Photo or Not?

> I've been sending out a monthly email newsletter for about a year and a half now, and I stick to a few things that were important to me to incorporate: I intentionally keep the text short and simple; I stay consistent—making sure to send it out about the same time each month, every month; and, of course, I try to make it visually interesting.

> I check out other email newsletters, to see how mine compares. To see if there are things I could and should improve. I ran across an article with 10 tips, some that I hadn't considered. One of those things suggests to include a photo of myself. I don't use a photo of myself, and while the reason for doing it is a good one, (potential clients feel more like they know you), I don't have a photo of myself on my web site either. 

> It made me think...does it matter what I look like? Is my appearance a deal-maker or breaker? I've always been perplexed by the realty industry. Why DO they have photos on their business cards? I'm pretty sure that whatever reason they include it, could be applied to most careers, and I'd be curious to know the stats—does including the photo really help their business? Does it make people trust them, or feel like they know them? If it really does achieve those things, then shouldn't everyone, regardless of profession, include a photo of themselves on their cards? 

> I guess I'm skeptical about what it really accomplishes in most cases. A good exception? A model! Someone whose business truly IS the way they look, that's a business card that really could benefit from a personal photo!