{"id":132,"date":"2010-07-27T04:57:51","date_gmt":"2010-07-27T04:57:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jobshuk.com\/yoni67\/2010\/07\/27\/if-a-picture-is-worth-1-000-words-what-do-your-online-business-photos-say-about-you\/"},"modified":"2010-07-27T04:57:51","modified_gmt":"2010-07-27T04:57:51","slug":"if-a-picture-is-worth-1-000-words-what-do-your-online-business-photos-say-about-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jobshuk.com\/yoni67\/2010\/07\/27\/if-a-picture-is-worth-1-000-words-what-do-your-online-business-photos-say-about-you\/","title":{"rendered":"If a Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words, What Do Your Online Business Photos Say About You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If a Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words, What Do Your Online Business Photos Say About You?<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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When I was still a single guy with aspirations of meeting the woman of my dreams, I joined a matchmaking website. I uploaded a great profile and uploaded a picture of myself…scanned straight from my driver’s license! <\/em><\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

Among the lovely ladies I had my eye on from the outset was Rivkah F. from Baltimore, Maryland. I checked out her profile often and even dropped her a line. It went ignored.<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

Several months later, not getting the responses I had hoped for, I sought out the services of a professional photographer. A set of 100 photos cost me $75. <\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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I uploaded two of the new shots onto the site and PRESTO! <\/em>Within 24 hours, Rivkah wrote to me! <\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

I asked her why she had ignored my initial attempts at contacting her. She laughed then, as we laugh now when re-telling the story to friends…"You looked like an axe-murderer," she stated!<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

I’m not the handsomest guy out there by a long-shot and still wonder why this marvelous creature said "Yes" when I proposed. All I know is that had I continued with the "goony" DMV photo, I never would have met her! Now Rivkah and I are happily, blissfully married! She loves me and she loves our dog "Halva!"<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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What Do Your Photos Say About You?<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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I asked a photographer, for the purposes of this article what she sees as necessary in photos used for the purpose of websites and profiles. Her answer:<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Authoritative. Trustworthy. Natural. Congenial. Friendly. Affable. Aprroachable. Honorable. Smiling. Polite. Open. Serious but not too. Ethical. Dependable. Credible. And valid!<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Things which shouldn’t be present:<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Smirking. Staring. Somber. Forlorn. Frozen. Goony. Gloomy. Suspicious. Cagey. Stiff. Inflexible. <\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photos are hugely important in business! The value of them in attracting customers and clients quite simply can not be understated! They are worth a thousand words. The question is which thousand words you want to convey and which thousand words you are presently conveying.<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

Taking the time to get the perfect photo which represents you, by yourself, with the help of a friend, or with the assistance of a pro, is worth the time and effort. <\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Generic Silhouette No-No!<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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"I can’t for the life of me understand," stated the photographer when I broached the subject, "why people still insist on using the generic silhouette! I see it on LinkedIn, on O-Desk and all over the place! With everybody having a cellphone camera, why not take a picture? Have a friend take a shot. If you need a professional photographer, it’s dirt cheap!" <\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n

It’s true I believe. When people read a blog or are looking for someone to do business with, they are looking for a human being. They are looking for those thousand words! They are looking for a known quantity, and with a generic silhouette, nothing is known.<\/font><\/strong> <\/p>\n

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Personally, when I visit a website or a business profile site, I skip over the generics completely. And when I visit a social networking site where people post their blogs or business articles, I skip over every blogger with a generic silhouette avatar!<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

A business deal can be won or confounded by a good or bad photo. It can be the maker or the breaker. It can stop someone in their tracks before they even consider whether or not to contact you!<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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What do your photos say about you?<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

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