Your brand, your first impression.

2021
Branding portraits

First impressions count. And people do unfortunately “judge a book by its cover.” So what kind of impression do you make? What kind would you like to make?

There are a lot of elements that play a part in first impressions, and those factors vary when meeting someone in person versus "meeting" them online.

When meeting in person, your appearance plays a part in that first impression, as well as your handshake, eye contact, attentiveness to the conversation and your social skills. On a job interview, for example, those items potentially end up playing a stronger role in the meeting than what's on your resume. Your resume probably landed you the interview, but you can't “pass go or collect 200 dollars” without making a good impression at the interview.

In today’s world of instant access to information, the first impression you make on a prospective client or hiring manager happens far before your first meeting. It could happen during a quick search on LinkedIn or while visiting the “About” section of your website. What does that first impression say?

Hopefully you've had your website or resume edited and spell-checked before posting your bio, employment history or list of accomplishments. And to put the cherry on top, you've made the investment in a branding portrait or professional head shot. If so, the first thought when your name pops up on LinkedIn might be, "Now, he/she is someone I'd like to have on my team," or maybe, "If this business exudes the same level of professionalism as this website, I'd love to work with them.”

I know that looks aren't everything, and you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but with just a few seconds and a first glimpse online, you certainly don't want to risk deterring a future employer or potential client with a sloppy profile photo or no image at all.

If you don't invest in yourself or your business, why should someone invest in you? And if you haven’t made that investment yet, let’s collaborate to update your brand with portraits that tell your story.