If you’ve ever thought you “just need a headshot” to market your business, this post is for you! 

You’d be surprised at how many people think they need a single headshot when they initially contact me. But after a short consultation call, we realize what they really need is personal branding. 

So how do you know which is for you? Great question!

In this post, I’ll briefly go over the differences and then explain how personal branding photography makes a bigger impact on your marketing, your business, and your personal goals!

What’s the Difference Between a Headshot and Personal Branding Photography?

I get this question a lot, so we’ll start here. 

A headshot is typically a head and shoulders photo on a solid-colored background. These are pretty stereotypical of what you’d see in a corporate setting. While these photos are great for larger corporations to create a cohesive look on their website, they aren’t the best avenue for smaller businesses that need to make connections with clients. They don’t provide much variety or expression. 

When would you need a headshot? You might need a single headshot if you’re a new addition to a large company or if you’re being featured in an article and haven’t had photos taken in a while. Otherwise, you’ll benefit more from personal branding photography.

When is personal branding the better choice? When you’re ready to create a library of images that represent your brand’s identity, help people understand who you are, and create connections easier, personal branding photography is exactly what you need!

For these sessions, we first start the planning process by reviewing your goals, brand messaging, and marketing avenues. Since we’re doing more than just taking a nice picture here, I dive deep into your goals alongside you. 

Everything in a personal brand session is designed to attract your ideal client while incorporating your brand colors and design aesthetic. Your portraits will tell a story about you and what makes you unique. You’ll get to show off your personality, style, and sense of humor in a variety of images, poses, and scenarios. And we generally incorporate props into branding photos to help convey your story!

The takeaway: If you need a single image, a headshot is perfect for you. If you need a library of images to attract your ideal clients and create a cohesive brand - personal branding photography is for you!

Without further ado, let’s dive into the five reasons you need personal branding photography!

Five Reasons You Need Personal Branding Photography 

• Fast Track Your Dreams and Goals
• Your Social Media Presence Will Improve
• Visitors Will Stay On Your Website Longer
• You'll Make More Money and Appear More Professional
• The Entire Process With Me Is Simple - I Guide you 100%

Ready to learn more about each of these steps? Let’s go!

1. Fast Track Your Dreams and Goals

Once you’ve achieved your dreams, you’ll be a completely different version of the person you are today. So if you want to fast-track your goals, start making changes right now. You can start embracing these changes by acting differently, creating better routines, and leveling up your online presence.

Imagine yourself at the new level you want to be at, and act as if you’re already there!

Want to sell $5 Million Dollar Homes? Ask yourself what that person looks like, acts like, and who they’re interacting with online. Look at their marketing and try to replicate an authentic version of that for yourself.

Start to embody the future you right now, at this moment, and prepare for the growth that’s to come!

Personal branding photography can help you envision your future self even a step further. When you work with me, you’re coming in for a day of pampering. But in the weeks leading up to your session, we’re doing a deep dive into who you want to attract in your marketing and what your goals are for your business.

2. Your Social Media Presence Will Improve

After a personal branding photoshoot, you’ll have a library of fresh images to use throughout your social media content. This makes it really easy to change out your profile photo monthly to renew your followers' attention with photos that are on-brand and professional. 

With a fresh rotation of photos on social media, you’ll help your audience put a face to your business. When you become a familiar face to your followers, you also start to develop deeper connections and trust with them. To put it simply - humanize your brand. Personal branding photography is the best way to achieve this!

3. Visitors Will Stay On Your Website Longer

So you’ve got a new visitor on your website; now what? The goal is to make a great first impression and pique their interest so they’ll stay on your website longer. The longer someone is on your website, the more familiar they become with your brand, and that increases your chances of conversion. 

People already have expectations of what a great website should look like. And according to a recent study by CXL, first impressions are most influenced by the visual appeal of a site versus its usability! Great visuals = longer website visits!

While it’s not vital to have your portraits on every page, I recommend placing different photos throughout your site on the home page, about page, and contact pages. With a full branding photoshoot, you’ll have plenty of variety to add different photos to each of these!

4. You’ll Make More Money and Appear More Professional

Who doesn’t want this benefit, am I right?! With professional branding portraits, you’ll make more money! How?

When people perceive you as being professional, they’ll more easily give you their trust. Since their first touch point with your business will be your online image, it’s critical to make a killer first impression!

Consider your online presence as a virtual handshake inviting prospective clients to work with you.

Pro Tip: Ask yourself these questions as you review your current online presence. If you can’t answer yes to all of them, it’s probably time for an updated photoshoot.

• Are my photos professional and on-brand?
• Do my photos visually tell the story of my business?
• Do they invite my audience to reach out and work together?
• Do I still look the same now as I do in my online photos?
• Do my brand images reflect expertise, authority, and trust?

5. The Entire Process With Me Is Simple - I Guide You 100% 

There’s a lot to consider when planning out a personal branding photoshoot, but I walk you through every step of the process. I’m going to share my process from start to finish with you here, so you can really see how easy it is!

1. We have a free, no-obligation chat to discuss your overall goals. If we’re a good fit for each other, we’ll book your session date.

2. Right after booking, I’ll send you my client magazine in the mail. It’s filled from cover to cover with helpful tips. But again, I’ll go over everything with you.

3. Two weeks before your session, we have a style consultation. This can be over zoom or, my favorite, in person at your home. We talk about your goals, how to incorporate props to convey your story, and most importantly, we go over wardrobe.

4. On the day of your session, you’ll be welcomed into my studio with complimentary champagne and professional hair and makeup. While you’re being pampered, I’ll start setting up backdrops and props for your photos!

5. During the photoshoot, I guide you 100% of the way. I will get into poses myself to show you what to do, and then I’ll pose you down to your pinky! You don’t need to have any prior modeling or posing experience. But of course, if you like modeling (the rare 5% of my clients), I also fully embrace that!

6. After your photoshoot, you’ll get to review your photos right away! I can help you choose photos based on our previous chats about your business goals, website design, and future marketing endeavors. 

7. When your final products arrive, you’re welcome to pick them up in the studio, or I can ship them to you! 

The first step in creating a successful brand is to understand who you want to reach. Once you know who you are trying to attract, you need to think about how you will communicate with them. This includes everything from the way you dress to the type of images you use on social media. Your brand should reflect your values and personality.

I know it can feel scary or uncomfortable to make big changes, but that’s when the most growth happens. When you have the courage to step into your full power, you’ll unlock a door of possibilities! 

Whether or not you live in Colorado if you’re ready to fast-track your dream goals with personal branding photography, reach out to schedule a call with me here.

Special thanks to my featured client, Elizabeth Turra.