Exuding confidence as a personality in photos - but how?

The person of the entrepreneur and his personality plays a major role in building trust - for smaller companies and self-employed people anyway, but equally as the head of a large company. The managing director, owner or CEO stands for the company and shapes the image. Personality is a key trust building block that pays into the trustworthiness of the company, even in the new customer process. If you are just Relaunch your website and have no or outdated images on your website, then this blog post is made for you.

Of course, the effect is even more decisive when getting to know each other in person. Here, factors such as posture, gestures, dialect and style play an important role. In times when videos play an increasingly important role on websites, these parameters can no longer be ignored online. And even with the photo, the personality unfolds. Photos are an essential part of the content on the website. What does the appropriate Content marketing solution out? This is the aspect I would like to focus on in this article. The big question is, how should you appear in photos to be trustworthy?

I have dealt with this question time and again in many client projects. It is quite often the case that new photos are taken when the website is redesigned. Since the existing portraits are almost always out of date, were not particularly successful anyway or there are new important people, new portraits are almost always taken as well.

The quality of the photographer plays an outstanding role. On the one hand, it is his task to ensure the perfect quality. This includes the right light, the ambience, the perfect fit of the clothes, the appropriate depth of field, etc. Occasionally, a little make-up and powder is added. Some people insist on variations in several styles so that they can choose afterwards. At the same time, a good photographer takes care of the necessary looseness so that the pictures can be taken as relaxed as possible. This keeps him extremely busy.

But which expression is now decisive? How should the person be optimally received so that he or she appears trustworthy?

I have noticed in my reading of a wide variety of sources over the last few weeks three main types based on the personality traits of"Attractive Character" by Zach Miller. Zach Miller describes four identities where you have to decide who you want to be: the leader, the adventurer, the reporter/evangelist and the reluctant hero.

The reporter/evangelist Oprah Winfrey is the prime example. This guy gets his authority without any expertise of his own solely based on the fact that he is seen together with many celebrities. Since this is not a realistic option for 99.9% of us, I will leave this type out. This leaves three identities that are well suited as a basis for taking the right picture. I would like to say in advance that it only makes sense to choose one of these personalities if you can personify it authentically in everyday life. I have adapted them a little and describe them with:

1. The authority
2. The Conqueror
3. The human being at eye level

Natural authorities are usually persuasive from an early age. A nice article in yesterday's Süddeutsche Zeitung describes a study by psychologists at the University of Amsterdam who proved that even 7-14 year olds have a preference for narcissistic leaders. Narcissistic personalities are admired at first contact, they appear charming and self-confident. However, since this personality structure is not promising in the long term - studies show that it has a destructive effect in groups - it is important not to overdo it. Even Donald Trump ultimately failed because of himself.

A touch of narcissism is allowed for this type. But I'm even more concerned with the authority he radiates. Ideally, it is a person who immediately attracts attention when entering the room and makes the room feel calmer. The aura that such people radiate can also be transported through photos.

Everyone knows the lawyer with slicked-back hair, the consultant in a tailor-made suit, the craftsman who doesn't tolerate any backtalk when it comes to the perfect implementation of his trade, or the experienced doctor with the full white beard.

Each of these types can be 100% trustworthy - even if they do not have to be likeable. The prerequisite is a great deal of knowledge up to expert status and pronounced success with it. If you have that, this can be your path.

I would trust this type of doctor with my heart surgery in a heartbeat, for example.

Exemplary photos - of very different types and for different sectors:

2. the conqueror

The conqueror tries out new things, is innovative and creative. He also actually goes new ways, climbs high mountains or goes once around the world by boat.

You follow it when you want to leave the beaten track, when it comes to trying out or developing something new. Start-ups are the perfect example, but so are architects, designers and other creative professions.

In case of doubt, he is a bit tousled, rather wild than well-behaved, in any case not 08/15.

Sample photos:

Very rarely does the perfect combination of both succeed:

>>> The authority for new ways <<<

For me an example of this:

For those who cannot or do not want to expose themselves in this way, there is the third option of positioning as a way out:

3. the human being at eye level

In his book "Dotcom Secrets", Russel Brunson describes a person who rather reluctantly becomes a hero. Through certain experiences, he has gained knowledge that he now wants to pass on to others. However, he himself is by no means a born leader, but has rather reluctantly fallen into this role. The great advantage of this role is that he is at eye level with his listeners. Underlying this is the experience of a similarity. The more similar someone is to us, the more likeable we find them (as always: the same applies to them). In certain situations and for certain target groups, it is important to belong to the community and speak the respective language.

I know this well from the start-up world. Here, a completely separate, mostly English-inspired language is spoken. Anyone who is not familiar with seed, grow, later stage and venture capital (to name just a few of the terms) is not well received in this world. In the language of Russel Brunson, this leads to the ideal of presenting oneself at eye level with one's target group. Jeans instead of a suit, a loose shirt instead of a jacket or even a tie, etc.

Sample photos:

You have the choice. Are you an authority, a conqueror or a person of equals?

Very important: The personal positioning must of course suit you. This brings us to authenticity, which plays a major role in the selection of the right photos. The photos should be perceived as genuine and correspond to what the customer will later experience in personal contact.

One thing is clear: You should invest some time in taking and selecting the right photos for the trustworthy appearance on your website. Your personality will be expressed in this way and will be an important building block for trust in you among potential customers.