PEOPLE BUY FROM PEOPLE.
We all know that each and every one of us is a original, one-off model, the only one available.
You Version 1.0. The real thing, as it were.
Does that apply to your business as well?
Both billion dollar branding campaigns and shoe-string budget jobs have disappeared within a wisp of smoke because there has been no unique personality championed, that special something that no other business has.
Do you think your own personality overflows into your business?
It’s ok if it does, actually, it is ideal. Years ago, your business personality had to be rigid, and devoid of emotion (if you don’t remember, trust me, that’s the way it was).
Today however, if you don’t cultivate your own individuality, both in your personal brand and your business identity, you will quickly fall off the radar.
Or if you don’t have enough faith in your own personality, and attempt to copy someone else’s, you run the danger of alienating customers by being a vapid and mediocre version of another business.
What becomes obvious to your consumer base is that you don’t trust your own instincts, so then why would they?
So your personality is what helps you be noticed in a very cluttered commercial landscape.
Others can copy what you do, your pricing structure, the way that you present your business.
But they can’t replicate you.
You are your strongest secret weapon.
People buy from you. No-one else.
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS PERSONALITY…
AND YOU CAN ONLY PICK ONE …
What is your personality … really?
Are you funky and innovative? Serious and straight-laced?
How about knowledgeable and traditional? Or even ironic and acerbic?
You need to be honest about this – exaggerating the truth too much will have the same effect as copying someone else. Just won’t wash.
The personality really needs to match the tone of your product or service.
So, choose wisely. Choose for the long term.
Review everything out there already and get rid of what doesn’t match. Check all new marketing and messaging against it, and make sure it all adds up.
Something to remember … trust your choice wholeheartedly.
Your confidence will show in every advertisement, email newsletter campaign, status update, and linked in post.
But why does having a defined business personality even matter?
Business is business after all, plain and simple. Isn’t it?
Not any more.
Yes business is business. But the consumer doesn’t remember the product as much as they remember the experience, how they felt when they dealt with your business, and how great they felt at the transactions’ finish. They remember that your business made them feel important, they felt well looked after and appreciated. They remember that you were approachable, encouraging, and were interested in having a long term business relationship with them.
It matters.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS.
An interesting piece of research for you:
Recently a study was undertaken about the value of branded shopping bags. A group of women were asked to carry one of two bags during a one hour shopping trip. These bags were either a plain pink bag, or one branded with the world famous logo, Victoria’s Secret.
After one hour, those who were carrying the branded bags thought themselves more feminine, glamorous, and good-looking. They felt that by carrying the Victoria’s Secret bag, their personal qualities were improved.
Additionally, recent research found that shoppers were not averse to carrying premium branded shopping bags because they felt more successful and impressive to others.
The value lies in the personality.
MORE ENGAGEMENT = MORE ACTIVITY
= MORE MOMENTUM
Email marketing = more touches and engagement.
Enewsletters can be really, really good, both productive and interesting, or they can be appalling, turning people off your brand in an instant.
Like any marketing activity, the creative and message needs to be well constructed and presented, and should entirely match your brand personality.
Some people fall into the trap of thinking that just because it is a more cost effective means of reaching a larger number of potential customers doesn’t mean that you should be complacent and apathetic about what you want it to achieve, and how you will be perceived.
Email marketing can be wholly designed to present your brand, your message, your colours, and your language tonality.
You need the right tools to start with, because there are a lot of variables to manage. It can be much easier to develop a strategy that covers three to six months, and engage a third party to roll out each edition. Or have an expert write the copy, and publish yourself, you can do whatever suits you.
The main point here is to send out a newsletter that is professional and polished, and makes people want to read it,
Sending out second rate or shoddy emarketing, even though it costs less to produce, will result in immeasurable damage to your brand, and all the work you have done so far to build it.
Invest both time and money wisely, and you will see the benefits.
