How great photography can boost YOUR bottom line #1
#1
People buy from people; people buy into people. That much is agreed. So it makes sense that if a large portion of your business stems from your website or from brochures you send out, you should have on display the best 'people pictures' possible of yourself and your team. Potential clients want to see your face - “if we're going to enter into a contract, if I'm giving you my money, I want to know what you look like”. It's about engendering trust and credibility right from the start. It's human nature. And while I appreciate that is not always possible to see who you're dealing with in larger companies, that does not mean the sentiment holds less weight for the customer (the term 'faceless' when applied to big business is not something they appreciate).
There's more to meets the eye when it comes to portraiture. A great headshot will always convey so much more than just physical likeness. A great headshot will build trust and credibility even before the first email or handshake. First impressions matter because first impressions stick. So make it a good one (and while we're on topic, selfies should absolutely be banished & confined to Facebook. Forever). The style and quality of your headshot will also give an insight into who you are as a person. The clothes you wear, the location, the background, the lighting, your expression, props & product placement, composition, cropping of the final image, colour v black & white, post-processing. These are variables that a good headshot photographer will have at the forefront of his mind so that your final headshot is entirely consistent with who you are and how you like to do business.
So if you don't currently have a great headshot on your website and across business networking platforms such as LinkedIn then at best you're missing a huge trick to get potential clients on your side right from the get-go. At worst, you could be hurting your bottom line by giving out an entirely wrong impression of who you are and what your business stands for.