Should You Add Branding Photos To Your LinkedIn Posts?

Here's a perspective that might spark some debate: Not all professionals should lean into branded photos for their LinkedIn content.

While there's no denying the impact of selfies and professional brand imagery in crafting a personal brand, this approach isn't universally effective, particularly for those who want to use LinkedIn to engage premium, executive-level clients.

If you want to engage corporate clients better, the “creator” strategy is not the right angle.

Here’s why. The focus isn't on you—it's squarely on them.

They're the protagonists in the narrative you're weaving.

With this storytelling perspective in mind, it's important to recognize that your clients are your content's central focus (protagonists), and you are there to provide valuable support and guidance as they navigate their professional journeys.

Your role is to empower them and help them succeed, much like a supporting character aids the hero in a story.

Each content piece, image, and phrase should mirror their needs, hurdles, and goals, ensuring your audience sees themselves in your narrative.

However, a common oversight in personal branding is adopting a self-centric approach.

This often happens with posts and photographs that focus more on the consultant's achievements and persona, inadvertently shifting the spotlight. While showcasing your expertise is essential, overemphasizing it can make your audience feel like bystanders rather than the central characters in the narrative.

For example, for an executive coach specializing in assisting women attorneys, branding photos would be less impactful because these images may not resonate with the specific challenges and environments these professionals navigate daily.

Instead, imagery and content that reflect their unique legal landscape and career aspirations would create a deeper, more meaningful connection.

The coach can develop a newsletter that offers exclusive content not available elsewhere and includes personal anecdotes from her coaching experiences (while respecting confidentiality), advanced leadership tips, and strategies for women in high-powered legal roles.

When sharing images, choose one where they can visualize themselves, reflecting their professional path, not merely your own. Your content ought to serve as a mirror, reflecting back at your ideal client's own story, obstacles, and prospective achievements.

This isn't to suggest completely removing personal branding or your own story from your LinkedIn strategy. The key lies in striking an equilibrium.

The ultimate goal is to build long-term relationships based on trust, respect, and mutual understanding.

It's about becoming indispensable to these executives' professional journeys, someone they rely on for advice and support, insight, and validation. In doing so, the executive coach doesn't just attract clients; they cultivate champions of their brand, ensuring a sustained and consistent pipeline of high-value engagements.

This is a shift from a mindset of 'I should do this too because all the other coaches are doing this' to 'Does this bring value to my audience, and is it making an impact?'."

Want Help With This?

If you want my help with shifting the narrative this way (as well as in a few other ways that seem small but make a huge difference) - my 30-day 1:1 intensive, The Authority Factor VIP, could be a great fit.

I've had clients go through this program who were brilliant at helping their clients and had been doing this work for decades but were getting no inquiries because their content was missing these minor details that connect the dots for their audience.

If you're interested in making this happen for you, send me a DM.