The Headshot Effect: The 5-Minute Upgrade That Drives Calls & Conversions
Let’s talk about the easiest conversion lift you might be leaving on the table: your face.
I’ve never had a professional headshot done. Like so many working moms, the things we do for ourselves often fall to the bottom of the list. With three kids, a puppy, two businesses, and a husband away half the year, it’s never been a priority.
Still, the data kept haunting me.
Why Faces Convert
Humans decide fast. We form first impressions from a face in about 100 milliseconds. If the first time a prospect “meets” you is in a proposal or Google result, that meeting should be you looking your best. Otherwise, they’re less likely to reach out.
Adding a headshot photo to an email signature increases response rates by 32%. Business profiles with photos see 35% more website clicks and 42% more direction requests.
And that’s not even touching social and professional profiles. Google’s data shows business profiles with photos get more “call/email advisor” moments, with 35% more website clicks and 42% more direction requests. On LinkedIn, profiles with a photo see up to 21x more views and 9-36x more messages. This is no joke if you earn via relationships and referrals. And in A/B testing by VWO, pages featuring people beat abstractions and landscapes, lifting conversions by 48-95%. Faces directed the testers’ attention and increased the pages’ credibility.
But even with all this, I still hadn’t gotten around to it.
What I Used
During a late-night scroll, I saw an ad for Facetune’s AI headshots. I was skeptical. And if you know me, you know I’m all about being real and authentic over polished perfection (doesn’t exist). But I didn’t have the time to burn an afternoon setting up a tripod, fussing with lighting, and taking a few hundred shots.
So I downloaded it, uploaded ten photos, and seconds later, I had dozens of professional-looking headshots. No extra ears or third eyes. A few extra neck wrinkles maybe 😅 but otherwise? They looked great. And it was finally done.
It was the smallest upgrade I made to my business this week, but it had the biggest return. The best part? When I asked my husband which one he liked best, he spent ten minutes giving me thoughtful feedback… without realizing not a single one was actually me.
So I urge you – try it for yourself. Facetune’s AI headshots cost just $10. I used it to generate the headshots, then deleted the app from my phone. But there are also excellent, slightly pricier options like BetterPic or Aragon AI (this article by Anangsha Alammyan on Medium has a solid breakdown). And what’s a few dollars for outsized conversion lifts?
Where To Put It First
Okay, you’ve read through the data and got your AI headshot. Now what? Here’s where, at minimum, you need to put it:
Your Safari Portal itineraries. If you don’t have an “About Us” page on Safari Portal, you need one. Add your new headshot and include 2-3 trust bullets (accreditations, number of trips you’ve planned, where you specialize, etc.). Then insert that page at the beginning of your proposals. You’re reinforcing a human connection right when they’re thinking of hitting that “Book Now” button.
Your email signature. Adding a headshot photo to an email signature increases response rates by 32%. Those are numbers you cannot pass up. Make your own, or use a free service like Newoldstamp or LeadFuze to make it for you. Include your direct dial and all your social links, and set it as your signature in your email service provider (here are instructions for Google and Outlook).
Which inspires more trust?
Your call booking page. Use your headshot near the date picker and in the page thumbnail. If you use Calendly, remember to turn on analytics and track bookings with integrations to see your conversion lifts over time.
Your socials and third-party profiles. Change your LinkedIn profile pic to the new headshot (and verify yourself while you’re at it; LinkedIn verification boosts profile views by an average of 60%). Then change it on any site a traveler compares advisors side-by-side. Your headshot becomes the tie-breaker against those who haven’t taken the time.
👉 TL;DR: If you don't have a headshot and don’t have time for a photoshoot, try Facetune. Five minutes, zero stress, and surprisingly good results. No tripod wrangling needed.
