Talking to some clients about their marketing messages recently, I realised few soloists are aware of the personalities their businesses convey. Even fewer seem to incorporate this more touchy-feely aspect of communication into their marketing decision making.
Those that do, really stand out. Off the top of my head, I can think of a web designer who relishes in his geeky reputation, a graphic designer with a quirky sense of humour, and a copywriter who’s passionate about playing an active role in her local community.
Without asking them, I’d guess that all three have deliberately decided to highlight these aspects of their own personalities in their marketing. I’d also be willing to bet that the decision has paid off for them in spades.
On the other hand, hanging out in the Flying Solo forums means I’ve also encountered umpteen people who’ve introduced us to their businesses without mentioning a single thing about themselves. I can’t tell you how that decision worked out for them because, frankly, I can’t remember a single thing about them.
The secret to adding a bit of brand personality to your marketing is to be both genuine and selective. As a soloist, if the personality traits of your business don’t align with your own, you won’t be able to carry it off, and you’ll come across as awkward at best or untrustworthy at worst.
But you don’t need to tell us everything about yourself either. Identify aspects of your brand personality that make your business a logical choice for your prospects and shine the spotlight on that.
If you need some clues, ask your satisfied clients what makes them feel good about doing business with you. You might assume it’s because of your technical skills and knowledge, as states your marketing material; but it’s more likely that they love doing business with you because you’re the bookkeeper who takes the stress out of BAS time, the business coach whose calmness is contagious, or the IT-guru who cures computers while putting clients at ease by cracking dad jokes. That’s your brand personality right there. Milk it!
Here’s a challenge: can you condense your brand personality into a single sentence? Please share it with us below.
“ As a soloist, if the personality traits of your business don’t align with your own, you won’t be able to carry it off. ”
Jayne Tancred is Concierge of the Flying Solo forum and a marketing consultant. She'd be thrilled to help with your brand strategy, marketing plans or copywriting.
