What is with all the HEAD-SHOTS?

[trishinca]

Agents all attend similar seminars to fine tune their marketing skills and get ideas on how to stand out. If you see a face often enough, and if you remember the catchy little phrases of one or another, then maybe you will call that agent in the future. Also, if you think of it, agents go into people's homes, and that picture is your only visual id you may have before this person brings perfect strangers into your home. It may be corky, but there is a reason for it all.
I've got to admit, we never really look as good in real life as in our pictures; I like to kid that it's my younger sister on my card, as we seldom update that 'younger version', but what the heck, try and enjoy it all. I'm an artist as well as an agent, so I put, Your Real Esate Artist', and believe it or not, people who like art strike up conversations with me and it sometimes leads to a listing.
One agent at a seminar whose name was Crook, used it to his advantage, saying, the nicest Crook you'll ever meet in real estate.
In addition to 'branding' oneself to hopefully stand out, you want to assure people you are also able to promote a client's home...we are all just trying to do a good job. Maybe it's a little vain; it takes a certain kind of individual to make a living as a salesperson.....
Years ago, there was a car salesman who advertised he would 'stand on his head and eat a bug to sell you a car...' Who can top that! I enjoyed this post - tell us more tag lines....

[Bill Hitchcock]

A betcha most real estate brokers don't know why they do it-Outside of the fact that all the other real estate brokers do it.
It's all about branding. The company they work for has branded their logo, name and image. Brokers are independednt contractors-So they are trying to brand their business-Which is themselves-Hence all of the pictures.
The real question is this-Is my picture going to inspire the populous-as a whole-to contact me. Any picture will inspire a degree of contact, but will adding my picture generate the business of type, quality and quanity that I want?? If not-I'd reconsider using my picture.
It isn't about you. It's about the general public and their response to your advertising. (Note I didn't say marketing)

[businessperson]

One reason for having pictures on business cards is ID. When you go into someone's home it's nice to be able to let them know that you are who you say you are. And, it's good to have it on your website. Just so people know who you are.

[Evlevo]

On your first day of work, did your boss recommend a studio to go to to get a "glamour shot"?

[keeperk]

I don't use my pix to brand. I don't want my pix circled, just the property. I'm taking people to very remote places. If I have a weirdo call, I send him the photo album with my boyfriend and myself in the boonies with him carrying his gun.

There is a broker in my area that is always getting ridiculed over her mug shots as she's probably in her 60's and way overweight. The pix she uses looks like her senior photo and she uses it all the time.

[Roselvr]

I like having the head shot on the card, it helps me to remember who handed it to me or to get an idea of who I am meeting if we drive around looking at houses. I do feel that the photo shouldn't over power the card as some I've seen do.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by Gretchen B

Now that is really tacky!

What about tag lines? Those can be really good too, can't they? My favorite one I saw on a billboard had a picture of a female agent with her tagline: "(Agent's name)really moves it!" . . . It took me awhile to figure out that it was houses she moved.

WOW.....not just tacky...but SCARY!