We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down the most popular articles of the year. This article was posted back in January and is #2 in our countdown. See #3 here.

The headshot: it's an absolute business necessity when you're in the real estate industry. Your headshot is part of your personal branding, and people expect to see it everywhere – on business cards, your website, public benches and even billboards! Real estate is a face-to-face business and potential clients want to see yours.

Selecting a real estate headshot can be a terrifying proposition. Real estate agents are all too frequently teased for having cheesy photos. (Don't believe us? See the link at the end of this article.) But how often does someone come along with constructive advice? Not often enough.

Fortunately for you, we've compiled a helpful list of DOs and DON'Ts that will make your next photo session a breeze. You know that you were born to sell real estate, that you're amazing to work with and a complete professional, now you just need an updated real estate headshot to convey that image to your prospects.

Do

Update your photo every few years. It's important to keep your headshot current, especially now that so many people begin their real estate searches on the internet. You want your online prospects to recognize you when you finally meet them.

Have a cropped version of your headshot that you can use on social networking sites. Cropping also allows you to almost completely eliminate any backgrounds or styling choices that appear dated.