Head shots for your LinkedIn profile, email sig, etc

[TMark]

Do you have a professionally-taken 'head shot' for your profile photos on social networks?

If so, how did you go about finding that kind of photographer?

I think head shots work well in email signatures, so despite being the most un-vain person alive, I am considering having one taken.

How did you find your photographer, what was the experience like, and were you happy with the end result?

 

[fisicx]

I used my phone and took a selfie.

 

[DontAsk]

I used my phone and took a selfie.

This.

 

[Alan]

A professional photographer will undoubtedly get a better result than a selfie.

Whether that represent value or not is a different question.

When I worked for big corporates and presenting at a conference then a professional photographer was wheeled in on site and would have cost many hundreds for the multi person shoot.

A local photographer would shoot you in their studio for maybe £50-£100 and take 20 minutes (shooting time - of course there is pre-sales, digital processing, editing, shot selection, post sales time etc )

How you find them - type 'local headshot photographer' in your favourite search engine, and take a look at their portfolio on their website.

In terms of end result, yes the professional shots were better than selfies.

 

[fisicx]

@TMark, why do you think adding your mugshot to an email is a good idea? Same with social media. If it’s a business profile use your logo not you.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Its not about what I look like Its about what our business can bring to our customers .

 

[Mark T Jones]

I did have a professional headshot at one point - it was free from a networking event I attended.

It was a quality image etc, but at the same time, rather 'wooden'

Overall, I'm far happier with the camera shot taken by my wife, which is amateurish but more natural.

Headshot vs logo? It really depends on how you are selling yourself

 

[WaveJumper]

How times have changed though in a slightly different vain ...... passport photos used to be a trip to the studio, then the photo booth and now iPhone and upload it straight to the website took a few attempts but got there in the end.

However as above pay the professionals if you want to go that extra mile, plus have the time to spend an hour or so whilst they fluff around getting the lighting just right ....... but they can make you look a bit younger and makes you feel like a bit of a celeb at conferences

 

[Ozzy]

<<< this photo was professionally taken but the one before was taken by my wife, and the one before that was a selfie taken whilst holding one of the horses which I liked. All seemed fine at the time.

I'm not a fan of company logo's on a persons social media, I like to deal with the person and want to know the person I am dealing with. A company logo feels impersonal to me on first impressions, but that is different if it is the company official account.

 

[Excel-Expert]

I used my phone and took a selfie.

Same here - When I have a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp, it is not going to help me sell any spreadsheets.

 

[TMark]

@TMark, why do you think adding your mugshot to an email is a good idea? Same with social media.

As one example, I think it can be useful for freelancers/craftspeople in particular, people who build and maintain a reputation for their work and want to make themselves part of their brand.

It's not essential, by any means. Obviously adding a face pic in an email sig isn't going to completely transform how you're perceived or make up for deficits elsewhere.

More generally, I think showing your face in an email can make a difference in reminding the recipient that this is an actual person they're dealing with. Again, that's not a compensatory thing, it's just an additional thing.

We're so used to firing off emails (and comments) these days, sometimes forgetting that it's a real person on the end of it. It's part of the wider issue of anonymity on the internet, and it could for instance make the difference between someone ignoring your email on the assumption that it's just another business trying to get your custom, or replying to it. That's assuming your mug shot doesn't have the opposite effect to the one intended! ?

As for social media, I was mainly thinking of networks where you promote yourself as a person, ie. LinkedIn. It might also be useful as a blog profile picture if you're looking to grow your reputation as an expert in your field, speaking at events, and so on.

So - not essential by any means, and it won't make up for failings elsewhere, but I think it can definitely add something.

 

[TMark]

Its not about what I look like Its about what our business can bring to our customers .

I don't think it's either/or, to be honest. I mean, we could apply that argument to just about anything - e.g. Why bother with your company logo, it's what your business can bring to your customers, etc.

 

[TMark]

I did have a professional headshot at one point - it was free from a networking event I attended.

It was a quality image etc, but at the same time, rather 'wooden'

Overall, I'm far happier with the camera shot taken by my wife, which is amateurish but more natural.

Headshot vs logo? It really depends on how you are selling yourself

I think headshots have their place and logos have their place. I know what you mean about some of the professional ones looking wooden though. That is a risk.

 

[NickGrogan]

I don't think it's either/or, to be honest. I mean, we could apply that argument to just about anything - e.g. Why bother with your company logo, it's what your business can bring to your customers, etc.

This is why a company's logo isn't important.

What brand have you ever chosen due to its logo?

 

[TMark]

This is why a company's logo isn't important.

What brand have you ever chosen due to its logo?

It's one thing to argue that a company's logo isn't as important as [insert some aspect of business here]. It's quite another to suggest that a company logo is not important at all. For one thing, that may be your conscious view as a business owner, but your customers' subsconcious may have different ideas! For another, there are plenty of situations where your logo is the first thing a potential customer sees of you (if not a logo then some other visual representation). And that's to say nothing of the opportunity to communicate ideas, concepts and values through the logo or the brand more generally. Anyway I don't want this thread to be derailed by a tangent on logos so I'll stop there!

 

[NickGrogan]

What brand have you ever chosen due to its logo?

 

[Mark T Jones]

This is why a company's logo isn't important.

What brand have you ever chosen due to its logo?

You are failing to differentiate between conscious and subliminal loyalty.

The latter plays a part for all of us.

 

[TMark]

What brand have you ever chosen due to its logo?

The reason I didn't answer this question is that we don't choose things for one reason alone, nor are we 100% rational creatures acting on conscious emotion-free logic.

By the reasoning you've put forward, we may as well throw branding more generally out the window. And marketing for that matter. Anything but dry spreadsheets and sales acquisitions. Except that for sales, we benefit from techniques. And that's where marketing and branding come in and play their part...

 

[NickGrogan]

Brand Loyalty is certainly a thing and certainly important. Its been around for a long time and will be around for a lot longer.

But a logo is not a brand.

Last year, I did a poll on Linkedin asking recruiters what colours the logo of Robert Walters is. Robert Walters is a big recruitment brand, has 3,700 staff, 31 offices, nearly 1M followers on LinkedIn, etc.

Give 3 choices, 85% got it wrong. More than 12,000 people voted.

There is also the Apple logo, one that everyone sees all the time, even if you don't any of the devices. But given a list of images, most people still manage to get it wrong.

#7. Brain teaser: What does Apple's logo look like? Can you please draw it? - SharpBrains

We don’t notice much of what we see: 85 college students tried to draw the Apple logo from memory; 84 failed (Science Daily): Could you draw the ubiquitous Apple computer logo from memory?…Out of 85 UCLA undergraduate students, only one correctly reproduced the Apple logo when asked to draw it...

sharpbrains.com

Given that Apple is one of the strongest brands in the world, it suggests that the logo might not be that important after all.

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

If my customers cared what I looked like, I wouldn't have any customers at all!

I'm in the video production business and rather than opinion, we believe in data. Specifically, what images sell the most?

The short answer is on social, something casual generates more sales than something formal. Here is our data (posted on Linkedin) plus the data from another videographer: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paul...=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

If you were looking to create a headshot that was informal, I'd suggest getting someone for £50 - £100 to do one outdoors. To specifically tell them you want to look informal, relaxed and fun. If you're around the South East, I could probably even send someone your way for that kind of price. Otherwise, just use your phone!

 

[Mark T Jones]

Brand Loyalty is certainly a thing and certainly important. Its been around for a long time and will be around for a lot longer.

But a logo is not a brand.

Last year, I did a poll on Linkedin asking recruiters what colours the logo of Robert Walters is. Robert Walters is a big recruitment brand, has 3,700 staff, 31 offices, nearly 1M followers on LinkedIn, etc.

Give 3 choices, 85% got it wrong. More than 12,000 people voted.

There is also the Apple logo, one that everyone sees all the time, even if you don't any of the devices. But given a list of images, most people still manage to get it wrong.

#7. Brain teaser: What does Apple's logo look like? Can you please draw it? - SharpBrains

We don’t notice much of what we see: 85 college students tried to draw the Apple logo from memory; 84 failed (Science Daily): Could you draw the ubiquitous Apple computer logo from memory?…Out of 85 UCLA undergraduate students, only one correctly reproduced the Apple logo when asked to draw it...

sharpbrains.com

Given that Apple is one of the strongest brands in the world, it suggests that the logo might not be that important after all.

You are still misunderstanding the nature of subliminal decision-making.

 

[NickGrogan]

You are still misunderstanding the nature of subliminal decision-making.

Perhaps you could explain what you mean?

 

[TMark]

@NickGrogan

I'm aware a logo isn't a brand. It's a brand element. One aspect of it.

Re. the Apple logo - all of the alternative logo answers were incredibly similar. Had the alternatives included one with the word 'Apple' in Times New Roman, one with a green spherical ball with a capital A in it, one with... well, you get the idea - then I suspect the results would have been very different. In fact, one of the options presented is VERY similar - the one with just the leaf the wrong way round. That will have skewed the results, I'm sure.

Testing people's power of recall for such minor details does not, in my view, suggest that the Apple logo "might not be that important after all".

Actually in Apple's case, I'd go as far as to suggest that their simple silhouette logo, which has adorned their hardware as well as countless posters, ads and other marketing materials for years, has been more instrumental to their success than the word 'apple' itself.

In the case of Robert Walters, you're on stronger ground, but even there I'd argue that not being able to remember the colour is less important than the effect the colour has on the person when they encounter it. After all, one could equally conclude from your survey that "colour isn't that important". (Try telling that to the fast food restaurant owner who wants her logo to be blue because that's her favourite colour, then wonders why people just feel the place to be a bit uninviting...)

To me, the logo is about quick recognition and, hopefully, taking in elements that the brand owner wants to communicate. When you have a 60 x 60 pixel space to fill on your company social media feed, a logo that scales down to that size fits the bill much better than a photo of your widgets (alright, calm down at the back!) or some text.

 

[fisicx]

Going back to your email thing.

I get loads of emails from all over the world form people asking about custom coding. None of them have a piccie in their signature. I know they are a real person because I know their name. I reply signing off with my name. Not really sure how a thumbnail will make things any better.

Even worse, if the signature is added to every reply we get bigger and slower email message chains. Had one from a bank in New Zealand with a name, address, telephone, logo, SM icons and two disclaimers. Each time they replied this block was repeated. They also added inline images/screenshots so the payload soon became huge.

Don't add images to email signatures. And even if you are the creative type, I don't care what you look like. If I want to see your face I can do that on your website. But I probably won't because I don't care. No matter how sublimial the marketing.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Perhaps you could explain what you mean?

In a nutshell, the stuff that affects how you feel, rather than what you actually notice.

Even the most rudimentary logos rely on certain colour connotations such as blue = business; calm, responsible. Orange= energy, happiness.

Like it or not, you almost certainly respond to these messages.

You can dig deeper and deeper, typeface, spacing, shape etc.

It undoubtedly works - though may not be your best marketing investment!

 

[Mark T Jones]

Don't add images to email signatures. And even if you are the creative type, I don't care what you look like. If I want to see your face I can do that on your website. But I probably won't because I don't care. No matter how sublimial the marketing.

I'm inclined to agree - there is a tendency to load email signatures with all kinds of junk!

 

[WaveJumper]

Going back to your email thing.

I get loads of emails from all over the world form people asking about custom coding. None of them have a piccie in their signature. I know they are a real person because I know their name. I reply signing off with my name. Not really sure how a thumbnail will make things any better.

Even worse, if the signature is added to every reply we get bigger and slower email message chains. Had one from a bank in New Zealand with a name, address, telephone, logo, SM icons and two disclaimers. Each time they replied this block was repeated. They also added inline images/screenshots so the payload soon became huge.

Don't add images to email signatures. And even if you are the creative type, I don't care what you look like. If I want to see your face I can do that on your website. But I probably won't because I don't care. No matter how sublimial the marketing.

Out of interest would more of these emails end up in your junk folder if they have a photo attached

 

[fisicx]

Out of interest would more of these emails end up in your junk folder if they have a photo attached

Probably. Especially if the image is requested and not encoded. Another spam trigger is email links with trackers.

 

[MOIC]

@WaveJumper your photographer got it bang on, showing brains and beauty!

 

[motionvideosuk]

@TMark Where are you based? I might know a guy if you’re anywhere near Manchester? I had the shots on my profile taken by him, he’s called Adam Spencer Young.

I just thought professional headshots would look more professional than the average selfie, especially on the website when people want to find out more about you and see your face. It makes it more personal and that you’re serious about what you do.

At least I think so anyway.

 

[fisicx]

@TMark Where are you based? I might know a guy if you’re anywhere near Manchester? I had the shots on my profile taken by him, he’s called Adam Spencer Young.

I just thought professional headshots would look more professional than the average selfie, especially on the website when people want to find out more about you and see your face. It makes it more personal and that you’re serious about what you do.

At least I think so anyway.

Did he take the picture of you covering up your face with a cuppa?

 

[motionvideosuk]

Did he take the picture of you covering up your face with a cuppa?

He did yes. He took hundreds of photos in various outfits. These are just a couple of my favourites. But I have loads more to chose from when I get bored of these ones. Sometimes it’s the most natural shots (taking a sip of coffee) when you’re not expecting it that tell more of a story than the posed ones.

 

[fisicx]

He did yes. He took hundreds of photos in various outfits. These are just a couple of my favourites. But I have loads more to chose from when I get bored of these ones. Sometimes it’s the most natural shots (taking a sip of coffee) when you’re not expecting it that tell more of a story than the posed ones.

The trouble is it's all about perception. I think that picture looks posed. It doesn't look natural. I also can't see how it enhances your profile. You might have been better off with a graphic indicating what you do as a business. Others may have a different view.

As an aside, my profile picture isn't selfie but seems to work OK. Look me ages to get the door open though. Older readers will understand.

 

[TMark]

@TMark Where are you based? I might know a guy if you’re anywhere near Manchester? I had the shots on my profile taken by him, he’s called Adam Spencer Young.

I just thought professional headshots would look more professional than the average selfie, especially on the website when people want to find out more about you and see your face. It makes it more personal and that you’re serious about what you do.

At least I think so anyway.

I'm nowhere near Manchester but thanks for the recommendation. Yes I'm inclined to agree with your points about headshots and appearing more personal. There's something about the openness and willingness to show yourself that helps generate a sense of trust (he says, writing from an anonymous forum profile ?) It's similar to the clients who want to meet you before agreeing to some business. There are a lot of charlatans out there and, rightly or wrongly, some people feel more reassured when they've seen who they're dealing with.

(Usual caveats apply about it not being essential and not compensating for failings elsewhere, blah-dee-blah)

 

[fisicx]

I agree with images on websites. Just not on emails.

I did a load of testing and the one that worked best was me relaxing in a bar. Taken by a mate. Out of all the images I tested that one got the most conversions.

 

[Emedia]

You can use a smartphone and nowadays with the many filters you really can with a little effort produce something you will be more than happy with. We use 'smartsignatures' which can deal with creating everyone's email signatures and include the headshot via an image upload, but it doesn't take the headshots for you.
I notice some people on this thread say why have a headshot on. The rule of thumb here is if you are in a service industry it really can build trust.
Our American friends across the pond have adopted them for years and they invented selling. I can't see how they can harm your comms .providing they don't look too vain.
Providing they are coded right (Many are not this is why we used a professional universally compatible solution.) then a head shot will always look reassuring and show your recipients you are digitally robust.

 

[fisicx]

Send me a headshot in an email and my trust in you goes down. Same as if you add your logo, address, sm icons and a disclaimer.

We were selling long before the yanks. They learnt everything from us. They then oversized it and are now in a right mess.

 

[TMark]

Send me a headshot in an email and my trust in you goes down...

Whereas send me a headshot in an email and my trust tends to go up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not proud of that. Few are comfortable admitting that they might be capable of being influenced by something so simple or 'surface level' - but what can I say, it's the honest answer rather than the defensive one. Rightly or wrongly, headshots in emails seem to work for me.

Same as if you add your logo, address, sm icons and a disclaimer.

In my experience that would cover the majority of professional emails.

 

[Ozzy]

Send me a headshot in an email and my trust in you goes down. Same as if you add your logo, address, sm icons and a disclaimer.

Whereas send me a headshot in an email and my trust tends to go up.

It doesn’t change my opinion either way. Almost all the corporate organisations we deal with do it now, from the banks to insurance and software companies.
It’s now the norm from what I’ve seen.
Bit extreme that it would make you distrust someone for doing that @fisicx and for adding their socials to an email signature. I can’t think of many companies that wouldn’t add their socials or other company messaging to their email signatures.

 

[fisicx]

Depends on who is sending me the email. Maybe I’m dealing with different people to you but I rarely get an email with a headshot. Which is probably why I get suspicious of those who do. The last one was from ‘head of sales’ using an aol email address.

As to all the other guff people add to emails, as I said above if you are in a protracted conversation you get endless repeats of the signature block. I have one from today that has been going on for over a month (a long project) and there are about 50 signature blocks with images. It’s about 1.5mb.