A Question I Love - And Hate - To Answer

While you might feel comfort in the answer, it may be detrimental to your career or business.

This morning, I was asked how often people typically refresh their headshot. It's a question I both love and hate to answer. I love to answer it because the answer can reveal a marketing opportunity that few others are taking advantage of. And I hate because the answer has the potential of giving people a false sense of security.

So, the answer is.....most people never update their headshot.

If you're feeling a sense of relief and reassured that you're in good company, think again. I won't come out and say you're in bad company, but I will say you're in the wrong company.

(Keep reading to learn when you should be updating your headshot!)

You May Think You Have A Good Headshot...

Most people think they have a headshot but they really don't. They're using candid shots, selfies, crops from larger photos, etc. These are neither professional looking nor effective "headshots".

Exactly What Is A Headshot?

Like the name suggests (and as illustrated above), it's an image that literally features your head, ideally cropped just beneath your collar bone. You want this close crop because your head - more specifically, your eyes - are where people instinctively first look to make the judgments about you that are most important to them. Primarily, they want to know if you can be trusted. By including a larger portion of your body in your headshot (see below), you're making it more difficult for people to connect with your eyes and, therefore, harder for them to feel an immediate sense of trust. Those few milliseconds of delay may be all it takes for your perfect client to move on to the next search result.

Why Should You Have A Professional Headshot Created?

A professional headshot is intentionally designed to make an immediate and positive impact on your target market. You might be using a great looking candid. But it might also be the absolute wrong photo to connect with your target market.

Every slight tilt or rotation of your head, how you smile or not, whether you're straight on or slightly angled to the camera, and the combination of all these factors, makes a conscious and subconscious impact on the viewer. A studied and well trained headshot photographer will ask you about who you're marketing to and work with you to create not only a beautiful headshot but, more importantly, an effective headshot that sends a positive message to your target market.

Why Should You Have A Professional Headshot Created?

A professional headshot is intentionally designed to make an immediate and positive impact on your target market. You might be using a great looking candid. But it might also be the absolute wrong photo to connect with your target market. Every slight tilt or rotation of your head, how you smile or not, whether you're straight on or slightly angled to the camera, and the combination of all these factors, makes a conscious and subconscious impact on the viewer. A studied and well trained headshot photographer will ask you about who you're marketing to and work with you to create not only a beautiful headshot but, more importantly, an effective headshot that sends a positive message to your target market.

Why Should You Replace Your Headshot?

Like software or a marketing initiative, it needs to be kept current to maximize its effectiveness. Clothing and hair styles change. Our physical appearance slowly changes every day. Though we may not notice the differences over time, a potential employer or client who meets you in person your headshot online then meeting you in person will certainly see the differences which may cause them to pause. That moment (or those minutes and hours!) of adjustment in how they perceive you can make it more difficult for you to close a sale.?

How Often Should You Update Your Headshot?

Here are my three guidelines for when to update your headshot.

1. The most basic guideline is to update your headshot every two years. In most cases, you appearance hasn't changed enough to make people do a double-take when they see you in person and it's just about the right time for you to update it before people do notice any differences. It's also a good interval to make sure your clothing, hair, and makeup styles remain current.
2. If you've had a noticeable change to your appearance before the end of that two year interval, it's time to update your headshot. That could mean a drastic change in hairstyle, growing or shaving a beard, a change in your overall clothing style, cosmetic surgery, etc. Again, it's all about making sure you're accurately presenting yourself to your target market.
3. To bring attention to a marketing promotion. It's no secret that changing your profile photo is what attracts attention to your social media account. If you're marketing a new service or promotion, the attention gained from your new professional headshot will attract a significantly larger audience.

Is making the time and investment in having a professional headshot created a pain and an inconvenience? Of course it is! But so is keeping your website up to date. So is your marketing, keeping up with social media, your bookkeeping, and any of the hundreds of necessary functions that keep your business and career moving forward. But keeping your headshot up to date is an integral piece of your marketing puzzle that should be treated as seriously as every other aspect of your business.

Want to learn more about what a professional headshot can do for you and your business? Click on the image below to check out my 2023 Headshot Guide!

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Charlie Cotugno is the owner of Charles Cotugno Photography and is a Seattle headshot photographer/specialist. His clients range from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. Charlie is also a sought-after speaker on the topic of leveraging photography for career advancement and marketing success, as well as implementing the creative process for innovation in the workplace. To learn how Charlie can guide you through your visual imaging process, visit www.ccHeadshots.com, email [email protected], or call/text 425.501.9725.