Often brands that are prepared to be open and to engage with their customers are more successful than those who maintain a strict wall of professionalism and formality. The reason for this is that as humans have an innate desire to interact and connect with other humans, so when we can see the people behind the brand, we are more likely to invest our time or money. Giving your brand a human side begins with having a recognizable voice and personality, but this guide includes some more advice on how to humanize your brand to enable you to connect with existing and potential customers.
Share your story
You may not think it at first, but your brand has a story that is worth sharing. Why did the company begin? Why did you choose the name that you did? Is there a personal reason for your logo design? Customers are interested in the origins of the companies which are asking for their custom and loyalty. Your story should align with your current brand mission and vision for the future. Make sure customers understand your motivations and passions, which are separate from your desire to make money.
Be yourself
It is important to be natural in your attempts to humanize your brand. If you try to fabricate a personality and a brand image, it will be difficult to sustain and will almost certainly fall flat with customers. It’s ok to share your challenges as well as your successes as this will only make you appear more authentic.
Go the extra mile
When it comes to your product packaging, consider ways in which you can show customers that you take pride in your work and care about their experience. Handmade packaging and hand-written notes can be a wonderful surprise for customers. If hand-packing every product is not feasible, maybe you could create unique labels using letter stencils to save time but give that personal finishing touch?
Build connections through social media
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have changed the world in many ways, and for business owners, they can be both a blessing and anxiety. You can interact with customers on a much more regular basis and find out what matters to them. This can then help you with your product development and marketing.
Share the content and achievements of others
Rather than just publishing your content, be prepared to share and re-post content by others, which could be interesting or useful for your customers. This will show that you care about what your customer needs and are not only preoccupied with your own interests. Encourage your customers to share their experiences and engage with them when they do.
Show your customers what goes on behind the scenes
Let your customers see how your company operates behind the scenes and introduce them to the people in your team. You can do this by creating profiles on your website for each of your staff as well as photos via social media. If something great happens in the business, tell your customers and thank them for their continuing support.
Gone are the days when brands could be faceless and corporate. Consumers want to connect with companies, and in doing so, are more likely to buy from and promote a brand. Go the extra mile and create a brand people connect with.
Author Bio
Content marketing and inbound marketing expert, Steve Conway is passionate about discovering new tech which will enhance his already well-honed digital marketing skills.
