Does going live on Facebook or sharing selfies on Instagram with ironic captions make you cringe?
Yep. Same.
Something I regularly run into when presenting my clients (and, let’s be real, myself) is apprehension to putting themselves out there.
Even though people are buying YOU and who YOU are, people still believe they don’t belong on their pages. It can be a delicate balance of posting online as a professional being transparent and open with their brand or just another high school girl’s IG feed.
How do we separate ourselves? Well, there are a lot of layers to that social media engagement cake but the goal is to get content that converts. PS: That’s one of the freebies I offer plus I wrote an entire post about it.
When we conduct a Branding + Positioning Strategy we find a brand’s personality and voice. We don’t completely re-brand and change what you have; we enhance it. When you nail down your product, audience, your WHY and your goals these usually come quite naturally.
BRAND VOICE
Who is the ideal customer you’re speaking to? No, not just who you currently have but who you WANT to be your clients. Who are they, what do they sound like, what do they like to read and where do they consume content? Do they prefer visual consumption on YouTube or do they prefer audibly listening to you on podcasts?
While I encourage you to push your boundaries and play around do not force yourself into a medium that you’re uncomfortable with. For some people they really struggle with long-form writing like blogs but others love being able to write out their thoughts. Find what works for you and I promise the message you want to put out there will come through.
Can you use fun and flirty language to talk to your makeup babes or do you need to be starch collar professional for your law office? An agriculture company be too stuffy with ‘kindest regards’ and too hokey with ‘y’all’. This is an excellent balance to match your voice with your brand’s archetype. Finding a copywriter and marketing professional to help post for you will allow you to interact and focus on your business while you work IN your business.
BRAND Personality
Just because you have multiple personalities doesn’t mean you can decide which one you want to show! Our goal is to find the best way to communicate using that personality and how best to translate your most authentic self.
Let’s look at the angle of speaking as a personal brand or on behalf of a brand as a representative. Just because you cuss in real life doesn’t necessarily mean you have to censor yourself for the Disney channel but make it tasteful and be mindful of your audience. If you share audible content, add a disclaimer at the beginning of your video or podcast. Offer your audience the chance to listen or read later when they’re out of public or the kids are napping.
Also refrain from using words that are commonly offensive or derogatory vs. something you would find in church or broadcasting. When in doubt, leave it out. Remember there is a time and place to speak to your friends at a bar and being an approachable business person. You can’t go spend money at the bar if you’re driving your clientele away!
When deciding on your brand’s personality (or are curious about your own) I recommend you take the FREE 16personalities.com quiz to get an idea of your brand as an actual person. You can also take Myers-Briggs or go the more traditional advertising route and decide your brand’s archetype.
Finding your brand’s archetype will allow you to decipher the nitty-gritty like fonts, colors, posting style and infusing that personality in your marketing materials, imaging, branding, logo and voice. You can have some fun playing around with holidays or special occasions. like your brand’s anniversary, but your #BrandPersonality should stay consistent.
If you watch any of the Airbnb shows like Instant Hotel or Stay Here you’ll recognize they do this with locations. Find a color, a personality, a marketing opportunity and you create a profitable destination to stand apart from your competition. What do you expect from a vibrant New York condo vs a romantic wine country cabin vs a luxurious, high-class home in Malibu? They’re consistent with their branding and create an experience their clients can share.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Feel free to evolve your brand but the most important thing is to stay consistent! Consistency is key. I recommend trying something for a MINIMUM of six months and adjusting based on your audience’s reactions. The thing you want to avoid is changing so often when people refer to you, the potential client gets confused on who they are looking for.
If you need clarity on finding your brand’s voice and personality, just ask. We’re always happy to help!
Cheers!
Marin
