Are you trying to boost your career or build a business with you as the service provider? You have to invest in your personal brand. Personal branding is about identifying what makes you different and using that to market and promote yourself.

Visually, it starts with a professional headshot. A lot of times, when people think of headshots, they think of stiff, posed photos in front of a boring background—just like the photos you took in school back in the day. Sure, in some cases the formal headshot is appropriate… but what if you could go beyond that?

Put your pre-conceived notions of what a headshot should look like aside for a minute.

What would you prefer to see, a formal, corporate headshot or a headshot with personality that makes someone look approachable and fun to work with? Maybe it’s not the traditional head and shoulders headshot, maybe it’s a bit wider, with a pose that has a little more character.

The modern “headshot” is different. It’s out of the ordinary, fresh, clean, and designed to show someone’s character. It’s well proven that headshots with personality grab attention much better than a stuffy headshot.

If you’re cultivating a personal brand, you have to go beyond the headshot.

Creating images for your personal brand is all about knowing what attracts your followers or customers to you. Think of what the audience may want to see. Will they respond to a more conservative, formal look or do they expect more casual and carefree? Maybe you need both.

Rather than limiting yourself to a professional headshot, why not think of it as a personal brand session? It’s a session where you try different outfits and background options and poses that go beyond the traditional head and shoulders look. Maybe you have a “signature look,” or an affinity for hats, or an outfit that you wouldn’t typically wear for a headshot.

Maybe you’re doing something a little wacky, or laughing, or showing that signature expression you’re known for. Maybe there will be props involved, like scissors and a comb for a hairstylist, or a lab coat for a medical professional.

The goal of a personal brand session is to create multiple images for you to use in different ways.

A solid personal brand will need multiple images to use in marketing. Nobody wants to see the same headshot over and over again. Mix it up a bit. You might need a more formal look for your company website, but something more fun for your personal social media pages. Do a lot of public speaking? You might need different looks that speak to different audiences.

When you go beyond the headshot, there are so many possibilities! Book your personal brand session today and let’s talk about them.