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Make a Great First Impression How a Professional Headshot Can Help You Get the Clients You Deserve Lori De Milto, The Mighty Marketer Christina Cericola, Freelance Artist, Christina St. John Studios

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Page 1: First Impression - themightymarketer.com · First Impression How a ... few seconds to make a great

Make a Great First Impression

How a Professional Headshot Can Help You Get the Clients You Deserve

LoriDeMilto,TheMightyMarketerChristinaCericola,FreelanceArtist,ChristinaSt.JohnStudios

Page 2: First Impression - themightymarketer.com · First Impression How a ... few seconds to make a great

Ifyouwantprospectiveclientstoassumethatyou’reprofessional,dependable, andworththemoneythey’llpayforyourservices,useaprofessionalheadshot.Intoday’sdigitalworld,prospectiveclientsaremostlikelyto<irstseeyouonline(onyourwebsite,LinkedInpro<ile,orothersocialmediapro<ile).Youonlyhaveafewsecondstomakeagreat<irstimpression.

Why Do-it-Yourself is a Bad ChoiceResistthetemptationtoshootyourownheadshotorhaveafrienddothisusingacellphoneoraregularcamera.Yourheadshotwilllookunprofessionalandcheap—twothingsyoudon’twantyourprospectstothinkaboutyou.Justlikeyouhireanaccountanttohelpwithyourtaxesoralawyerforlegalissues,youneedtohireaprofessionalphotographerifyouwantaprofessionalheadshot.

Aprofessionalphotographerknowsthebestposesandfacialexpressionsforaprofes-sionalheadshot,andhowtocomposeandlightphotostocreatetherightmood.HeorsheknowswhattodoandsaytobringouttheglintinyoureyeorthesmilethatyoumaynotlikebutisactuallyveryJlatteringinaphoto.

Finding a Great PhotographerGettingrecommendationsfromotherfreelancerswhohaveprofessionalheadshotsisthebestwaytoJindagreatphotographer.Ifyoucan’tJindaphotographernearyouthisway,tryanInternetsearch.Onceyou’veidentiJiedpotentialphotographersforyourheadshot,assessthemoutusingthesameprocessaclientmightusetodecidewhethertohireyou:

1. Reviewthephotographer’swork.Picturesspeaklouderthanwords.Visitthephotographer’swebsitetoseehis/herportfolioofpastwork.Thingstobewareofinclude:

• Outdoorphotoswherethepersonhasdarkshadowsundertheeyes,brightpatchesoflightontheface,orunevenskintone

• Studiophotoswherethepersonlookstoogoodtobetrue(“airbrushedtodeath”)orisposedinlightthat’sunJlatteringtohis/herfaceandshape.

2. Lookforprofessionalheadshots.Makesurethephotographerisexperiencedinheadshots.

3. Getreferencesandcontactthem.Ifyoudidn’tJindthephotographerthrougharecommendation,askforreferencesandtalktoafewpeoplewhohaveusedthephotographer.Thephotographer’sportfoliomaybegreat,butthereareotherfactorstoconsider,liketimelydeliveryofyourphotos.

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Ways to Use Your Headshot

• Yourwebsite • YourLinkedInproJile • OthersocialmediaproJiles• Othermarketingmaterials • Speakingengagements • Publications

Page 3: First Impression - themightymarketer.com · First Impression How a ... few seconds to make a great

Making the Most of Your Photo Session Whenpreparingforyourphotosession,chooseoutJitsthatreJlectyourstylebutareprofessionalandprojectconJidence.Don’twearclothesyoudon'tlikeorJinduncomfortable.Thiswillshowinyourphotos.

BringseveraloutJitstochoosefrom,includingoneortwoblazers,whichmakeyoulookmoreprofessionalwithoutbeingstuffyoruncomfortable.ThephotographercanhelpyoudecidewhichoutJitsaremostJlatteringandtakephotosofyouindifferentoutJits.

Womenshouldwearsomethingpersonal,likeapieceofjewelryorascarf.Thiscanmakeyouseemmorepersonableandapproachable.Menshouldbringaniceshirt,tieandjacket.Everyoneshouldstayawayfrombusyprints,whichcanbedistractingandaredifJiculttophotographwell.Plaidsandcheckerboardpatternscan

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Case Study: Before and After a Professional Headshot

WhenLoriDeMiltodecidedtoaddaphototoherwebsitein2008,sheaskedaneighborwho’sagoodamateurphotographertotakeherphoto.Itwasn’tbad(seethetopphoto),anditwasmuchbetterthansomeofthephotosoffree-lancersshe’sseen.Butitwasn’taprofessionalheadshot.DeMiltodidn’trealizethattherewasanythingwrongwithherheadshotuntilshehiredChristinaCericolaofChristinaSt.JohnStudiostotakeherprofessionalheadshot(seethebottomphoto)afewyearslater.

Likemanypeople,DeMiltoisuncomfortablehavingherphototaken.ShewaspleasantlysurprisedbyhoweasyCericolamadetheexperience,andhowCericola’sinstructionsaboutposingresultedinafabulousprofessionalheadshot.

Dressing for Success• BringseveraloutJitstoyourphoto

session,includingoneortwoblazers

• Stayawayfrombusyprints

• Peoplewhowearglasses:Considerbringingapairofemptyframestoeliminateglarefromlenses

• Women:WearapieceofjewelryorascarfthatreJlectsyourpersonality

• Men:Bringadressshirt,tieandjacket

Page 4: First Impression - themightymarketer.com · First Impression How a ... few seconds to make a great

createespeciallyunpleasantpatternsinphotosthatmakeyoulooklessprofessional.Ifyoualwayswearglassesandthey’reapartofyourlook,considerbringingapairofemptyframesforthephotosessiontoeliminateglarefromeyeglasslenses.

Working with the Photographer Asmall,genuinesmileusuallyworksbestforaprofessionalheadshot.Thephotographerknowswhattosayanddotogetagenuinesmilefromyou.Alwaysaskthephotographertoshootyouwithandwithoutasmilesoyoucandecidewhichoptionlooksbestforyou.Duringthephotosession,thephotographerwilltellyouhowtoposeforthebestphoto.Tohelpthephotographerdirectyoueffectively,tellhim/herwhatyouwantyourclientstoassumeaboutyouwhentheyseeyourprofessionalheadshot.

Reviewing and Choosing Your Headshot Showyourproofstocolleaguesandprofessionalconnections.Askthemwhichtheylikebestandwhy.Thenchoosethephotosthatbestmeetyourmarketingneeds.

ThephotographershouldgiveyoudifferentJilesforprintandelectronicmedia.PrintJiles,usedinmagazines,books,andsoforth,mustbehighresolution.PhotoJilesforthewebneedtobequitesmallbuthighqualityandnotslowdownawebsite.SocialmediasitesusethesameJilesizesbuteachsitedictatesthesizeanddimensions.Forexample,ifthesocialmediasiterequiresasquarephotograph,partofyourheadorarmsmightbechoppedoff.Yourphotographercansizeandcomposeyourheadshottogetthemostoutofthespaceprovided.

Ataminimum,thephotographershouldgiveyouhigh-resolutioncolorandblackandwhiteJilesoftheshotyouchoose.Awebdesignercanre-sizethephotoforthewebifneededbutapublishercan’tresizeawebphotoforprint.YoucanalsoaskthephotographertoprovidetheJilesinwebsize,orcroppedforcertainsocialmediasites.

Whensubmittingyourphotosforpublication,youmayneedalicensefromthephoto-grapher,whoholdsthecopyrightforyourphotos.Thephotographercangivethistoyou.

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Posing for Your Headshot• Sitata45-degreeanglefromthecamerasoyoulooklesstwo-

dimensional.• Leanforwardslightlyandbringyourchinoutanddowntogive

yourjawlineamoreJlatteringlookandminimizedoublechins.• Ifyou’resitting,putyourfeetuponyourtoestostraightenyour

backwithoutlookingstiff.• Don’tfaceyourbodydirectlytowardthecamera,asthiscanmake

youlookwiderthanyouare.

Page 5: First Impression - themightymarketer.com · First Impression How a ... few seconds to make a great

Projecting a Professional Image Whenclientschooseafreelancer,theylookforsomeonetheycantrustandcountontodoagreatjob.Agreatheadshotletsyoubecomethe“face”ofyourbrandandprojectaprofessionalimage.

The Mighty Marketer DiscoverthesecretstomakingmoremoneyasafreelancerthroughTheMightyMarketer.Useourfreeresources,onlinecourses,andbooksto:

• Riseabovethecrowdoffreelancers• Develophigh-impact,low-orno-costmarketingtools• Buildyournetworkandreputation• Getrepeatbusinessandreferrals,andmore.

FindouthowfreelancewriterLoriDeMiltotappedintothepowerofmarketingtolandasmuchworkasshewanted—usuallymore—sinceshortlyafterlaunchingherbusiness—andhowyoucandoittoo.DeMiltohasbeenhelpingclientsengage,informandmotivatetheiraudiencesthroughtargetedmedicalcopyandcontentsince1997.SheisafellowoftheAmericanMedicalWritersAssociationandfrequentlywritesandpresentsonmarketingforfreelancers.

Visit The Mighty Marketer TheMightyMarketer.com

Contact The Mighty Marketer [email protected]

Christina St. John StudiosChristinaSt.JohnStudiosoffersafullrangeofgraphicdesignservicesandon-locationphotography.

Visit Christina St. John Studios csjstudios.com

Contact Christina St. John [email protected]

Copyright©2014TheMightyMarketerandChristinaSt.JohnStudios

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