New Year, New Headshots

If “upgrading your public image” isn’t on your list of new year’s resolutions, it should be! If you’re a business owner, salesperson, actor, or anyone else who relies on their public image, having an updated, great looking headshot is vital to your success. I often times have clients who haven’t updated their headshots in 15 or 20 years. It’s easy for your online image to be something you forget about or something you put at the bottom of your to-do-list. But if you have an outdated headshot that isn’t showcasing you at your best, people may be getting a bad impression of you. Worse yet, you may even lose out on potential clients or performance opportunities.

What’s the big deal? It’s just a photo

We’re talking about something that goes far beyond impressing your friends on facebook with a new profile picture. We’re talking about actual dollars and cents and potential opportunities that could arise because you invested in your public image. Take a look around at the most successful people in your industry. I can guarantee you they all have something in common - an understanding of the importance of headshots. Whether it be a broadway actor or the top salesperson for a tech company, the perception the public and your target audience has about you is extremely important to your success.

How often should I get headshots?

The frequency with which you update your headshots really depends on your industry. For professional actors and performers, it’s necessary to stay as up to date as possible. This could mean taking headshots two or more times per year, depending on how your look changes. For people in the business world, the answer varies greater. I’ve had professional speakers come in for sessions 3 or 4 times per year because they are always looking for new, updated shots to use for their promotional material. Typically these types of people will book our Branding Session so they get mid-length and full-length photos in addition to headshots. This ensures that their public image is consistently updated with new, interesting looks.

What if I’m not sure how important my public image is?

If you’re not someone who speaks, acts, or sells for a living, you might be wondering how important a great headshot is for you. Ultimately, you know what’s best for you. However, I would make the effort to look around at the competition in your industry and see how your current headshots compare to those around you. In today’s online and social media driven world, industries that used to not even need an online presence to succeed are finding out that they now must compete in the online marketplace. It’s because of this that headshots have become commonplace and not just something that actors and performers use.

Andrew Barker

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