This is another view-from-my-office photo.
Would you pay $1,000 for a business headshot?
The Wall Street Journal published an article about the value of professionally done business headshots for people seeking a career boost. (This alternative link doesn’t have the photos included in the original article but that’s actually a good thing. The glaring irony of the original article about the value of headshots is that the headshot examples are rather plain or poorly done.)
The point to this Wall Street Journal article is that some people are seeking out more experienced, and thus more expensive, portrait photographers to do their business headshots. These people say the benefits of high-quality headshot photography make it worth the price.
A person seeking an executive job or other higher level position is expected to have a business portrait that matches the job they seek. A high-quality portrait makes the person look like a high-quality job candidate. On the other hand, an amateur headshot or other low-quality photo will contradict or reduce their “executive” appearance.
…. an applicant’s odds of receiving an offer can be diminished by a headshot that doesn’t match the picture in the boss’s mind.
Quality photography isn’t just for people seeking a new job. The headshots used by a company on its About Us page must also be high quality because employee portraits must match the picture in the customer’s mind.
Expensive means More Effective
Photographers have been pointing this out for decades. You get what you pay for and paying more for a portrait means you get a more effective portrait. More effective for getting you noticed, more effective for creating a good impression, more effective for showing you at your best.
What makes a good first impression in a person-to-person meeting is exactly the same as what makes a good first impression in a photo.
First impressions are mostly non-verbal. Body language and facial expression create your first impression.
1) Relax your facial muscles and have a warm expression with a subtle smile. A smile is always considered to be more attractive. The Halo Effect suggests that this attractiveness implies positive traits such as trustworthiness.
Humans can recognize a fake or forced smile and that always creates a negative impression.
2) Have a relaxed body posture but don’t slouch. An open posture is always better than closed.
3) Make eye contact. This implies openness and honesty which build trust.
4) Wear clean, properly fitting clothing. The Halo Effect suggests that business clothing implies a good work ethic.
5) Be reasonably well-groomed. The opposite of the Halo Effect is the Horn Effect. Halo = Angel = good. Horn = Devil = bad.
The first impression of a sloppy looking person might be that the person is lazy.
Your business image is your business
How important is a business headshot to you and your business?
Your portrait is literally your online face and public identity. It’ll be on your web site and social media every minute of every day for a few years.
Your business headshot is not for you to look at. It’s for everyone else. What should they feel when they look at you?
Are you a $49.99 person who likes cheap and doesn’t care what others think? Maybe you’re a $200 person who likes to be economical and good enough is good enough? Or are you a $1,000 person who always strives for the best and you want this to show?
Arguments can be made for any of those three cases because your business image is your business. Or maybe it’s the other way around: your business is your business image.
