Lara McCulloch

Lara McCulloch

On Posted on by Lara McCulloch to Blog Strategy, Business Inspiration, Corporate Branding, Facebook, Marketing Communications, News, Personal Branding, Small Business Management, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Strategy, Twitter

what is your social media avatar saying about you?

avatar photographySmart businesses stay on top of significant trends and consistently challenge their businesses to stay relevant and meaningful to changing consumers.

One such example of a smart business is Noah Wolf Photography. Recognizing a massive shift in the way we all communicate with one another (hint, hint…social media), Minneapolis-based Noah Wolf also identified that many people were using DIY avatar photos for their business and personal accounts. The cost of hiring a photographer to create a teeny profile pic can be prohibitive, so Noah came up with the idea of  holding AVATAR sessions. The idea is reminiscent of the uber-popular Boudoir sessions concept, in which the photographer books a venue and offers photoshoot time slots at a reasonable price to eager brides-to-be. At a cost of $79, you can have:

  • Creative consultation with the photographer on the day of your session.
  • Post-session portrait consultation to help choose your favorite image.
  • One completely mastered, retouched and enhanced digital file that you leave with the same day!
  • No limitations to how you can use your portrait online.

Visit Noah Wolf’s blog to find out about his future Avatar Sessions. Great idea, Noah!

Update:

Toronto, now you too can book an avatar session too: Sugartree Photography booking for April 26, 2010

Here’s an extraction from my interview with Noah:

What prompted you to offer Avatar sessions?
With the introduction of social media into our personal and business lives, the need for a really great, creative portrait of ourselves has never been more important.  Social media has let our businesses become so much more personal.  This is can be an incredibly valuable tool to our success.  Every time a tweet is sent, or a LinkedIn connection is made, or someone becoming a fan of a Facebook page, people get to see what the other person looks like.  Well guess what?  That trusty ‘ol saying about first impressions is still very true and very useful.

Why do business people need to invest in their avatars?
I believe most business owners and working professionals know they need a portrait for their business use (business cards, social media accounts, web sites, presentations, etc).  It is important because we are what we sell.  Some more than others, but we all sell ourselves first in order to gain client’s trust.

What should people think about when doing an Avatar session?
– Is it for personal or professional use, or both?
– If for professional use, what do I want the viewer to think about when they see my portrait?  What can I convey about myself and my business to a perspective client?  Should it be a traditional feel (perhaps so that it matches other peoples portraits at your company) or perhaps a little more personal and relaxed?
– If for personal use, can the same image be used?  If I had two, what would I want my personal image to convey about me?
Other than that, we want our clients to depend on us to help with the rest.  Once a client books a session, we send out an email with a bunch of information about what to expect and how to prepare.  We tell them right away that feeling nervous is good!  It is absolutely 100% my job to do the rest which includes: learning what each client needs before starting photography, getting them to feel relaxed, providing an excellent experience in front of the camera and getting them to actually have fun (I know, right??), as well as selecting their favorite images immediately following the session easy and enjoyable.  And of course, if the email doesn’t answer a question, we’re just a phone call away.
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