Social Media Expert and Author, Alice Myerhoff: Picking the Perfect LinkedIn Photo

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Remember Alice Myerhoff, inspiring client and author of Social Media for Salespeople?  You may recall that I blogged about her a few months ago when her book came out.  I’m grateful that she took the time out of her busy schedule to share some tips on the importance of selecting a good LinkedIn profile photo.  Thanks, Alice!!

5 Tips for Picking the Perfect Photo for Your LinkedIn Profile, by Alice Myerhoff

Choosing the right photo for your LinkedIn profile picture may seem like no big deal but it is important. LinkedIn is the largest social channel for business and it is where you represent your professional self. If you are thinking of LinkedIn as just an online resume for job seeking you are seriously underestimating how powerful this channel is.

As a salesperson and social media expert it is one of my most beloved business tools. I use it a number of different ways. For example, whenever I get a new lead or contact, I look them up on LinkedIn. I do this so that I can know more about this person: their work background, where they live, where they went to school, what their interests are and knowing these things prepares me to have more enjoyable and effective conversations with my business contacts. One of my favorite features of LinkedIn is “InMails” which allows me to send “cold” emails through LinkedIn to people who aren’t yet in my LinkedIn network. Part of the beauty of using LinkedIn to to send cold emails is that the email comes with a link to my profile and allows the recipient to see a bit about me before deciding if they are going act on that email or delete it, which takes the email up a level and makes it “warm.” And, of course, LinkedIn is where I put my own best professional foot forward. I do this by highlighting my work experience ranging from employment history to consulting projects and mention of my book “Social Media for Salespeople.” I also have a very carefully chosen profile picture and you should too.

Here are my tips for selecting a the right profile photo for you:

  1. Show your face. I often see photos of people that are full body because the person is trying to highlight a hobby or experience. Because the image on LinkedIn is fairly small, choosing a photo like that means that people cannot easily see your face. Seeing your face is important for a number of reasons. First of all, if you’ve met someone in person already and you’re looking to connect with them on LinkedIn, seeing your face again is likely how they will recognize you. This will help them decide if they want to make that connection online as well. Also, as you continue to interact with that person online, each time they see your photo, your relationship with them grows a little bit. You become more familiar.
  2. Look like yourself. Of course you want to look your best in your profile photo but that should not mean that you look radically different from how you do in real life. Has your hair length changed? Did you grow a beard? Do you normally wear glasses? Is your photo 10 years old? Choose a photo that reflects how you look currently. This is important because you want help people make the connection between your online and offline selves. If you look much different, there can be a disconnect that is not conducive to a productive relationship. And please please please do not use an image that is a cartoon version of yourself or a photo of your baby or a picture of Bart Simpson because you think it’s funny. None of these choices will help you from a business perspective.
  3. Match your photo to your business style. I recently had an enlightening experience at a meeting with a potential consulting client. At the end of the meeting, my contact wanted to add me as a connection on LinkedIn. He pulled up my profile on his phone and said, “You’re much warmer in person than one would guess from your photo.” My personal business style is one that is warm and friendly so my photo didn’t match who I am. Shortly after this conversation, I swapped out the more stern looking photo for one where I have a friendly smile. It’s a much better choice for me. Think about the business image you want to project and consider whether your profile photo supports that image.
  4. Be consistent. Many of us have a variety of social media and other profiles. Typically these require having some sort of image as your “avatar.” I recommend that you use the same image across all of your profiles. This is helpful because when you are connecting with business contacts across these different channels, each time they see your photo it’s a touchpoint which allows your relationship to deepen and solidify. You become more familiar to them every time they see your picture. I like to think of these touch points as branding opportunities.
  5. Use a good quality photo. This last point may seem obvious but do make sure your photo is of good quality and by that I mean that it’s in focus and that it’s cropped well so that your face is centered. Of course, if you’re working with Nancy Rothstein, that’s all a given. 🙂
Business is about relationships. A simple thing like choosing a great profile photo for your online profiles can help enhance your business relationships.

If you are interested in more social media and sales tips, please follow me on Twitter @motodot or look for my posts on the salesforce.com blog.

Alice Myerhoff is author of the e-book “Social Media for Salespeople: A Step-by-Step Guide to Increasing your Leads and Sales” and a business development/sales/marketing/management executive with over 18 years of experience in industries ranging from online games, educational technology and Social business to online news media, real estate & mortgage. She is currently heading up Sales at EdSurge, and has worked at Electronic Arts, Inman News, Pivot Conference, Philips Professional Publishing, Countrywide, Princeton Capital, and the Tomorrow Project. Her party trick is being able to count to 10 in 6 languages and she is fluent in German and French. Find her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter: @motodot

877-881-7221 | nancyrothstein.comnancy@nancyrothstein.com

Professional Portraits and Great News from MyFitnessPal.com

I love working with start-ups.  Generally there are bean bags, ping pong tables, games that make me nostalgic (think Etch-a-Sketch and Rubik’s Cubes) and lots of energetic people working away.  And the driving force behind it all is someone’s big idea.  They’re solving a problem, helping people, and hopefully turning a profit in the process…eventually.  The thing about start-ups is that the vast majority of them fail, even if they manage to get funded.  So, it’s particularly exciting when a company does actually succeed.  When a company has great culture and employees who are working together to support folks in their pursuit of health I can really feel the triumph and joy at their success. Today, that company is MyFitnessPal.com (MFP) whose free calorie counter app is helping over 80 million users achieve their health goals.

I first met the MFP team when I was brought in to do some photography by my awesome client, marketing maven Tara Nicholle Nelson, who was doing some contract work for MFP.  By the time we did our third photo shoot at MFP, Tara had been offered the VP of Marketing position, which she accepted; she’s now CMO.  MFP sees talent quickly and they were lucky to get Tara!

Tara Nicholle Nelson , VP of Marketing at MyFitnessPal.com

Our first couple shoots were in a pretty small office; I had to take folks outside to do the headshots, and working around the room to take candids was tight.  Showing up to our next shoot at their new offices was pretty amazing; it was huge in comparison with tons of light, an exposed brick wall, and multiple meeting rooms.   We had plenty of room to work, and room for all the new hires…things were moving in the right direction.  I’ve enjoyed showing up for each subsequent shoot and seeing familiar faces; great people in a great work environment, complete with ping pong table, of course.  It’s hard to believe that their first team photo had about 30 people, while the third one had more than 90 and was less than a year later!

MyFitnessPal at 90 strong!

MyFitnessPal as it grows!

Some of the headshots from our shoots are now being showcased on the MFP jobs page. These guys know that having a consistent collection headshots for a business team really adds to the polish of the website, ultimately helping empower the brand.  Here are a three that are currently featured, along with the quotes from the team members about MFP.  I love it that they have a job titled Customer Happiness Lead; that says a lot!

"The culture is fantastic. It's a great, super-smart bunch of people. The projects are fun and you can go home feeling like you actually accomplished something." - Paul, Senior Software Engineer

“The culture is fantastic. It’s a great, super-smart bunch of people. The projects are fun and you can go home feeling like you actually accomplished something.” – Paul, Senior Software Engineer

"The decisions we make impact so many people in a positive way. It's pretty incredible to think about it." -Suzanne,  Product Manager

“The decisions we make impact so many people in a positive way. It’s pretty incredible to think about it.” – Suzanne, Product Manager

"There's a real emphasis on member success. We know that if our members are succeeding, we'll succeed." - Steven, Customer Happiness Lead

“There’s a real emphasis on member success. We know that if our members are succeeding, we’ll succeed.” – Steven, Customer Happiness Lead

The big news came last week, when it was announced that MyFitnessPal has been acquired by Under Armour for $475 million!  Why is this exciting?  Well, Forbes magazine writes that “In its nine years of existence the firm has amassed more than 80 million registered users for its website and app, and will see its combined user base with Under Armour grow to 120 million, in what the acquiring company calls the “largest digital health and fitness community in the world.”  That’s 120 million people working together and using technology to better their lives to lead healthier lifestyles.  How much better can it get?  Congratulations MyFitnessPal, you deserve it!

So, I’m guessing there will be more growth at MFP; check out the jobs page and maybe MyFitnessPal.com will be your new professional home.  Perhaps we’ll meet at the next photo shoot!  In the meantime, download their app and join a community of 80 million folks supporting each other in the pursuit of better health!

-Nancy

 

 

877-881-7221 | nancyrothstein.comnancy@nancyrothstein.com

Professional Portraits with Juliana Park, Author of The Abundance Loop, and Founder of Conscious Wealth

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“Discovering your true self, how much you have and how much you are, will empower you to effectively grow your personal and financial wealth. By carefully going through this process, you will experience abundance, peace, and freedom.” – Juliana Park

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Juliana Park found me through a mutual friend I met while studying yoga and meditation at Yoga Mandala (now Yoga Tree) in Berkeley, and I’m so glad she did. Talk about a breath of fresh air! Juliana’s presence truly lights up the room, and her positivity is inspiring. I was excited to hear that she wanted me to create the images for her new book, The Abundance Loop, and her website, www.julianapark.com.  We had a fantastic photo shoot in May, with styling by the amazingly talented Michelle Moquin, my go to wardrobe stylist, and hair & makeup by Elena Malevanay of Wowpretty, who works her magic with a smile.
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Juliana’s story seems like one best heard over a bottomless cup of tea at a sunny kitchen table. Here’s a snippet in her own words: “In 2010, I struggled through a divorce and realized there was more to life than living up to others’ expectations of me. Fear of not being enough entrapped me and I desperately sought the freedom to live an authentic life. I wanted to be…ME. But who was I? What did I really want?

Accumulating material wealth, success, titles, and stuff wasn’t cutting it. But neither was denying all that. With support from friends, teachers, healers, and loads of self-help books, I finally found the key to unlock my own prison. I learned to balance my inner wealth with my outer wealth. I learned to be present while progressing towards my goal. I learned to let go of my fear-based ego and embody my divine self.

My awakening experience gave me a fresh perspective on how to live abundantly and transformed all my relationships –to money, to myself, to others, and to the world.”

Juliana has synthesized her life lessons in her book, The Abundance Loop, which can be pre-ordered now and is due to be released in May of 2015.  She is the founder of Conscious Wealth, which “…brings together different voices on the topic of building wealth and abundance.”  A certified financial planner and Assistant Vice President at a major investment firm, Juliana is uniquely qualified to offer her insights.

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If you are as captivated and motivated by Juliana’s story as I am, take the chance to meet her and hear more! She will be at Abundance Oakland! on July 31st, 2014.

In additional to meeting Juliana, Abundance Oakland! is also an opportunity to hear from Editor and Chief of Wear Your Voice, Ravneet Vohra. She and Juliana will share “a powerful message on how to break free from the scarcity mindset and create abundance in your life.” The event will be held at Urban Stitch in Oakland, a fashion boutique (featuring a collection of contemporary designers, specialty lifestyle brands and home accessories.) Come mix and mingle with local fashionistas and listen to these powerful women; hope to see you there!

-Nancy

877-881-7221 | nancyrothstein.comnancy@nancyrothstein.com