The Image of Your Business – Owners Have a Great Photo of Yourself !
Hey everyone, Neferteri Shepherd here! I’ve fixed up friends before and the first thing the guy or girl inevitably said is… "Do you have a picture of them?" Of course! This makes sense. No one wants to be stuck on a blind date without knowing what the other person looks like. Well, I have news for you; it's the SAME WAY in business!
Image means everything. Your customers want to associate your company and personal name with positive qualities, and yes even a good looking face. Creating a strong physical impression—attractiveness, success and enthusiasm—gives credibility to your company and invites others to take an interest in you.
And while you often hear about logos, branding and so on, you don't always hear about the "human face" of a company. And isn’t it true that we sometimes "stalk" the people we do business with just to see what they look like? You know, clicking on the ABOUT US page or visiting their Facebook profile?
So yes, it is VITAL that you try to emotionally connect with your audience by presenting a physical, appealing appearance beyond just a corporate logo. In essence, you are showing your audience that your company is not all about policies or strictly business; you want to be approachable, reasonable and trustworthy.
People don't really trust "things", do they? They trust consumer relations, they trust cashiers they like, they trust business owners that take the time to have a face-to-face conversation.
So what are people thinking when they see that you don't have a personal photo on your site? They are usually thinking that there is a good reason why; either you don't want a personal connection or you are hiding your appearance out of shame or embarrassment. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about posting a photo of your real self. Even Quasimodo was cute enough to be seen in the Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney move. (Although Frollo was scary…so avoid scowling if possible!!!)
A study conducted by The Ladders, discovered that recruiters actually spent 19% of their evaluation time studying the profile picture of a LinkedIn resume—more time than was spent on work skills, older jobs and specialties. If this is what is happening in job hunting, just imagine how much more customers are evaluating your brand, and image by viewing your headshot!
Don't cheat your customers out of a good photo! Here are three steps to uploading a good photo for your business:
Step 1: Choose a large high quality picture (it can be shrunk down for web design) that shows your face.
Step 2: Smile!
Step 3: If at all possible, choose a photo that improves upon your listed qualifications by projecting the face of success. For example, if you're a marketer, you look persuasive and energetic, right? If you're a leader, you look confident and dynamic.
On the other hand, if you're a successful attorney, you certainly DON'T want to be dressed in your pajamas for the photo! Project a successful image by including a relevant, attractive photo of yourself along with your profile!
Don't miss our discussion next week on "Your Logo is Your First Impression, Your Tag Line Is What They Remember." Your company has a "face" too, and you want to make sure this little artwork is clean-cut, attractive and "zit-free" if you know what I mean! 
Hey, I can help you with this! If you need any help with branding and image management, photo-shopping or anything else in marketing please contact me, Neferteri Shepherd and Team Pro is here to help. We can help you with your online marketing needs which will help you reach a larger audience! The Image of Your Business is counting on you to take the first step.
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Dedicated To Marketing Your Business For Profits. Helping You Make More Money While You Do Less.
