We’ve seen the pattern time and time again: companies that incorporate a personal factor in their online marketing often see a significant boost in their business, and adding that human element can help build customer trust and loyalty. People like to know that they’re dealing with other people rather than a nameless, faceless brand, so a personal touch can really be a plus. On the other hand, too much of a good thing can be overkill, and it’s important to understand where the boundary is between coming across as warm and helpful, versus sabotaging your brand message with too much personal information. Here are three tips to help you maintain a balance.
Honor the overall tone of your brand. When communicating with your audience, especially on your blog or in social media, it’s important to have consistency of tone. For example, if your brand image is fun and lighthearted, don’t make your written communications too stuffy. Likewise, if your brand is more serious and formal, you don’t want to write in a way that undermines that. You can still be personable without being too casual and familiar.
Pay attention to your writing style. If you like to use “text speak” conventions in your personal messages, like substituting “2b” for “to be” or “u” for “you,” be careful about letting this spill over into your business communications. Even on social media, make an effort to write in complete sentences, with attention to good spelling and grammar. Although you may want to come across as approachable, you also want to appear intelligent, articulate, and professional.
Keep a handle on oversharing. Your customers and potential customers might like to see photos of your workspace or learn a little about you and the people you work with. What they probably don’t want to know are the details of your personal problems or the latest gossip in your family. Before you share personal details, ask yourself if what you’re about to say is going to help build a positive relationship with your audience. You may be able to get away with sharing more if you are the brand, i.e. if you’re an entertainer or a public figure of some kind and you’re promoting yourself as a business, but even then you still probably want to keep some sort of professional distance rather than spilling all the sordid details of your private life.
Sometimes it can take a little experimentation to find a happy medium between a professional façade and a personal touch. Where is your company along that axis?
