Business Portraits – A Simple Solution to A Great First Impression
Professional business portraits are important for any business or person for marketing and promotional purposes. There are many professions that either encourage the use of a headshot or flat-out demand the visual of a line of products. So whether you are a doctor, a lawyer, realtor or a sales person with a product to sell, you need to have your images ready for your prospects to take notice. And most importantly, they have to look professional. A great professional business portrait could mean the difference in getting that potential client or losing that customer to your competition. So how can business portraits give a great first impression?
Imagine looking for an investment broker who has a portrait of themselves on their card or website with casual clothing, shadows in the background, poor image quality and a pose you would consider to be immature or unprofessional. Do you think you will invest your hard-earned money with that individual? There is something about looking into the eyes of the subject and looking at the subject’s smile or grin that can prove to be inviting or a turn off for a certain job. Do you look trustworthy? Do you look professional enough to represent the client? Are you worth the money the potential client will need to spend to hire you? Does your product or service stand out from the rest? Without a great business portrait, your potential customer could come to a conclusion that is not in your favor. Do not rely on a face to face consultation to sell yourself. You must make the sell the first opportunity that potential client has to notice you. And that most likely is your professional business portrait.
There are specific poses that are appropriate for a particular profession that only a professional business portrait photographer can acquire. Don’t lose another client because you didn’t take the time to invest in professional imaging. Do it right the first time and save yourself the headache of losing revenue. First impressions are lasting and unfortunately can be unfair. However, it is what it is and you need to stand out if you want to succeed in any business. Or perhaps you would rather blend in and never take the lead in your field. You decide.
Business headshots or services captured through imaging will entice any potential client. Again, people make judgments regarding whether or not a professional can be trusted based upon a headshot. Unfair? Yes. True? Also, yes.
For example, its common for most realtors to have a headshot taken to place on their business cards and on their websites. When a potential client looks at headshots or business portraits of the realtor, they can gain a sense of security and of assurance. The fact is that many people base whether or not they think they will be able to develop a trusting report with a professional simply based upon their professional business portrait. Then again, many people will quickly decide to write someone off if their business portrait portrays them as being too slick, too weird, or out of touch with their needs. This is why it’s so important for any professional who counts on business portraits to make sure that they are selecting the right professional photographers to portray them in the most positive light possible.
The fact is that for many professionals, their income is determined by their headshots, product or service images. The right photographer not only knows how to get the right pose and posture technically, but a great photographer knows how to make their subject emanate just the right emotions in order to create the desired connection with their potential clients. On the other hand, poor photos not only help to lose the connection, but poor photos portray a sense of the amateur. Most people feel that a professional should invest in a decent quality photograph. When a professional slaps up a poor quality photo on a website or on a business card, they will fail to gain new clients. Don’t lose another customer because of bad images on promotional material and/or websites. Your income depends upon placing high quality business portraits on your business cards and on your website. Your professional portrait is your brand. Make sure it represents the brand that you would like to project. Make the first impression great.
