Current trends encourage the branding of your image. Many people think of branding as something only a large company would do, but it is also applicable to smaller businesses and individuals. We often see, on company websites, that there is little to no consistency in the headshots. Some are cutouts, not facing the same direction, poor lighting, busy backgrounds, some against a wall with a phone and bad shadows, to name a few. Now, hire a professional and imagine opening a company profile, and seeing the page of their employees looking very professional. This is a huge value-add to the company image. Wouldn’t you want your company to be represented well on LinkedIn and your website? Of course, you do!
8. Images on Google – You may have heard of Search Engine Optimization, or SEO – the practice of strategically optimizing various elements of your website to help it perform better in the search ranking results. There are many elements to SEO, and one element is images.Optimised photos can help your website get found in the image results like Google Images thus improving performance in the overall search results. They can also help to engage customers and keep them on your site for longer or encourage them to choose you over a competitor.
9. Versatile assets – When it comes to marketing your business online, images can be used in a variety of mediums. Images play a big role in sales and marketing, extending their use. But what many don’t realize is that photos are content – and they are a powerful, versatile asset at that.
Online, photos can be used to make your website infinitely more engaging. They can be used to build your brand on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google My Business and more. They can also be featured in blog posts and articles – the possibilities are endless.
Offline, photos can be used in brochures, profiles, and promotional materials of all kinds. By investing in professional photography, you equip yourself with new, helpful tools that can be used to enhance your marketing efforts in more ways than you initially may have thought.
10. A thousand words – Photos enable you to show your clients and customers what you have to offer rather than telling them. People like to see things for themselves before deciding to call or send that first email. The internet has made this possible, which means photos and videos of your products and offerings are more valuable than ever before.
11. Colour talks – Did you know that the colour you wear can speak to a potential customer by associating an “I’m powerful” or “I’m approachable” vibe? Colour has a direct but subliminal effect on the viewer. These little nuances can make a big difference in how you are perceived or judged. For example, if you are in the finance industry and want to make your executives seem more approachable, they should wear soft blue tones instead of powerful bold colours like red.A professional and experienced headshot photographer can provide you with advice on what to wear, which locations to choose, and hair and makeup advice, to present the best of you.
12. NO to phones – Sure, Smartphones are great for snapshots, but there is no alternative to understanding good light, exposure, and composition, how to position the subject, or bringing out the best in a person. It is not so much the device as it is the person taking the photo.
You see, a good photographer knows how to retouch photos to further improve your image. A good photo retoucher can fix stray hair, remove blemishes, teeth whitening, smoothen out skin or even take off 5 kgs!
A great headshot photographer should bring out the very best in you while making sure you still look like YOU. We all want those wrinkles gone but let’s be honest, we earned those lines. If you are a 45-year-old professional, removing lines and mature features looks fake, makes it look like you want to hide something, and reflects poorly on your character.
A professional photographer should ask about your industry niche and where or how the photos will be used. The photography session should be in line with meeting your specific needs. It doesn’t make sense if you are in the home renovation business to get a headshot with a jacket and tie, but if you meet with large corporations to do commercial work, you might find a happy medium with a collared shirt and tie.
A professional headshot is truly priceless. It is your brand and your first line of introduction, make it count.
To inquire about professional headshot photography, talk to us, we would love to help make the process memorable as well as provide you with an image you will be proud to show around.