Getting back to business: the rebirth of in-person events

 It's hard to believe that October is half over! In September, I attended The Portrait Masters Conference in Phoenix and wow, what an experience!  I made new friends from around the world and checked out the new gear in the trade show, attended parties and shared a room with a stranger who turned into a close friend!  But the speakers alone would have made the trip worthwhile! 

I have attended the conference before but this was the first "in person" event since the pandemic. I went this year with a renewed determination to participate to the max. Just a year ago, I got COVID after attending an in-person networking event, yet this year it's been one event after another. 2022 has felt like a re-birth: it's hard to remember that in January we were still dealing with the Omicron surge and people were getting seriously ill and dying. I got another booster shot before I went to the conference, with the thought that many attendees might have weaker immune systems than me, but the flights were full and few people were wearing masks. It was easy to forget, for a few days, what we just went through.

After I came home, I had a lot to catch up on. I have had a lot of headshot clients this year; I suspect that they came out of COVID and realized they don't look like their headshots any more! Getting back to business starts with updating your image! Did you know that a professional headshot is more important than ever in this digital age? Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, marketing, web site, business cards...I recommend more than one image, to provide a bit of variety across your social media! You only have a few seconds to stop the scrolling and create a good impression! I talked about this recently when I spoke at a networking event and it really resonated with my audience! 

Public speaking is my worst nightmare but I am determined to work on my skills and this means, taking opportunities when they present themselves.  After all, I tell people every day that they are the face of their business, so I guess there is no excuse to hide!