Sometimes, it makes sense to go big …

We’re used to seeing executive headshots barely larger than a postage stamp in the corner of a business card or webpage. And when you see something all the time, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that that’s just how it’s done.

The problem with using executive headshots this way is that it will keep potential clients from connecting with you.

Jess felt a boost in confidence using this headshot, instead of the less professional one she had before.

Think about the last time you really “clicked” with someone you just met. Do you remember what it was like? If you think hard enough, I bet you’ll recall that one of the first things that happened – probably even before a firm handshake – was great eye contact.

Our brains are hard-wired to evaluate faces and make quick decisions about whether someone is safe or not. This has been true since before people were even walking fully upright. Things were a little more stark then, of course. A quick and accurate judgment of whether a new acquaintance was a potential threat or a potential ally could be life saving. But even without that need to judge well and quickly for our very survival, our brains still work that way.

We look, we judge, and we are drawn to or repelled from people we’re just meeting. And it all happens way down deep in that primal brain, far out of conscious control.

What on earth does all this have to do with how big your executive headshots should be when you place them on your website or marketing materials?

I’m glad you asked.

In this modern age, we often “meet” potential clients or business partners through their online presence. And since a first meeting often occurs in that virtual space, that is where a connection will begin – or, if your headshot isn’t doing its job, where a connection will fail to begin. If you meet someone in person, you have control over whether you make good eye contact or not. If someone encounters you first through your web presence, that static headshot has to make that contact – that connection – for you. If it doesn’t, you are essentially referring potential business to your competitors. And when a headshot is so small that the eyes are hard to find, the connection can’t even begin to happen.

This being the case, why are there so many small headshots out there? It comes down to quality. Who wants to make an image prominent if they don’t feel good about it? It’s hard to feel confident about your headshot if it’s poorly composed, poorly lit, or just plain unflattering. And sometimes, what looks good at postage stamp size doesn’t stand up to enlargement.

At C1M, we make sure that your headshot will stand up to scrutiny, no matter how closely someone looks. We engineer our images so that they connect. We fine-tune every element so there is nothing to detract from the message you want to convey to your potential clients. That’s why we say – our headshots are the greatest headshots in the history of the face. To learn more visit our executive headshots page.

Walter Schnecker, CPP, CPC, CCH

Walter Schnecker is the owner of C1M Photography, LLC, in Amherst NH. He specializes in Executive Business Headshots and crafts hundreds of headshots each year for businesspeople in a wide range of professions.