streibwerksblog

You need to get customers to your page, of course, but what do they see when they get there? A Web page is part of building a competitive business, but this just gets you a store front on the Internet highway. What will make customers want to stop in and learn more? Bottom line: You have a Web site to enhance your image—then get your image on your Web site!

I want you to think about the value of good headshots on your business website. Small businesses thrive on personal contact and good service, but many have Web pages without featured photos of a company team. I suggest that this is a good idea. People do business with people and people should have a face.

I’m not just talking about slapping together whatever pictures your staff happens to have on hand either. Nothing looks more sloppy and unprofessional than a group of clearly unrelated headshots on a website. I’m talking about a coherent and attractive group of photos that have a similar look, crop and feeling. The look and feel can enhance your appeal. By the feeling of the photos I mean, do you sell candy? Maybe you want a playful and friendly feeling. Are you a team of therapists? Then you need to project compassion.

Well designed images convey the special qualities of your dynamic small business—personable, professional, and inviting. I suggest you think about concepts and strategies before photo day and send out a memo to those involved. Discuss clothing, theme, colors, and make sure everyone gets a good night sleep the night before. SHARE your ideas with your photographer so everyone is on the same page. Make sure you find someone with some design skills. Look at the Web page you have now; assorted pieces get you nowhere. You need someone with a vision of how everything can work together.

When the work is done, consider a little retouching to give everyone a polished look. Again, shop for the right person to enhance what you have—no tacky airbrushing! Your Web page is there to CONNECT with the customer, and YOUR image is the key.

Which one of these people is more appealing to you? Which one would you rather do business with? I admit I am biased towards Lisa Streib because that is me but I think most people would prefer to work with an identifiable person. Sure I’m no model but most of aren’t and that’s okay. I liken it to calling a business with a question. I want to talk to a live person when I call not go through a series of recordings. These blank profile pictures above make me think of an annoying recording that never gets me the information I need.

I’ve noticed something lately, I almost never see blank profile pictures on Facebook any more but I see them all the time on LinkedIn. This does not make sense to me. Do people care more about their Facebook page than their LinkedIn page? How could that be? LinkedIn is our professional presentation of ourselves on social media. Is this not important enough to take the time to post a picture of ourselves? Sure we are in a computer age but we still need people to make things happen. When you hire a company and invest your money you want to know that there are people just like you working hard to meet your needs. It’s not enough to list your past successes and post your resume on LinkedIn. Even recommendations ring hollow when there is no face to attach those recommendations to. People should have a face.

Examples of bad dating site profile pictures

Today’s blog would seem to be common sense, a no brainer as it were. I’m talking about what not to post on eHarmony, Match.com or any other online dating service. BUT a friend let me look at his dating service page and I could not believe some of the profile pictures people post on those sites. Aside from whatever info you post on your profile the only tangible idea of who you are on these sites is your picture. If you want people to reach out to you, I suggest giving this picture some thought. Basically you are marketing yourself as a potential date, what are you trying to sell?

I have used my finely honed skills as an illustrator to point out a few of what I consider to be bad dating service profile picture choices. Look out xkcd there’s a new artist in town. I’m not making these up, I saw tons of samples of these odd choices.

#1 Don’t post a picture with your ex haphazardly cropped out. What does that say? I’m on the rebound? I might be through with my ex? I’m lazy? None of this cries out pick me.

#2 Party photos, and by party photos I mean photos centered around drinking. I’m no teetotaler but these photos send a strange message to me. Ok you like to have fun, that’s cool, who doesn’t like to have fun? But unless your dream date has a substance abuse problem why advertise yourself this way?

#3 Please smile just a little. It doesn’t hurt. So maybe you’re an uber intellectual whose idea of a good time is arguing about economic turmoil in the Eastern Bloc.  Still if you want a date you need to be at least a tiny bit approachable.

I could go on; put some clothes on, take a bath, turn the lights on but I think you catch my drift. Sure posting on dating websites must be awkward and scary. So scary you might tell yourself it’s just a joke and not take it seriously. But if you are serious think of it as an important interview and do your homework with your profile picture.

For beauty secrets of the rich and famous, legendary actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn had this to say: “For attractive lips, speak words of kindness; for lovely eyes, seek out the good in people; for a slim figure, share your food with the hungry; for beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day; for poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.” Ms. Hepburn was a striking beauty with endearing qualities – a perfect example that real beauty comes from within. And that inspires me to help people look their best so that those qualities shine through on the web. The web is a fun place, a place we can’t stay away from it’s so much fun. But it’s also a serious place, a business place, a place where everything you ever post, including your headshot, never goes away.

Building a good online identity is a multifold project. Today’s focus is your online headshot. Just consider the potential viewers — a prospective business client, a prospective date, a prospective employer – each getting their first look at you and drawing all kinds of conclusions. It may be their only impression of you. Think about it. How many of your clients have you never met in person? E-mail and phone have become all too common place as a means of communicating with people instead of face to face. In a way this can work to your advantage. After all, one good headshot can replace dressing for success dozens of times!

So your online headshot is more important than you may have imagined. Don’t you think it should look great?  You want to present the best possible you. Think about what you spend on haircuts, hair coloring, clothes, manicures, pedicures, teeth whitening, facials, waxing. For just a dip in the bucket of what you spend on all of those things, you can have your headshot professionally retouched. I am not talking about old school airbrushing or a phony overly Photoshopped version of you. I’m talking about a natural, professional, clean and polished you. It’s like sending your headshot to the spa so that the best you shines through. Think about it.