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Why your Author Portrait is important.

• Americans put a lot of importance on how someone looks.
• A bad portrait can ruin a good book cover.
• It is not about being objectively pretty. It is about having a good photo.
• We are relational. We want to buy from someone we know.

Tip #1 Hire an Actual Professional (you get what you pay for)

• How to tell a good photo from a bad photo: look at the eyes. If you can’t easily see the eye color, it is not a good photo.

Tip #2 Shoot for your audience (not the author).

• Tell your photographer who the audience is for your book.
• Tell your photographer what feeling you are wanting the portrait to convey.

Tip #3 Bring Lots of Outfits for the Photographer to pick from.

• Go with solid colors and simple/minimal jewelry.
• Consider bringing a prop to use as an option.

Tip #4 Insist the photographer shoot in landscape mode.

• You can always crop a portrait shape photo from a landscape image. This give you more options with the design of your website and more options when speaking at event.

Tip #5 Use caution with Photoshop techniques.

• You don’t want someone’s first thought when they see you is “wow you look old.”
• The idea with touching up a photo is to make you look like your best self. Not like someone else or a younger version of yourself.

Tip #6 Buy the full copyright to the photo.

• Negotiate this ahead of time.
• Pay for the time not the image.

Tip #7 Update your photos frequently.

• At least once per book or once per year or two if you are prolific.

Announcement #1

• 100 Episode Live Event July 11th 7pm Central Time. Register here.
• We will post the recording afterwards but we will have giveaways and bonus content for the folks who come live.
• Free!

Announcement #2 Raising the Price on the 5 Year Course

• Ending the Jim Coaching Option
• Not too late to get the discounted price or the Jim coaching session.
• More info on the 5-year course