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How To Determine The Right Headshot For Your Marketing Goals

Kirsten QuinnHeadshots, Professional Portrait, Visual Marketing

Not sure how to choose the right headshot for you? Here’s our How-to Guide to goal-oriented visual marketing.  

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Every professional needs at least one really good headshot — especially in today’s digitally-driven marketplace.

But how do you determine exactly what kind of headshot you need?

Headshots used to be simple. You’d step in front of a marble background, get one shot from the shoulders up, and be done with it.

But today, with the development of social media marketing, you need options. You need to show the different sides of yourself. You need to develop a personal brand that starts with the way people see you — online and in person.

So how do you sort through it all to determine the best headshot for you? Do you need a traditional shoulders-up portrait? A lifestyle marketing shoot that captures you doing your thing? What about those super popular beach shoots that seem to be taking over the business world thanks to Instagram?

What do you need, and what can you save for later? How do you decide the best type of imagery for your business?

At SchlickArt, that’s all we think about. So here are some of our thoughts on the visual marketing strategies that will help you accomplish your marketing goals — starting with the headshots.

Start With Your Marketing Goals

Headshot, Santa Clarita photographer, Santa Clarita photography, Santa Clarita headshots, Santa Clarita marketing photography, business photos, professional portrait, Santa Clarita photography studioWhen deciding what you need photographically, first, you need to have a clear idea of what you’re trying to accomplish for your business. So start by nailing down your most urgent marketing goals.

Once you have a clear idea of what these images are supposed to do for you and your business, then you can move forward to selecting the right session and type of shot.

To get you started, here are the most common marketing goals we see in our studio — and what we recommend to knock them out of the park.

  1. Someone Is Requesting Your Headshot

This is the most common and easiest marketing need, when it comes to headshots.

Your headshot could be requested for a number of reasons: you’re speaking at an event, you’re being featured in a publication, you’ve just started a new job, you’re website is being re-done, you’re launching something new, etc.

Our Recommendation: Indoor Headshots | SchlickArt Professional Portrait Session

This is an easy one because these common situations call for a traditional headshot. At SchlickArt, even the “traditional” headshot session has been dressed up to become a complete, full-service experience for professionals.

That means we help you pick your wardrobe options to best reflect your personal brand. We provide easy-to-follow posing instruction that’s specifically designed to create the vibe you’re aiming for. It also includes complete retouching that takes care of all the little things you’re worried about — plus with every shot, you get three versions optimized for your marketing needs: a full-length version, traditional portrait size, and social media square image.

This is the perfect session for any serious professional who has an immediate need for a headshot. It’s also your visual marketing foundation.

  1. You’re Rebranding

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This is another really common reason people come into the studio. Their images are out of date, and they’re refreshing the face of their company. Commonly, a large-scale rebranding also coincides with a website rebuild and requires you to refresh your printed marketing materials, as well.

Our Recommendation: Outdoor Headshots | SchlickArt Cityscapes Professional Portraits

For a rebranding, we love suggesting our outdoor headshots session, for a few reasons. First, if this a rebranding, your likely have a set of traditional indoor headshots. So these outdoor ones will not only capture people’s attention, but they’ll also bring that fresh, modern, updating look and feeling to your brand.

Additionally, if local marketing and networking brings you a steady stream of leads, these headshots will support your branding as the local expert in your field — or the obvious choice in your market.

Outdoor headshots that capture you in your community are an excellent way to build upon your strong foundation of indoor headshots, while providing a fresh way of reminding people you’re here.

  1. You’re Launching A Campaign

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Launching a campaign can be just as large and time-consuming of an endeavor as a full-scale rebranding — especially when your campaign represents a shift or pivot in your offerings. That’s why you’ll want images that really stand out, not just from your previous set of image but also from your online competitors. When you’re trying to attract a highly targeted audience for a specific offering, standing out is the name of the game.

Our Recommendation: Indoor Business Lifestyle Photography | SchlickArt Professional Portrait Session

An indoor business lifestyle shoot is like the gold standard of images when it comes to digital marketing. They are as dreamy and gorgeous as they are professional and confident. They capture you in your element, as you close a sale or work with a client. Or, if you want to show a more personal side of your brand, we can create those seemingly effortless shots as you laugh and enjoy the success you’ve built for yourself. You know the ones — those dreamy images on Instagram that make it look like you’re on top of the world.

No matter what vibe you’re trying to send, these perfectly choreographed candid-style images are sure to capture the attention of internet users as they stop scrolling long enough to see why your life looks so utterly fantastic. And once we’ve captured them, well, the rest is up to you.

  1. You’re Building A Following

Headshot, Santa Clarita photographer, Santa Clarita photography, Santa Clarita headshots, Santa Clarita marketing photography, business photos, professional portrait, Santa Clarita photography studioMaybe you’re not quite at the point of launching a campaign or full-scale rebrand, but you’re on your way there. First, you need to build the audience to receive that campaign. So your marketing focus is lazer-sharp and hell-bent on building an online audience and a strong social following. That’s where the dreamiest of all business-related shoots comes in.

Our Recommendation: Outdoor Business Lifestyle Photography | SchlickArt Cityscapes Professional Portraits

Combine the effortless candid-style feeling with an outdoor backdrop that brings your community to the forefront, and you’ve got a recipe for social media magic. This is the shoot you see other people doing and think: “Wow, they’ve got it right.” It’s you walking along the streets of Newhall with a coffee in your hand. It’s you posted on a park bench at the mall, while you handle business dealings with ease and joy. Or it can just be you being you, as you laugh and act silly in the community that’s allowed you to experience such success. It’s you in gratitude, in joy, in peace — with your business and your life.

Now who won’t want to follow that?

Still Not Sure?

Check out this blog about the difference between our indoor and outdoor Professional Portrait Sessions.

Or give us a call at SchlickArt. As visual marketing professionals and business owners, we love brainstorming through your ideas to find the best one for your business and your current marketing goals.

About SchlickArt Photography and Video

SchlickArt, a boutique photo and video studio in Santa Clarita, started in March 2012 with the simple idea that empowerment creates a kind of beauty and authenticity that shines through every camera lens. Built on a philosophy — rather than a product, service or person — SchlickArt has rapidly evolved, meeting professional portraiture, business photo and business video needs as diverse as the community we capture. It’s the desire to take care of you, the client, that drives us at SchlickArt.