It has been proven again and again that a genuine human face to your business can make it more approachable to clients and customers alike. Many business owners, or their staff, don’t even want a picture of themselves to appear on the web, while others have to be persuaded not to share personal details, their holiday snap, or pictures of their pets. How do you to strike a balance between personality and the fear of being too personal?
Top five tips for keeping it on the safe side of professional.
1. Be brave, but keep it real.
I know for some this will be a painful process, but believe me your sales figures will thank you. Be yourself and don’t try too hard. You may have to meet these people face to face and you want to be able to meet their eye honestly.
2. Keep it appropriate for your brand and market.
For some this will be ultra professional while other brands can have a slightly more relaxed approach. Think about who your customers are. This is not just about ‘you’ but how you can attract those important new clients.
3. Get some professional pictures done where possible.
Bad lighting and obvious holiday snaps can be dangerous. Your brand needs to look professional and polished. Bad lighting and weird angles do not help sell you or your brand.
4. Highlight your achievements rather than using cheesy catchphrases
While this is the time to show off a little, make sure you have some real content that talks about some recent projects and successes. Too many profiles use catch phrases and jargon that does not say anything. Link your profile to your business. This is an opportunity to sell what you do and what you stand for. But keep it short and to the point.
5. Keep it fresh.
This is about you now, not a ten year old biography. Always surprises me how many people still use a profile image that is at least 10 years old and forget to include all their recent achievements.
