There are great stories and real people behind every brand. If you want to connect and engage with your audience, you need to humanise your brand.
This digital age has created a world where we are more connected than ever before, but what we all crave the most is human interaction. So how do you humanise your brand via digital media?
It isn't as complicated as it sounds, in fact, it makes sense if you think about it. If you expect your customers to invest time and money in your products and services, they need to like what they see. They need to connect with your brand.
Adding a human factor to your brand can be as simple as injecting some personality into your brand. Once you've got some personality going on and you’ve set the tone, your brand will begin to resonate with your audience a whole lot more. Here are five ways to kick-start human interaction and connectivity with your brand.
1. START FROM THE TOP
To create a great company culture, CEO's and management need to lead the charge. They can spread this culture throughout the business, motivating your employees to be the company's biggest advocates.
Once everyone's on board, share your team stories and post them online. If you're doing an event, post a photo on LinkedIn. If you've redesigned your workspace and it looks super-fly, post a video on your website & LinkedIn.
Showcasing a positive and vibrant company culture on social media is a fantastic way to demonstrate your EVP (employee value proposition) – not only to help retain your star employees but also to help attract top talent. Best of all, when your community and ideal clients see how great it is working at your company, they're more willing to trust your abilities and invest in your products and services.
2. BE FRIENDLY
Positioning yourself as an industry leader is critical to lead generation and proves your deep expertise and knowledge. However, remember to make your brand's voice approachable, personal and engaging. Nothing makes a potential client feel great about you and your brand than when they have a friendly open interaction with you online.
3. GIVE
In business, it is always a two-way transaction. However, in order to get, you need to offer something of value to your followers – without a price tag or a sales pitch. It could be advice, insights or something that solves a problem; giving your knowledge freely demonstrates the depth of your expertise. Once you have developed that relationship, clients realise that there is plenty more where that came from, and they will be back for more and will be happy to pay.
LinkedIn marketing is the place to start with ‘giving’. LinkedIn company pages should be vibrant and dynamic. Employees should share via their LinkedIn profile pages setting themselves up as trusted advisors.
4. KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING
Another way to add personality to your business is by keeping an active blog. Your blogs should house company news, thought-leadership and industry insights. Not only does a blog help boost your SEO, but it also keeps you "front and centre" of mind when clients require your skills.
5. BE RESPONSIVE
We know there are people behind every brand, but those people must be available. Today's customer expects online interaction. You must always respond to followers' questions, comments and reviews. Don't ignore the importance of engagement.
People love their brands. They particularly love trustworthy brands that demonstrate authenticity, integrity & credibility - A bit like PEOPLE really...
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Lucy Bingle has 20 years marketing experience and is a LinkedIn Marketing Expert. She is passionate about helping individuals and companies succeed in amplifying their brand, reaching their target audience and growing their business.
Lucy works with clients 1:1 on their LinkedIn marketing strategies.