goldenlazard profile picture
goldenlazard profile picture

goldenlazard

Senior SDR

Politicker
Executive
Catalyst
+8

Would you spend money on a LinkedIn headshot?

at my previous job all the sales were done over stripper's asses and gallons of vodka (worked in government/public sector procurement)

now that I've made the jump to tech SaaS sales I have to use my LinkedIn for actual prospecting. 
since this is the first thing that prospects will see when they look me up, and since first impressions count-do you think it's worth spending a couple hundred dollars on a professional LinkedIn photo shoot?

would appreciate hearing what you guys think?

also I can't take the photo myself as I don't know anyone who's good at taking portraits, and my face is weird and needs a longer lens than a typical consumer would have access to. 

(the price is around $150 for the cheapest package which doesn't include hair and makeup, rising to around $400 for the most expensive one. I get paid like $70k a year but don't pay rent, phone, healthcare, or travel so it's all disposable money for me)

would you pay for a professional linkedin headshot?

Attached poll
*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.
👨‍💻 LinkedIn
🤝 Networking
🔎 Prospecting
22

49 comments

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poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
8
☕️
iPhone cameras are pretty damn good these days…
DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
1
Rolling 20's all day
Lol this was what first popped into my head too. Honestly just grab a friend with a nice phone (if you don't have one) and go outside and find a nice backdrop. That's all you need at this point.
And the pandemic has caused a blur in professional attire so as long as you're wearing something semi-business professional then you'll be fine. 

Obviously if you're in a "wear a suit everyday" industry then wear a suit. 
TreTime
Catalyst
1
Account Executive
They call it Portrait Mode for reason!
UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
7
SaaS Eater
Your face cant be so fucked up that you need a special lens for a headshot and there has to be a female in your life who's insta is popping. Talk to them, have them take a pic or two and youre good. 

Id rather set $300 on fire then hire someone for linkedin headshots. 

Respectfully of course. 
goose
Politicker
1
Sales Executive
Donate that money to an animal shelter.  Or don't.
UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
1
SaaS Eater
There are worse ways to spend $300. Including on a LinkedIn photoshoot. 
DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
5
Rolling 20's all day
As an SDR, please don't spend hundreds of dollars on a headshot. 
CoorsKing
WR Officer
5
Retired King of the Coors Knights
My old company paid for us to get some but most of the reps I know now have random ones they pulled from their IG or selfies in front of a white wall
funcoupons
WR Officer
4
👑
No need, I'm 13/10 beautiful and even my most haggard hungover selfie taken from bed while I nurse Pedialyte is better looking than everyone else's carefully posed model shots.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
4
🦊
You can do it yourself for free.
goldenlazard
Politicker
-5
Senior SDR
Yeah and you can perform an orchidectomy on yourself for free-doesn’t mean it’s gonna look good afterwards
BmajoR
Arsonist
5
Account Executive
With that attitude it makes sense you have no friends that can take a picture for you. Go on and spend your money on headshots, big dick Senior SDR. 
E_Money
Big Shot
4
💰
Definitely not. You can take a professional looking photo with a cellphone easy. 

I do agree having some sort of professional presence on LI is important though. Check out this amazing profile for inspiration:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbornancin/
goldenlazard
Politicker
2
Senior SDR
Yeah it looks good that’s kinda what I’m going for but less of the silicone valley buzzwords and emojis haha
E_Money
Big Shot
2
💰
@SADNESSLieutenant do you want to tell them or should I? 🤣
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
1
Officer of ♥️
@goldenlazard market research shows the more emojis and prepostorous logos and ridiculous claims you make, the more blood flows to your head. 💩🥰
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
1
Officer of ♥️
oh u did them dirty
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
3
Officer of ♥️
just stand in front of a brick wall, stand to the side and laugh, and have someone take a pic.
goldenlazard
Politicker
2
Senior SDR
Bro I look like a Clinton when laughing 🧛🏼 👶🏻🩸
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
0
Officer of ♥️
then do the mugshot idc
Avon
Politicker
2
Senior Account Executive
Eh, I can see how it could look like a waste of money. But I will say when I switched it with a professional one, I started immediately getting more recruiter inmails. Got a new job paying 30% more a month after. Coincidence maybe but worth the $100 to me
goldenlazard
Politicker
2
Senior SDR
Yeah tbh even though most people here are saying no, I’m thinking it’s worth the investment. If it helps generate a single opportunity then I’ll earn the money back in commission anyway 🤷‍♂️
UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
2
SaaS Eater
LOL then why even ask? 
Avon
Politicker
1
Senior Account Executive
If nothing else, it'll give you more confidence going into first round interviews. Take the plunge
goldenlazard
Politicker
1
Senior SDR
Am trying to get the sales hat lmao

Also because it’s still quite a bit of money and want to hear if anyone has any positive experience with it
UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
2
SaaS Eater
Ahh that truth comes out lol. Keep in mind that people on the internet love to spend your money for you.
FattySnacks
Politicker
2
Senior Account Executive
A lot of people saying no but I would disagree. Changing my picture resulted in more recruiters reaching out and I can only assume some carry over to prospects. If it doesn’t break the bank why not?

Half the people saying no will go spend $3-400 at the bar this weekend. I’d take the headshot
goldenlazard
Politicker
-1
Senior SDR
Yeah, I’m thinking that it’s worthwhile investment because if it results in one demo booked it’s basically paid for itself.
TheNegotiator
Arsonist
2
VP of Sales
I said yes. I would pay if I needed to. But mr @poweredbycaffeine said it. iPhone cameras a great..

Suit/dress up. Hand your phone to a friend/partner. Find a decent backdrop and take 200 shots. Then pick one. Then spend your savings on alcohol and drugs. Pro tip.
goldenlazard
Politicker
1
Senior SDR
I just wanna get that alpha male silk shirt motherfucker look ygwim?
Pachacuti
Politicker
1
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
A couple hundred dollars?  Wow...
Perhaps you could get your company to get a photographer to do some headshots for everyone in your office?  
goldenlazard
Politicker
1
Senior SDR
Tbh our outbound team could use them but I’d rather have the edge on the competition iygwim ;)
goose
Politicker
1
Sales Executive
Prospects don't give a fuck about your profile pic unless they are creepy stalkers.  In that case I'd use an older photo of Jessica Simpson.
Thatsalesdude
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Do you mind sharing the previous company... just for research...
goldenlazard
Politicker
0
Senior SDR
Rhymes with Ragnar Troup.
How’s your Russian? 😂 🤫
washedD1soccer
Politicker
0
Regional Sales Manager
Find a newer photographer that is desperate to build their portfolio of work and you can probably get a free headshot.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
4
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Nobody, but nobody, survives on "exposure".    

Photographers and artists should never be expected to give their efforts away for free to build a portfolio or gain exposure.  You might find someone with a less expensive rate, but you never, ever should expect anything for free.

/soapbox.   You hit a sensitive spot for me.
washedD1soccer
Politicker
2
Regional Sales Manager
Agreed. It’s a tough spot. I co-own a photography company and this is what we had to do to get going. No one would book until you had quality work to show and you cannot get quality work without people interested. The old catch 22. We did some free shoots to generate the content needed to showcase how good we were and then things took off. Not sure if you are also a fellow photographer who can feel that pain but it worked for us. Very thankful to the people that were willing to model for us in the beginning.
washedD1soccer
Politicker
2
Regional Sales Manager
I would also say that we got something out of it even if it was a free service. They got pictures and we got content. Kind of a mutual win win in that situation. I guess that was more of what I was referring to.
goldenlazard
Politicker
0
Senior SDR
Yeah I mean this might be a good idea. Don’t mind paying the same rate, because the photographer will take longer, let me wear multiple outfits, and do different settings.
The company I’m looking at for the photos is a headshot mill (they’re very good though) so you only get like an hour.

I think if I ever get round to reactivating my instagram I’d probably do this. $100 for the shooting day and ~$30-35 per picture posted (at least 7 posts a week)

Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
If you're speaking from experience, I get you, and I'll step back a bit, as you personally used it as a valid strategy to grow your business.  On local forums,  I have seen locals who are just getting started asking for help from others as they set up their business; offering a reduced rate for portraits to those who are interested, for example.   I just had a visceral reaction to having someone looking for a service offering $0 to a photographer just starting out because that someone is in a vulnerable position, and it's not right to expect a valuable service for nothing.    

I'm not a photographer, but I am an artist who does what I feel like doing when I feel like doing it, but would cut somebody out if they offered to pay nothing because I'm "needing exposure" or something.   To that point, I do often give away custom work just because it's something I feel like doing for people.  However, in my case, I'm not trying to make a living or even have a side gig from my work, so I'm not vulnerable.  
TennisandSales
Politicker
0
Head Of Sales
portrait mode on the Iphone brahhhhh dont over think this. 
TheIncarceration
Politicker
0
SDR Manager
Spend your $150 elsewhere! 
goldenlazard
Politicker
0
Senior SDR
If it doesn’t get spent on this it’ll get snorted up my nose or shot out of my penis lol
TheIncarceration
Politicker
0
SDR Manager
That's a way better investment if you ask me 
dwightyouignorantsale
Politicker
0
Account Executive
not a chance i would pay for that. you can make your pictures look pretty damn professional with an iphone nowadays
IYNFYL
Politicker
0
Enterprise SaaS AE
Waste of money I still have mind from a company ten years ago and no one gives a shit
LightingLeader
Politicker
0
Specification Sales
I got lucky and got a free headshot at a trade show but I use it for everything and people actually mention how great it is. If ya gotta pay it’s worth it imo
LightingLeader
Politicker
0
Specification Sales
I got lucky and got a free headshot at a trade show but I use it for everything and people actually mention how great it is. If ya gotta pay it’s worth it IMO
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