Never take another bad marketing photo with this basic guide to personal branding photography.
Over the years, we’ve gathered a few of our best tips tips when it comes to marketing, and with personal branding photography on the rise, we wanted to compile our best tips in once place.
Personal Branding Photography Tips
Check out this starter guide on personal branding photography, so you can walk into your next shoot perfectly prepared to create goal-based marketing photography that will engage your audience and, most importantly, make you look damn good.
1. Don’t give up all your marketing collateral at once.
If you’ve had a headshot by SchlickArt, you’ve likely heard this vital piece of personal branding advice already. But it’s worth a second mention.
Think about the last time you posted a really great picture on social media. It blew up your feed, right? Lost of people commented and reacted, and with very little effort, you became top-of-mind in your various social/networking circles.
People may have even reached out to you, or a lead may have come out of it. Maybe people even mentioned how great your post was the next time they saw you, and it gave you the springboard you needed to launch into a great conversation.
Well, wouldn’t you create that kind of traction multiple times if you could? YES! That’s exactly why you should NOT post all your photos at once. For example, if you purchase a Full Marketing Set of 10 personal branding photos, post one each month and spread out the social media love for as long as you can. It’s a powerful form of organic marketing that doesn’t even feel like marketing in the first place!
2. Complement your brand.
When it comes to your personal branding photography shoot, you’ll want to choose your wardrobe with intention. That means don’t go over the top, but make sure you’ve put some thought into your outfit. Here are a few of our best tips:
- Choose colors that match or complement your brand.
- Consider what color background you want, and don’t match that — or you’ll fade away.
- Don’t overdress or underdress. Wear an outfit that you would normally wear to meet clients/colleagues.
- If you wear a uniform, try some shots with it and some shots in regular/professional dress to capture all sides of you.
3. Look like you on your best day.
When it comes to appearance and personal grooming, we always suggest that you look like you on your best day. That means don’t overdo it, but if you put in a little extra effort for the camera, that’s ok, too.
For women, wearing your foundation a little heavier than normal and adding a lip color should do the trick. Classic, neutral colors are better suited for photography when it comes to makeup choices. For men, do everything you would as if you were attending a gala or wedding.
Essentially, you’re putting your best foot forward — and we take care of the rest.
4. Consider your goals.
When it comes to deciding what type of shoot you’ll need for your personal branding photography, there are quite a few options to choose from: indoor, outdoor, lifestyle marketing, team photos, etc. To decide what’s best for you, we suggest starting with your marketing goals.
What’s coming up in your marketing plan? Are you focused on growing your social media audience? Do you need a variety of professional portraits to keep your print marketing fresh? Are you redoing your website?
By considering your marketing goals first, you’re creating what you actually need — not what you think you might need based on other people’s feeds. 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. For more information about this topic, check out this blog.
5. Aim for a range of expressions and looks.
Regardless of how you use your personal branding photography, you’ll need a variety of looks, expressions and poses to keep up with the demand for visuals in today’s market. The more the better, right?
Even if you’re only getting three shots, try to strike a balance of vibes: approachable (smiling), trustworthy (thoughtful) and knowledgeable (serious). Aim for a mix of sitting and standing poses, and see if you can work in two different outfits. Variety can be achieved even with a few core photos.
For more information on how to achieve variety — and what the various poses/expressions communicate in a photo — then check out this blog.
Where To Use Your Personal Branding Photography
Now, once you’ve got the perfect set, here are a few ideas to start using your shots:
- Business card
- Print marketing materials
- Website
- Email banners & blasts
- Social media profiles
- Social media posts
- Press releases
- Sales & landing pages
- Bios
- Email signature
- And more!
Visual Marketing In Santa Clarita
At SchlickArt, we offer more than photography and video services to the Santa Clarita area and beyond. We do our best to provide our clients with marketing expertise and direction every chance we get. We know you need your images and video to help grow your business — that’s why you invest in them, and that’s why do, too. Please take a minute to search through our blogs to find the visual marketing information that will help your business, or give us a call. We’re happy to help!
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.