5 Signs That It's Time for New Staff Headshots
It’s that time of year.
If you are a business owner or a marketing director, surely right about now, you are busily updating websites and marketing materials.
In conjunction with those materials is the imagery you use to represent your business. It’s SO important. (We know this. Right!?) Having great, impactful photos on your social media, print materials and website can make or break your business’s success.
Don’t believe me? Imagine visiting the website of your lawyer, banker, accountant - name that service provider - and you saw a placeholder photo instead of their headshot or an image that was CLEARLY a stock photo of “people in an office” instead of an actual environmental photo of them working. You can’t deny that your trust in them would plummet even the slightest bit. If that’s how little they care about their own business, how much could they care about taking care of mine?
Photos can change the entire feel of your business.
For the purpose of today’s list, we’re going to assume you already have staff photos on your website. We’re going to assume it’s just been a hot minute since you’ve updated them. I get this question a lot, actually. How do you know it’s time to update your staff headshots? Well, let me tell you…
TOP 5 SIGNS THAT IT’S TIME FOR NEW STAFF HEADSHOTS
STYLES CHANGE. The style of clothing changes - even if it’s not the focus of your headshot, if that lapel seems just a little bit wide, it is time to update your headshot. The same goes for glasses. Those wide frames will never come back, no matter how much the fashion world tries to make it happen. Finally, there’s the style of hair. I’m not even talking the loss of hair (see tip #3). Hairstyles that involve the descriptors of “feathered”, “teased” or “greased” no longer belong on your website.
STAFF CHANGES. This one is easy. If there are staff photos on your website featuring people who no longer work at your company, they need to GO. Alternatively, if there are people who work at your company who have never been listed on your website, well, NOW is the time to make that change. (You may not realize how long that’s been bothering them!)
PEOPLE CHANGE. This tip is 100% tough love. No matter how much you love that headshot from your 20’s, time has not stopped moving forward. That photo is representing you - if someone sees you in person and is surprised because “you don’t look like your photo”, well, it’s time. In general, people lose (or grow) hair, people lose (or gain) weight. Simply said, people age. True, there are cosmetic ways to age backwards. But either way, your headshot simply cannot live in the past any longer.
BRANDING CHANGES. If you are in the middle of a website revamp or redoing your entire business brand, the photos need to be updated to match the look and feel of the version. Your website and imagery work hand-in-hand, they should not be competing with each other. (See Andrea’s photos below as an example.)
SELFIES ARE NOT HEADSHOTS. This one kills me. If you are using selfies or cell phone pictures as headshots, sorry, but you are not fooling anyone. Please stop. Just… stop what you are doing right this second and call me immediately.
EXHIBIT A: Andrea came to me for branding photos (a looser version of headshots) for her STEM education business, Challenge Island. Recently, when she opened her law firm, Modern Law, she - clearly! - needed to present herself differently. A lawyer holding a homemade rocket sling shot? I mean, maybe to show her varied talents and a fun side, but not to show off the power of persuasion.
So after reading the list, can you admit that your staff headshots fit any ONE of those items on the list? You need to call me.
Could you confess that your staff headshots fit MORE than one of those items on the list? You need to call me.
… and please know that I will not judge you. I promise. I’m here to help!
Stories Framed Photography offers headshots and branding sessions to fit YOUR needs. Do you want to send your staff to my studio? Or do you prefer they don’t take too much time from their day? I offer in-studio or on-location options for any staff size. Contact me for rates and availability.
Thanks to all the companies and business owners who have trusted me over the past year with their headshots. A small sample of them are pictured above: Antidote Media Group, Challenge Island, Modern Law, Soberalski Immigration Law, Realty Executives - Schnabl Realty Group, Firefly Real Estate, The Hub Social Network for Travel Professionals, VLURU, LLC, Benefit Realty.
