Thursday, December 3, 2009

Marketing Through Your Profile Picture


In an earlier post, I yammered about Executive and Business Portraits, comparing different industries to different types of Portraits. Notwithstanding the need for an updated Profile Portrait, I would like to point out a few specifics on WHY you should update your Business Profile Portrait on a regular basis.

I can’t tell you how many times my phone rings and there’s a business professional on the other end sighing about how they NEED a picture for their online profile or business Website. It’s probably the sane sigh dental receptionists hear before taking an appointment. After a few minutes on the phone, I can change any businesspersons reluctance and actually get them looking forward to the photo shoot.

Obviously your current picture is not representing you to your standards today. Sure, maybe a few years (decades) ago it was perfect for your Spouses desk, but you’ve changed and updating your picture with whom you have become is as important as your accomplishments. Marketing yourself is just as significant as marketing your company. Potential customers need to see what the person looks like. It’s really not that bad, if you do it right.

Here are 10 signs you need an updated Business Profile Portrait.

  1. If your current picture gets whistles from construction workers but glares by Human Resources, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  2. If your clients email ends with “is that you?”, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  3. If you constantly hear “love your dog”, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  4. If your using a wedding picture with your significant other cut out, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  5. If people you meet say “wow, you do have a nice smile”, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  6. If you’re with a client and they ask how Cabo was, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  7. If your temp says “cool, I see from your dark blurry picture your Goth too”, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  8. If your DMV picture looks better than your current business profile picture, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  9. If the shirt your wearing in your current business profile picture references Heineken or the numbers 4:20, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
  10. If your business profile picture is a blank space that reads “upload picture here”, it’s time to update your business profile portrait.
Now go off and get that Business Profile Portrait Updated and save the sighs for your Dentists Receptionist.