Picture on your business cards and marketing.

[Courtney Bontempo]

I agree that if you are going to use your image at least have something that doesnt look like a glamor shot from the early 90's. I see these business cards all the time with the neon streaks in the background, and a hair do from family ties.

[Dave Kovaleski]

I think that having you mug on your website certainly makes the site feel like a single agent site, rather than a company site. Now, it may in fact be a single agent, but I think having a site that seems more like a business than a personal site can add a level of professionalism and whne a potential client is on the site could make them feel that there is a team behind the site rather than a single person.......

I re-read what I wrote and even I had trouble understanding what I meant.....I hope you got the jist!

UGH! I juts took a good look at my mug sht here.......can you tell I did this in my kitchen and just changed the backround color...? Sigh, I need a trip to the photographer.....

[Dave Kovaleski]

I wanted to add, in my opinion it seems that buyers aren't to concerned with who you are or what you look like. At least not at the early stage.

Sellers on the other hand seem to usually want to get to know you, learn your cridentials, know your business practices ect. Sellers are usually the ones paying the commision so it makes sense that they want to know us better before they hire us.

In conclusion, maybe to show your picture or not depends on your target, buyers, or sellers? Just another random incoherant thought

[Michael Paul Eau Claire]

I don't have my picture on business cards because I have a different business model (discount/flat fee) and I want people to concentrate on that.

There's one guy in my town who has a picture from like 20 years ago on all his marketing materials, when he was a strapping young man. When I see him in person I just laugh, he doesn't even look like the same person.

[Dave Kovaleski]

Yeah, agreed your 1987 yearbook photo shoud NOT be your business photo!

[SLP-NYCT]

There have been countless Marketing Studies done on this. The Reason we have pics on our cards and the Auto Shop down the road does not is about marketing. There are a few reasons.

1. When we show a house we are leaving a calling card. People are Less Likely to throw away a card with a picture on it.
2. When people meet US, it is easier fro them to Remember US if there is a picture.
3. and finally, it is supposed to help people TRUST us.

Lets face it, you don't trust the mechanic, the lawyer or the contractor with the largest financial investment you will make. Ok, maybe a lawyer if you have the right lawsuit,

As far as pictures on the web site. You should have them in the ABOUT ME section at the very least. As a Broker, I do not want to promote ME so there is no photo of ME on the web site, but my agent pages will have THEIR photos.

[Saodavi]

There have been countless Marketing Studies done on this. The Reason we have pics on our cards and the Auto Shop down the road does not is about marketing. There are a few reasons.

1. When we show a house we are leaving a calling card. People are Less Likely to throw away a card with a picture on it.
2. When people meet US, it is easier fro them to Remember US if there is a picture.
3. and finally, it is supposed to help people TRUST us.

Lets face it, you don't trust the mechanic, the lawyer or the contractor with the largest financial investment you will make. Ok, maybe a lawyer if you have the right lawsuit,

I think "trust" is something everyone wants in business. Whether it's a mechanic, accountant, doctor, lawyer, banker, etc. Yet none of these groups put their picture on their card.

Personally, I think it's a vanity issue. Realtors like seeing their own face everywhere. It makes them feel special.

[LandWatch.com]

There have been countless Marketing Studies done on this. The Reason we have pics on our cards and the Auto Shop down the road does not is about marketing. There are a few reasons.

1. When we show a house we are leaving a calling card. People are Less Likely to throw away a card with a picture on it.
2. When people meet US, it is easier fro them to Remember US if there is a picture.
3. and finally, it is supposed to help people TRUST us.

Lets face it, you don't trust the mechanic, the lawyer or the contractor with the largest financial investment you will make. Ok, maybe a lawyer if you have the right lawsuit,

As far as pictures on the web site. You should have them in the ABOUT ME section at the very least. As a Broker, I do not want to promote ME so there is no photo of ME on the web site, but my agent pages will have THEIR photos.

You have a very good point, there is a reason that all forms of advertising has some sort of shot with a face (usually pretty= Trust worthy?) The face certainly makes things more relatable.

We also have a n area of our brain that focuses solely on faces and remembering them. So who will you remember the card without a picture or the card with the picture?