Whether you’re a solo practitioner or a partner in a large firm, a professional headshot might seem like yet another expense. This is one expense, however, that lawyers can’t afford to ignore. Having a Team Page on your website, with professional headshots, is important because it will be one the most highly trafficked page on your website.

The right headshot can bring in new clients, support a marketing campaign, convey the right image in media communications, and much more.

Here are five reasons lawyers need attractive, recent headshots.

1. Headshots Convey Professionalism and Integrity

Your family might love the photo of you running on the beach with your dog. But will clients see it and perceive you as a skilled litigator or a competent negotiator? Probably not. A professional headshot inspires a sense of confidence. It shows clients that you’re serious about your work.

A quality headshot does more than just make you look like the professional you are, though. The right angle, a warm expression, and subtle eye contact can convey a lot. Quality headshot photography can simultaneously convey warmth and confidence. It inspires faith in your integrity, while also showing that you can be aggressive in the courtroom or in mediation sessions. Subtle cues matter. The right headshot capitalizes on these subtle cues, creating an image you can be proud of.

2. Headshots Make Press Communications Easier

A headshot offers a go-to picture that’s attractive, accurate, and flawlessly polished. When you’re sharing your achievements with the world, don’t let a weak photo undermine them.

3. A High-Quality Photo Supports Branding Efforts

A professional headshot will quickly become your go-to portrait. You’ll use it on LinkedIn, on Facebook, on your website, maybe even in your email signature. This consistent image creates a clear impression of who you are. That’s branding at it’s finest. The right photographer will work with you to understand your personality-- both as a human being and a lawyer-- and craft a photo that flawlessly captures it. Armed with this image, you’ll have to do much less selling of yourself or your firm. Your image will speak for itself.

4. Portraits Make You More Memorable

A blurry photo taken from a distance does you no favors. Neither does the overly stylized headshot you had taken right out of college or law school. In today’s competitive legal
environment, being memorable plays a big role in who gets a referral and who does not. An updated headshot makes you easier to remember and easier to pick out of a crowd.

5. The Right Photo Makes Introductions Easier

First impressions matter. What if your first impression of someone is filled with confusion because they don’t recognize you? Everyone wants to look their best. That’s why many
professionals continually use the same headshot year after year, decade after decade.

This serves no one. It makes it hard for people to recognize who you are now. If you’re meeting opposing counsel for coffee, attending a large seminar, or doing anything else where
you’ll see people you know only through email, a professional headshot makes introductions easier. You’ll be instantly recognizable, making those awkward first moments of conversation more comfortable.

6. A Quality Image Can Elevate Your Confidence

Everyone is self-conscious about their appearance. We’ve all seen photos of ourselves that we absolutely hate. Perhaps that’s why so many people are worried about taking a new headshot. They think the image they see will reflect back something they dislike.

An experienced professional photographer knows how to make you look your best. The right photographer will work with you to understand your stylistic preferences, then help you feel relaxed as the shoot proceeds. Relaxed photos look more natural, more professional, and infinitely more attractive.

An attractive headshot can raise your confidence. It can help you see yourself through the eyes of a potential client. It’s more than just a marketing tool. It’s a way for you to capture yourself as the skilled professional you really are. The confidence boost this offers can severe you at every stage of your career, and in virtually every interaction.

7. A Headshot Pays for Itself

How much is a single new client worth to you? What about a new source of referrals? Compare that value to the cost of a professional headshot, and it becomes clear that a portrait will quickly pay for itself. You’ll use the photo over and over-- on your website and social media pages, in biographies for presentations, on press releases, and anytime the press interviews you. Investing in your headshot is investing in yourself.