Here’s the reality: A professional headshot is the single most important investment you can make in your brand.
Yes. It is that important.
As a career coach, I work with a wide variety of career minded individuals, from job hunters to high-level executives, and regardless the rung of the corporate ladder they find themselves currently on, one of the first questions I ask remains the same: Do you have a professional headshot?
The importance of a professional headshot cannot be understated. The modern business world is widely a digital one, and regardless what you do for work, the success of your business and career relies heavily on your online presence and persona. Science has shown that humans form an opinion of another individual within one tenth of a second of seeing their face. What does this mean for you in a digital world? It means you need to make sure your clients, collaborators, and potential employers know your face. It means you need a business headshot – and with only a tenth of a second to make a positive first impression, it better be a good one.
A great headshot is one that captures your personality, exudes confidence, and allows your customers or potential business partners an opportunity to meet you – without ever stepping into the same room as you. In a digital world, a high-quality headshot is your only chance at making a lasting first impression, and investing in a professional headshot photographer is every bit as important as the weight of your business card or the layout of your resume – and much in the same way that you wouldn’t bring DIY print-and-tear business cards to an important business meeting, so too should you avoid passing a cellphone picture (or worse, a selfie) as the visual representation of you and your business. In this digital age, there is nothing more important than investing in a professional headshot.
If you learn nothing else, remember this: Quality counts, first impressions matter, and your success relies on how you present yourself to the world.