The importance of an awesome business portrait

The importance of an awesome business portrait.

I know it can seem expensive investing is a new professional business portrait. It is tempting to keep using the one cut from a picture where you were the guest at a wedding (so dressed nicely!), or taken standing in front of a plain wall in your office, or the one that is 10 years old and you look so young!

But should you?

Let’s imagine you do. A potential client is surfing the net looking for someone in your industry, here in Christchurch. Everyone looks similar…there are 10 or 20 to choose from, they decide to send three enquiries …based on the old rule “always get three quotes”. They have to narrow it down to three…how do you get to be one of these three…to then have the opportunity to wow them?

These surfers are going to go into the about pages on your website…and look at your portrait. They are going to judge you based on this business portrait first and foremost. What will they be thinking when they see that a colleague has lined you up for a mug shot in bad lighting against a wall. No gorgeous catch lights in the eyes (the shiny bits that make you twinkle and come alive)…no clever posing that makes you look friendly and approachable and yet professional, and that fact that you can’t afford a professional portrait…so you can’t be doing very well in your industry. It is hard…but we need to make some quick decisions when we are trying to choose someone to approach, and so judge we do.

Alternatively they could come across you looking like you want to talk to them, looking like you are a successful business professional who is ready to work with them. Someone who takes pride in all they do, takes the time to do things right, not just a last minute grab of “this will do”. Someone who can solve their problems as obviously they do things the right way in their own life.

Tips for finding your business portrait photographer:

• you like their current samples (and they have current samples!).
• they make you look good…does everyone else they have photographed look good, lack double chins, have great looking but natural skin?
• their portraits look professional straight off…no doubt in your mind that time and effort and professionalism has been put into these business portraits.
• you like them as a person, i.e. they are approachable and friendly but professional themselves. You need to be able to have a rapport with them in front of the camera for this to come across in the portrait…they need to be able to put you at ease, and make you shine (but not shiny skin!).
• they give you advice on what to wear, how to style, etc. You need to dress for success. You want to be dressing for your portrait as if you are going to a meeting with one of your top clients…so even if your image is casual…you want it to be a very smart casual.
• they are a member of the NZIPP, i.e. they are a professional themselves.

 

I say: Be professional by looking professional.