Healthcare Professionals: 4 Reasons Why You Need An Executive Headshot
As a healthcare professional, you might think you do not need an executive headshot. After all, you are not running a business, nor do you deal with clients as such, so there is no need for it…right?
Well, sure, but think about how your practice and how you market yourself. You might not realize it, but having an executive headshot can be a major asset for you in the healthcare profession, especially if executed right. Whether you are working with patients or networking at different medical conferences, an executive headshot can go a long way. The right executive headshot can serve as a major investment that serves you well over time.
There are many reasons why this is the case, and here are just a few:
A personal touch
Healthcare can often feel disconnecting, even if you are dealing with patients day in and day out. While your practice might be bustling, do your patients feel like they have a personal connection with you? It can make all the difference when they are seeking new providers, and having an executive headshot can help you separate yourself from the rest. Your practice is built upon you, so why not start building a personal connection with patients right from the start?
The executive headshot can communicate a lot about you, especially that you are trustworthy, and that patients can depend on you. No matter your practice area, a personal touch can go a long way in building patient loyalty, and the executive headshot can often be a great first impression when patients are trying to decide between different healthcare providers since there is a face to the name.
A marketing tool
Technically, you do not have to market your practice, but you likely are. Whether it appears on different insurance websites, or digital marketing tools such as social media pages, there is likely some visual element to your practice. Having the executive headshot up on your practice website, and on websites of insurance providers, can help set you apart, and build a visual connection with new and existing patients. We’ve written before about how people do not like doing business with a faceless company, and the principle also applies to healthcare. Having a face to the doctor can be relaxing for patients, and help them place you better.
It is a strong and versatile marketing tool that can be used in a variety of places and ensures that patients are able to recall you better. There are lots of providers out there, but what sets you apart is your experience, so let the executive headshot showcase that better.
Useful for medical conferences
Medical conferences are a large part of the profession. Do you feel like you are adequately prepared? It can be daunting to present at one, and to show that you are professional and take your work seriously, it is essential that you have a great executive headshot in place. Blurry, out-of-focus, and outdated shots tend to reflect poorly, and you want to leave a great impression on the audiences you are presenting to.
As you gain more experience, you will likely attend more and more conferences as a presenter, so it’s a good idea to prepare ahead and have a solid headshot in place that you can send in easily.
Even if you are not presenting, many healthcare conferences ask for executive headshots in advance. This helps the conference organizers build their programs and agendas, and often executive headshots and bios are circulated to other healthcare professionals attending the event in case of networking opportunities, or just as an attendee directory.
Having a professional headshot in place allows others in the industry to get to know you a bit better, and opens the doors for further networking opportunities. It is a great way to get to know your colleagues and get more exposure for your practice and reputation out there.
Build a social media presence
We have discussed the presence of digital marketing tools for your practice, such as a website, but have you ever considered social media? It might not be a top priority, but it can definitely help in promoting your healthcare practice a bit better, and giving patients an idea of what to expect when they come to you. Whether you run a specialized practice or have something a bit more general, social media can be a pretty powerful tool for gaining new local patients.
The key to social media is having great visuals. Whether you use Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, or a variety of these, strong pictures tend to pair better with written content. You are not trying overburden patients with information, but you definitely want them to know about your expertise, and what kind of experience you have in the field. Executive headshots pair very well with social media posts like these, and can help you gain more credibility as well as a stronger online presence overall.
Whether you are developing print and digital marketing materials, trying to attract new patients or attending healthcare related events and conferences, the executive headshot is a great addition to all of these endeavors. It helps patients and other industry professionals get to know you a bit better, and allows you to build a personal connection from the start.
