In a world that’s becoming increasingly automated, the good ol’ days of warm and fuzzy human interactions are growing obsolete. There was a time (or so the legend goes) when shop owners would actually greet their customers by name. Now, it’s needless to set foot in a shop and customers often make purchase decisions without any human interaction.
Losing your brand’s human touch is a sad loss indeed – its main benefit is building trust and loyalty. Is there a way to turn back time and put the humanity back into your branding? Yes! Here’s how.
Interact on social media.
Don’t just spew out posts – interact! Take a look at how one of our clients communicates with their audience. Even the language they use makes them feel relatable (and human) to their followers.
Post photos.
Photos bring your brand to life. Give customers a look behind the scenes at your business through photos. These can be posted on social media, in blogs, or incorporated right into your web design.
Our client Pine Tree Seafood, a Maine Seafood retailer, posts photos on social media that show just how much they love their jobs. Existing customers get to see behind the scenes to see the owner Jim filming a little video as an example.
Write blogs.
The benefits of blogging extend far past SEO. Publishing blog posts regularly to your website shows that your business is run by subject-matter experts and more importantly – humans. Don’t be afraid to give posts some voice and show the personality behind your business.
Tell your story.
What made you decide to start your business? Did you overcome unique challenges? Emphasizing your brand’s roots helps your audience relate.
You can do this on your website’s homepage, about section, in an interview, blog post, and even in an advertisement.
Make videos.
Step it up a notch from photos by making videos. There’s no better way to show off the personalities of your staff members than with a video of them working, interacting with customers, or attending an event. If your business provides a complex service, create a video to explain it.
Below is a video that we produced for Pine Tree Seafood to showcase their retail location. The video was created for Facebook & Instagram stories, hence the shortness, however we feel it’s a good way to get a quick feel of inside the store.
Have fun with your digital marketing.
When you have fun, it shows! Depending on your field and business, incorporating a playful twist in marketing content can go a long way.
The following example was used by MailChimp for customers sending out email campaigns. While it may be a bit too casual for some audiences, it’s spot on for theirs.
Attend events.
When all else fails – get boots on the ground! There are always events that encourage the participation of businesses like yours. Some of our favorites in Maine:
- Think Local Events: Monthly networking events with local businesses, charities, and individuals.
- WordCamp: Held worldwide, WordCamps explore everything relating to popular open source website publishing platform, WordPress. Even if your website isn’t with WordPress, you’ll find other topics informative like small business, marketing, development, and much more. Event in Maine hosted yearly.
- MeetUps: Search this handy website for MeetUps near you! A great place to make connections and (tactfully) hand out business cards.
While these events are great places to start, it’s always best to look for ones specific to your industry. You may be surprised at the number of events a quick Google search will turn up.
With these tips, we hope you’ll be one step closer to showing off your brand’s human side. Have questions or comments? Drop us a line below in the comment section!
