Most people have the distinct feeling that a business is much more than they are. For that reason, they may wish to go faceless from the jump, instead letting the brand name do the talking. But of course, this is hardly a fast rule. People can become brands quite as easily as families do, and sometimes even locations can be a hallmark of a business strategy (when you think Guinness, you also think of Ireland).
Perhaps you have the affability and an interesting life story to qualify for centring yourself in the marketing. That might sound a little narcissistic on the surface, but really it can become a quality selling strategy. Think of how the name of Tom Clancy became more than just the name of an author who loved boats and military history, but a brand emanating from his work, including movies, films, television shows and video games. Most books are written under this brand still get released, but of course with new writers after he passed. Sometimes, the name of a person and their presence is as powerful as anything else.
So perhaps the question isn’t if you should pour yourself into your marketing brand should the circumstances be right, but how much of it you should think of doing? Let’s consider this, below:
Use Your Quirks
If you’re going to put yourself forward in your marketing, you don’t have to be the kind of suited and booted perfect corporate polished presence to stand out. Of course, this will entirely depend on what you sell. The lovable old guy who runs a hardware shop is likely going to be a perfectly matched image, especially when seen as an expert with years behind him. A lawyer, though, will need to keep that professional persona and perhaps when photographed for website material, they should stand in front of their qualifications framed upon the wall.
As marketing is usually about standing out and expressing that message, try to lean into the things that make you different. That might be your wry sense of humour, your experience in fields that might not seem perfectly aligned with what you do now but that give you interesting insight, or even the family story of your business and how your leadership has altered tradition. Quirks are worth showcasing. From there, you can:
Tell Your Personal Story & How It Relates
While you shouldn’t be too indulgent, it can be helpful to showcase how you led the business you run now, even if it’s just on a page on your website or appended to your landing page. For instance, if you run your own graphic design business, and you used to work for a large business in the field or a household name like Pixar, well, that’s worth being very clear and upfront about. It can only help you.
We tend to think good stories are only limited to family histories and businesses with centuries of trading behind them, but of course that’s not the case at all. Moreover, everyone loves a good story, and so if you can tell yours simply, but carefully, you may be able to inspire people as you were once inspired.
Develop A Distinct Tone Of Voice
We tend to think of personal image as how you look, but really, that’s ephemeral. How you talk to and relate to people matters so much more. It’s why you might not see a romantic couple that look exactly alike or even are as objectively attractive as one another hold together in a long, loving relationship because those silly things don’t matter at all compared to how people connect.
But of course,how you transmit your personality isn’t easy in the attention economy. For this reason, learning to develop a distinct tone of voice is worth your time. Think of how Apple’s copy is often quite precise, simple, and communicates the idea. A thousand songs in your pocket was the tagline used for the iPod before it was launched, and it’s no wonder this hit such a stride without having to communicate anything more.
Work with a copywriter to carefully manage how each landing page relates to people of the area you’re targeting. That doesn’t mean you have to use slang for each area or change who you are for who you’re speaking to, but making your own brand voice more consistent is essential. This way, your own voice, and the voice of the subject matter you’re dealing with, can combine to seem more steady, honest, and transparent. You won’t be seen as trying to pretend to be something you’re not.
Showcase Your Team
It can’t hurt to be proud of the people you hire and why. Of course, you must get their consent to post them online or on your website. Make sure to use award winning web design services to lay out this information correctly. From there you can curate a meet the team page that showcases a brief professional history they have (useful for luxury high-end brands such as a meet the team for a refined property service), or simply use their profile pictures as they engage with your live chat widget.
Of course, you can centre yourself so you take up most of the focus and prevent your staff from seeming like the face of your brand (something they may not be comfortable with), but this kind of social proof can humanise your brand and help it seem more professional.
Distill All Of This Into A Marketable Good
Now, all of the above advice could quite easily give the impression that if you don’t tell your customer everything about yourself and your brand and your history, you’re simply not incentivizing them. But the truth is, people don’t particularly want to know your entire life story before they buy from you. They just want an idea of what the company is about, who you are, and if you can be trusted.
So distill all of this information into an easy-to-transmit message. This can even work with fictional characters, as we often think about Colonel Sanders in the same stroke as we go to purchase Kentucky Fried Chicken. A distinct image, a simple bio, and an easy-to-understand picture can help all of your personal history seem more manageable, bitesize, and attractive.
With this advice, we hope you can experiment with how much of yourself you pour into your marketing and promotion.
