Headshots

The Importance of Personal Branding

Apr 3, 2021

Personal branding is just for bloggers, right?

Totally false. I mean really, totally false. Let’s make this personal for a second. If you work in corporate America you likely have a vendor, partner, or maybe someone who’s trying to sell you a service or product. Let’s just say you are meeting them for breakfast or lunch. What do you do? You check them out on LinkedIn – What do they look like? What is their experience? Do you have anything in common or know anyone in common? So now let’s say, they have a headshot that looks like they are out at a bar with their arm around someone they’ve cropped out. You’re probably less likely to take them seriously.

Personal Branding: Why It Matters

Your personal brand is about ensuring your experience, resume, tone, and image are all in alignment. So what does that mean? It means different things depending on the industry you are in. For the corporate world, it means an amazing headshot. An amazing headshot is different depending on if you want to be authoritative, approachable, trustworthy, or engaging.

Branding for Fashion Bloggers

Let’s say you are an influencer like Isabel Harris. You are trendy with an amazing sense of style and are influencing the community around you. Your Instagram needs to reflect your style, in every image. It has to be perfectly you, every time. If you are California casual or NY chic – it’s different. Every image you put out there has to be the embodiment of your vibe, your personality, and your personal brand. 

Branding for a Content Expert

We love Amie Sheridan, a Content Strategist. Her business is writing, notice the red pen in her hand? That’s HER signature. If you don’t know her, you want to find out why she’s holding the pen. If you do know her, it’s obvious why. She’s casual but totally on brand and consistent in her look and feel. We were able to secure enough content for her website, product guide, and social media.

Branding for Small Businesses

Here’s a totally different vibe from Black Ridge, a small female-owned business that sells custom macramé on Etsy. Her vibe is organic, chic, and clean with tons of texture.  Her branding needs include product images that clearly represent the products her clients want to purchase, consistency is key.

Ivory Tree Portraits Branding

You know this team! At Ivory Tree Portraits we have a clean, fresh, modern mix with a little sass. Our brand is conveyed through imagery, we need to ensure you know who we are with every image. Each team member has a unique personality, we want to showcase that. While also need to ensure that all of our images make sense together when posted on our website. That doesn’t just happen, it’s thoughtful, it’s deliberate, it’s branding.

Aux Petite Delices

Another example of a small business owner with a strong personal brand is Marqessa of Aux Petite Delices. What I love about this session is her signature look. Did you know she appeared in Spring Baking Championship on Food Network? This is the cake she won the episode with, notice her trademark red lip and sassy attitude, it’s perfectly her and why you want to visit her bakery.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of your industry or profession, first impressions count. Having a strong personal brand that clearly showcases your unique personality will set you apart, and it will make people excited to connect with you. Every time.

Your Personal Brand. Curated. 

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About the Author

Lara Aman Mattey

Founder I Owner I Ivory Tree

Lara is the coolest person alive, according to her husband, Nick, & two little ladies, Caitie & Lorelai. But she thinks her time is limited on that statement as they continue to grow older. Lara comes from a large family, with whom she is still very close with & you’ll often see shared through the blog and on social media. She went to Penn State (We Are…) where she met Nick.

Ivory Tree's very own photographer, Marcy shot her newborn photography sessions & Lara was hooked! Lara is not a photographer, super weird, we know. But lives for the experience, creative direction, and meeting all the cool folks who come through the Ivory Tree Portraits studio!

In addition to studio awards, Lara was also recognized at a Women of Influence on the Main Line in 2023.

Follow along as she shares studio antics, personal antidotes, & fun stuff going on in the community.

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