Value Messaging – posting on Linked In and Facebook

No more boring headshots: Three tips for using location for standout personal brand images

Ever go to a coach’s website and see a conventional headshot photographed against a soft, blurry portrait studio backdrop? Of course we all have. It’s often the mark of a so-called “professional” headshot.

I hate these. They isolate you in a meaningless void – just floating in space. Frankly they’re boring, and they make you a commodity. A huge missed opportunity to position yourself.

Ditch the fake background. And get out of the studio! A sense of a specific, evocative location can make your brand images unique, meaningful and resonant. And it will definitely set you apart.

Here are three tips to using location to create images that tell me something meaningful about what kind of transformational expert you are.

Use your location to communicate your authority and your approachability
Your brand images should communicate both your authority as a transformational expert and your approachability as a human being.

But which do you lead with? If you’re working in a corporate or business environment, you may want to foreground your authority. A location that consists of hard materials like stone or steel and includes straight edges will suggest elevated status.

On the other hand, if you’re a therapist or lead with your “softer” people skills, a location that includes nature, fabrics, or curves will subtly suggest empathy, warmth, and humanity.

Use the location to metaphorically suggest the world you inhabit or the transformation you offer.
Think about the kind of relationship you create with your clients, the kind of problems you solve, and the solution you’ll affect together. The environment of the photo can metaphorically suggest that relationship or transformation.

For instance, including a doorway in the image can suggest new spaces and possibilities to enter into. A bridge can indicate a overcoming an obstacle or a gap. Steps can hint at something higher (and better) than where you are right now.

Any of these elements can reinforce your message to your clients. And make it more visually eye-catching as well!

But don’t let the location steal the show.
The location is the supporting player, not the star. Avoid garish colors and busy-ness. You certainly don’t want that vacation snapshot feel of “Hey, look! I’m standing in front of the Eiffel Tower!” Suggest. Don’t hit me over the head.

Roxanne is an executive coach who has decades of wisdom and experience. As we explored how she relates to her clients, the words trust, groundedness and listener emerged. I knew immediately I wanted to place her in the context of stone for its solidity and stability. A trustworthy refuge. I found a local gothic-style church courtyard with classic open archways and beautiful light for our location, but was careful not to include any religious indicators. Here’s my favorite image. Notice how the curve of the window’s ridges soften the effect of the stone. And how the tangle of vines provides a contrast to the solidity of the stone.

Selecting the right location for your brand photos can help you communicate a visual message as unique as you are.

Are you a coach, consultant or transformational leader committed to being boldly visible in service of sharing your gifts with your right-fit clients?

Schedule a complimentary inspiration session today!
https://calendly.com/badassity/consultation