Help Me Select My New Avatar

Posted by in Living Social, Social Media | View Comments

May 21, 09 Help Me Select My New Avatar

Which One Should It Be?

Which One Should It Be?

So it is time for a new Social Media Photo/Avatar.  If you have been to one of my Social Media classes, you know I think your photo is one of THE MOST IMPORTANT things in your profile.  It is so important to have a photo of yourself for people to identify with and to be able to make a connection with.  So I would like you to help me select mine!

I know that some of you want to use your business logo or some other image, and there are times where that is appropriate – if you are Nike or the like.  However, more times than not, especially with smaller businesses, your clients want to buy from a person, a human – not a logo, a brand image or an abstract symbol.  Social Media is about human interaction and relationships and that usually happens between people first and brand images later.

So with said, I would like to introduce you to Diane Wallace of Snap Factory (her blog) (her portfolio) who is absolutely awesome and has taken photos of several of my close friends.  If you are in the greater Phoenix area, she is worth the trip, and then some.  Here are the photos she recently took of me… please leave a comment and let me know which one you like best – the winner will become my new avatar photo.  Thank you so much for your input.

Image 1

Image 1

Image 1

Image 2

Image 2

Image 2

Image 3

Image 3

Image 3

Image 4

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 3

Image 5

Image 6

Image 3

Image 6

Image 7

Image 3

Image 7

So, what do you think?

  • Kelly Lorenzen

    I like Image 4 or 5!

  • http://www.socialmedialand.net Katie Van Domelen

    number 2 :)

    I think it’s interesting what you said about logos being more appropriate for large brands, while small businesses fair better with the personal photo. The whole photo/logo debate has come up for me a few times recently and I wrote about it here (http://www.socialmedialand.net/2009/04/27/opinion/social-media-identity-crisis/) but I didn’t think about there being a difference by company type before…hmmm…

    Katie Van Domelen’s last blog post..Social Media Is Not an Effective Way For Brands to Connect

  • http://ww.thesociallatte.com Jack Smith

    Hey Katie, thanks for the reply and I really like what you are doing at SocialMediaLand.net. The logo/picture conversation can be a tricky topic. I tell business owners to consider who it is they would want to interact with if they were the customer and then make the appropriate choice on their profile. I think that for small to medium size businesses, as a consumer I am doing business with the person first, and the logo second, if at all. It has it’s place and is important, but sometimes it can get in the way of a conversation.

  • http://www.e-websmart.com Michelle Tjelmeland

    Love picture 2

  • Jennifer Skinner

    I like 2 and 5.

  • Sandy Catour

    #5 is so you–but I have to vote for 2

  • http://whyfacebook.com Mari Smith

    Yay, Jack!! :) #1 & 2 rock. If you pick #2, for social media profiles, I suggest cropping it in though so mostly head & shoulders. ;-)

    Great job! Nothing better than a fabulous photographer who can capture your essence.

    Mari Smith’s last blog post..Top Ten Tips For Creating BUZZ With Facebook Events

  • http://sallywitzky.blogspot.com Sally Witzky

    Jack,

    All of these are awesome photos. When I work with my clients on setting up their social networking, the first thing I ask for is their photo and what it conveys to others. There is never a place more important for a first impression than on the web, especially with the personal relationships built on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn. Your photographer captured your essence quite well — this is the guy I met in Phoenix for sure. I like #2 but there’s something more interesting about #4 — perhaps the angle and your “relaxedness.” Keep in mind that both Twitter and LinkedIn will make you crop that shot in a square; Facebook, however, gives you a little more leeway so you don’t have to crop at the head and shoulders for Facebook and you can use a more full, rectangular shot. Which means you could use both shots if you can get from the photographer. Hey, and I also like that guy in the suit! Could be useful for certain, more business situations like @ceospace directory where wearing the jacket is more customary as major business deals are taking place there.

    While you don’t have a need for this, many people do need to relook at how they’re appealing to others even prior to getting to the photographer. I worked with Lauren Solomon last week and she did some amazing transformations as an image consultant with hair, make-up (for the women) and the right clothes/colors. @lsimage is her twitter handle and http://www.lsimage.com is her website — she’s conducting a workshop on June 14th in Costa Mesa, CA, and she’ll be back at @ceospace in July. I’ll be continuing to work with her and wish I would have done it years ago when I first met her at a Peak Potentials seminar. She truly has a gift in bringing out the inner beauty of others.

    Can’t wait to see your new hip photos on your social networks. I know you’ll inspire others to do the same. Thanks for all you do.

    Sally Witzky’s last blog post..FastCo Blog: Dan Schawbel on Personal Branding

  • Laura Rubinstein

    Gosh Jack, you could choose any of these. Nice selection. I will say that when I saw photo 5… it spoke to me and said, “Here’s a guy who knows how to enjoy life, he is truly happy and is confident in himself and I want to know him.” You are doing a phenomenal job with this site. Kudos to you.

  • http://ww.thesociallatte.com Jack Smith

    Sally, thanks for the great feedback!

    Great thoughts on not only photography and sizing, but also image consulting. I agree that it makes such a big difference and is so valuable. As my business continues to grow, that is one of the top things on my list. If anyone else is considering speaking with an image consultant, I highly suggest you do and know that Sally only works with great people so be sure to check out Lauren.

  • http://companies.to/MBMP Susan Critelli

    I really love #2. It is interesting that Mari said to crop it to head and shoulders because I think the reason I like it is because if shows a little more of you.

    #5 is really nice too, but I have to vote for #2.

  • http://www.snapfactory.com Diane Wallace

    I agree with Sally! Image is something I normally discuss with any businessperson before shooting. Your image has to tell a story about you, so what is it that you want to say? As a photographer, this is something I really want to know in order to get you the image that’s best for your purposes.

    Diane :)

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