When and How Did It Become All About the Glamour Shot?

I don't necessarily have a problem wiith pictures of agents....but I do have a problem with pictures that don't even look like the agent!  LOL  Either they are an old picture...or so glammed up with photoshop or makeup that it is hard to tell who the agent is....I can not imagine that makes a customer at ease!!!  LOL

I just never understood the sign or business card glamour photos. This seems to be the only industry that does that.

Maybe the first one was from a company named, "A-1 Realty and Beauty Salon"!!!!

By the way, I've never gained a client as a result of my photo...but I'm certain I could lose one or two!!!

I'm with Deborah.  There was a trend in our marketplace for realtors to use pictures from their youth in their advertising.  Some agents were and still are using their prom pictures.  Another very prominant agent in our market uses a picture of her maybe 30 years ago and when you meet her in person she's offended that you don't recognize her (she's 30 years older now and the picture doesn't look anything like her).  I just updated my picture, it's not photoshopped, it's the real me.  If buyers and sellers want professional representation that's one thing but if they go purely on looks that's their problem.  Good point though!! 

This is a funny post.  As someone new in the business, I did wonder if a glamor shot on my card would give me an edge.  I have elected not to have my picture on my card and take my chances on being picked for knowledge and what I can bring to the seller and buyer.  I think that the majority of people are not swayed by great hair.

Thanks for your post.  I decided a while back to go with a photo-less business card.  Clients look at it as though I am odd.  They have become so accustomed to the glamour shots...

The large franchises really promote pictures on everything out here.  I think photos on business cards is old school. I think newer agents would prefer that people hire them because they think they are good.

When and where?  As little as possible Tanya!  It's about the client and their goals, it is not about the agent.  That is the motivation behind Outside the Box: Non-Traditional Realtors & Lenders and you are formally invited to join our group!  This would be a featured blog there!

If you found yourself nodding throught Tanya's post and agreeing with many of the comments, come join us too!

I'm going to tell the Group members to come by and say "Hi" and I am going to flag this post for featured because is is wonderfully thought-provoking!

I use a giant hologram outside of my open houses.  Nothing lures wary buyers inside like a 200 ft, 3 dimensional, break-dancing Paul.

Tanya, I get the impression that some agents believe themselves to be local celebrities.

LOL Paul.  I think cards and websites should be it and those pictures should be current.  I worked with an agent once who had a 30-year-old picture of himself in a cowboy hat.  There is an agent couple who have their picture on a sign with them both raising their arms in the air like they are both doing jumping jacks.  If I were a buyer I would run a mile at the sight of that.  And, as female agent I would never put my picture on a sign.  That is only inviting disaster during an open house.

Bottlerockets tied to doves. Nothing like the drizzle of feathers and beak guts to get them inside.

Tanya it's all about branding, we have our photo on our signs--so sorry, people notice and we have never had a negative comment about it, we have so many people who recognize us it's amazing. It is the same image on this comment. We also live in a small town and know a lot of people. Our sellers also like the signs . What is the big deal, I have seen this topic posted several times?

Tanya

My and my sales representatives do not put our pictures on anything other than our website and blogs. It could be that we are all ugly or we promote our client's interests, not ours!

Ty

Tanya,

I heard you were up late last night, so I stopped by to check out the time stamp.  Now I'm going back to bed; it's 3:50 in the morning!

Mike in Tucson

Tanya, I agree with a few people here that it is useful in the case of branding. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Seeing someone's photo, especially when it is often repeated, gets people to feel more familiar with them. In some cases getting a photo of a team sends an immediate message that you can't get in just a name on a sign.

The danger is when the photo looks nothing like the person either because it was a glam shot or it is out of date. I know an agent who has his photo on his card with a mustache. He likes to get people to compare his current looks to his photo. I find that less than professional. Maybe it works for him.

I know what you mean though. Many of the local agents advertise themselves in the papers and not the homes.

I used to work in a real estate office during my high school and university years (part-time receptionist . . . we're going back a ways here!). It seemed all about the photo back then! I never understood advertising a house in the paper and not having a photo of the house, but a photo of the agent! Okay, that just seems funny to me. I don't have my photo on my business card. Do you think that someone might deem me a better stager/photographer if I look like I have some decent success at doing my make-up?

Oh . . . I should have added to the bit about my make-up . . . Sadly, I don't have a team to promote! It's just little ol' me (hence the no photo thing).