Have you ever been with a group of people that just get you?

You don’t have to explain the jokes you tell or defend your actions because you’ve built a tribe that understands exactly who you are.

In the business world, it’s much harder to foster these relationships because, as busy people, we just can’t seem to find the time. We can only rely on gut feelings, interactions, and our own judgements of the people we meet each day.

So how can we show people our authentic selves when we don’t have the time to? This question became the basis of Alimond’s headshot psychology.

You won’t always have time to show your prospects who you really are, so we’ve developed ways to visually communicate your personality so that your headshots do the talking for you.

And we’ve solidified this by keeping in mind the top 3 traits everyone looks for before they do business with you:

1) Do You Look Professional?

Professionalism isn’t just about wearing a suit and tie. It encompasses many different skills and traits, like having a good attitude at work or communicating effectively with clients. But a huge part of being a professional is simply looking the part.

In the second stage of the buyer’s journey, otherwise known as the consideration stage, the buyer is comparing different products and services to make a decision. Which means they are judging you – your website, social media, contact information – comparing you to the competition, and deciding whether you can be a solution to their problem.

So maybe you don’t think they will care about the grainy iPhone headshot you took of yourself in 2008, but trust us, they do. The amount of effort you put into your visual brand determines how they will perceive the quality of your business brand.

So to keep it professional, we make sure there are no distractions in your headshot. We’ll give you a clean background, a headshot guide on what clothing works best for a professional shot, and poses that make you appear competent yet confident.

And don’t be afraid to take it to the next level. Put your headshot on your business card or in your email signature to leave prospects with an image they can remember.

2) Do they look trustworthy?

People do business with people they know, like, and trust – how’s that for a business school refresher?

But seriously, you want to have confidence that whomever you do business with is a reliable person that has your best interest at heart.

This is why businesses have come up with strategies like testimonials and reviews to highlight past consumer trust and eliminate the risk for potential clients to make the next move.

There are ways to eliminate the risk for your potential client through your headshots and videos. If you can convince your audience to trust you before they even meet you, that is more than half the battle.

According to Psychology Today, our brains are hardwired to trust others. We use non-verbal cues and body language when deciding whether or not we should trust a stranger.

Because of this fact, we’ve developed poses and positions that make you look approachable, open, and easygoing. That way, when a client sees your headshot, they are drawn into your relaxing energy. Then, their brain gives the green light to trust you more.

3) What’s their personality?

Nothing builds a reputation like a great personality, and nothing ruins it faster than a sour attitude. But ultimately, people want to do business with someone they feel will understand them. While it may seem daunting, your personality can still shine through your headshots with a few easy tricks.

The way that we like to highlight your personality through our headshots is by getting to know you.

During our headshot sessions, we like to talk to our clients about different topics. Some topics are more surface level, like work and daily life, but others are deeper questions that help us understand your background and character.

As you open up to us, a shift happens in the room. Suddenly, your smiles are bigger, your poses are more natural, and you’re able to be your authentic self on camera. When we can get you to be yourself, we also happen to grab some of your best headshots of you.

We like to use props to show your personality as well. We’ve used food for chefs, “Sold” signs for realtors, and microphones for speakers. And the end result is a set of images that feel true to your mission and your personal brand.

When you use props or creative poses, you are able to communicate your favorite traits in subtle (or not so subtle) ways. And now your ideal client feels like they already know you AND they want to get to know you more. All without you having to say a word.

Key Takeaways?

Coming up with an integrated approach to attract ideal clients is essential. Marketing is doubly important, and a sales strategy even more so.

But at the end of the day, people want to do business with someone they can relate to.

So, stop telling your clients that you are professional, trustworthy, and personable and show them by letting your headshots and videos do the talking for you.

To quote my friend, Justin Timberlake, “sometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at all.”