I bet you can feel it too. Our world is slowly beginning to open up and visions of potential in-person speaking opportunities are dancing around inside your head, right?
I’m definitely feeling it because I’ve been busy creating speaker one-sheets for speakers who are getting ready to hit the stage running. In doing so, I’m reminded of the importance of a great photo—because you know what they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
This is especially true for speakers. As speakers, we’re taught to create our PowerPoint presentations using more visuals and fewer words. Science backs this up with study after study telling us that we retain more of what we see than what we hear. So, I’m giving you some photo guidelines and a project. Start building your own library of your own speaker photos—the professional ones. Not the backyard BBQ, in a restaurant with friends, or one-to-one peer conversation photos. I’m talking about the photos that will have you, and all those event planners, meeting organizers, etc. you’re hoping to impress, believing you’re the real deal.
Headshots: Never underestimate the value of a great headshot. You are the face of your brand, and the sooner people start recognizing you the better! Once you have that great headshot, start posting it everywhere that seems appropriate. Besides the obvious of using it on your “about” page on your website, you can also use it on your:
- Speaker one-sheet
- Digital At the Podium speaker profile page
- Business card
- LinkedIn profile
- Facebook page
You get the picture, right? Also, please, please, please keep in mind that your headshot is one of the ways people will come to recognize you when they meet you for the first time. This means using a current headshot. Own who you are! It’s your expertise that’s going to make an impression on your audience. Let’s be real here… when you help people with a solution that works for them, they won’t care how old you are, how thin you are, or anything else about you because you’re their hero!
Speaker Action Photos: No… not of you running a marathon or holding up a big fish (unless those things are part of your platform). Action shots for speakers are photos of you on stage speaking to an audience, standing at the front of the room leading a seminar, etc. You get the idea… a picture of you speaking to more than one person.
Photos of you speaking virtually will work too. Just take a screenshot from a presentation you delivered on Zoom or any other virtual platform. A virtual photo also shows that you’ve been actively speaking during a time when a lot of speakers were just saying “no.” That’s going to make a good impression about your level of commitment to your speaking.
These photos will also give the person thinking about inviting you to speak a better feel for who you are. They can see the way you dress and might get a sense of the way you move… and maybe even of your authenticity. Remember, YOU are the face of your own brand. Be proud! Strut your stuff!
One of the great things about looking for action photos is that if you do a little checking, you’re probably going to find out that other people have more pictures of you speaking than you do—which gives you the perfect opportunity to reach out to them and say hello. Who knows what might result from that!
Take it from me… having your own collection of quality photos at your disposal will make your life so much easier! I’m in the process of redesigning ATP’s website right now and am realizing how much time and energy I could have saved myself if I’d started working on building my own photo library sooner. So, I’m hoping you’ll take my advice and start building your own personal photo collection NOW. You can thank me later—after you’ve been able to create something on the fly because you had those photos at your fingertips!
‘Til we speak again,
~Beth