Marketing YOU

This may sound silly, but I think realtors are the best niche marketers. And I use the word ‘best’ loosely, but I believe they’ve struck a chord with consumers. Can you think of the last time you saw a realtor’s advertisement without her photo attached to it? Do you remember the last time you saw a For Sale sign on a lawn sans a smiling picture of John Smith—The Nation’s Premiere Sotheby’s Agent on it? Even the calendar magnets that arrive in the mail have an agent’s face emblazed across the top! Have you ever taken the time to consider why? When a homebuyer is making an $850,000 purchase, she’s not merely looking for recommendations and industry credibility, she’s looking for someone she can trust. And, strangely enough, physical appearance plays a vital role in American consumerism.

In the same vein, when a prospective client is looking to find the right wedding photographer, being able to see her makes an incredible difference. The first thing I do when I visit a photographer’s website is go straight to the BIO section…I want to know who’s work I’m looking at…I want to see her photos through her eyes. There’s nothing more disconcerting than going to a bio section and seeing a bouquet, rings, or some other inanimate object instead of a picture of the photographer. Have you ever been to a professional athlete’s site and NOT seen a picture of him? Have you ever been to a Fortune 500 company’s site and NOT seen a picture of the CEO/board members? Have you ever visited an actor’s website and NOT seen headshots? Never!

So my question is this: If you’re a professional photographer, why don’t you have a picture of yourself on your blog and/or website?

I discuss this topic in more detail over at Pro Photo Resource, so be sure to stop by take a quick read. Please feel free to proffer feedback—affirmative or contrary—because I firmly believe the best piece of marketing material a businessperson can have is himself.

To read the article in its entirety, CLICK HERE for a full review.