Thrive Photography

Seven uses for your headshot other than just for your website or socials!


Everyone needs professional headshots for their website and LinkedIn profile.

However, here are some other uses and ideas that you may not have considered .

1. To Connect With Your Ideal Client or Avatar/s


Hands up if you have customers or clients that you would like to deal with every day ( my hand is up). Well, having the right headshot and other branding photos to appeal to those people goes a long long way to attracting your ideal client.

Let's say for the sake of discussion that you are an IT consultant and your area of skill is small to medium business networking services, and you want these businesses as clients. Having a professional photo, perhaps wearing a shirt and jacket with an expression of friendly professional competence, is far more likely to attract the business clientele that you actually want. A bad iPhone photo at the surf club or worse, no photo at all, and you could be getting calls from people like my mum because her solitaire game won't start and the ink-jet printer is not working.


2. You can use a headshot as part of ALL your communications as passive marketing.


Most people think of headshots just for your website or social pages like LinkedIn. There are many more ways to use your photos. You can have your photo in your email signature. Your team can have their photo on their business cards. You can add team photos with quotes or tenders, your chamber of commerce profile, Google profile pic, press kit, networking association profiles, advertising campaigns, PowerPoint presentations and Facebook profile. The list goes on. The point is, you can make an indelible mark so that people will remember you when they need your help.

3. Put a name to a face.


Have you ever had that weird moment when you meet someone for the first time when all your communications have been by phone or email? You think .... wow, I really did not think that this person would look like this at all, and you can tell they are thinking the same thing.

Awkward moments aside, the key takeaway is that people are far more comfortable talking with people when they know who they are dealing with. It goes a long way in establishing trust and rapport.


4. Personal touch.


We really seem to be in an era where more and more people want to connect with actual people.

I am no different. Let me give you a personal example. I recently needed our water tank cleaned.

Stay with me, I'm going somewhere with this thrilling story... So I did what everyone does when they do not know someone ... I fired up Google and started looking around. I found a Sunshine Coast tank business. They had a nice clean site, some photos of the owner ( I thought... hmmm, he looks like a good bloke), also a picture of his dad who owned the business before he retired and some action shots of him getting into a tank through the small hole at the top ( I was impressed, they can squeeze through that little opening !!). That was enough to make an enquiry... I rang them, they came around, cleaned the tank, and that was that.

I doubt that I would have called if it was some generic website with a stock image of a call centre person with a telephone headset on (you know, that photo) with the optimistic link to "Call Now" .

5. The Sunshine Coast is exploding


It really is. Especially since Covid. Personally, I really notice it as I went to school here. I am one of those annoying locals who love to tell you what it used to be like if you are silly enough to ask.

Maroochydore constantly has new business developments popping up, the Kawana area is constantly expanding, and Caloundra is growing like crazy with the ongoing Aura suburb.

There are literally 1000s of people moving here every month from Brisbane and the southern states, and they all need goods and services. You need marketing materials to connect with these people, and headshots plus branding photos are a good place to start.

6. First Impressions


The well-worn adage "You do not get a second chance to make a first impression" is as true as ever, maybe even more so these days, when often people will "meet" us for the first time online. A good photo that represents who you are and what your values are in the "About Us" section of your website really helps to gain trust and showcase your credibility.


7. You deserve good photos where you look awesome

I think that if someone spends years in University or puts in the blood, sweat and tears learning your trade or craft, then it makes sense that you would have photos that represent your passion, professionalism and commitment to your chosen career.




Photo of Richard Grenfell.
Author of this article.


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