How to Humanize a Business Brand

25 Feb How to Humanize a Business Brand

Every now and then, a business will strive to achieve such professional and expert gains via marketing, that it completely dismisses the most important thing: THE CLIENTS!

Of course, procuring a most professional aura around your company is critical, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be personable, real, or human to your clients. In fact, the more authentically approachable you are to your followers, the more likely they are to utilize your services and value your product.

Even the biggest brands, with proficiently-executed marketing strategies, possess a desirable humanistic quality. Think about Apple and Whole Foods for a moment. Aside from the pristine customer service and loyalty that they honor, their social media campaigns and in-house customer care is unmatched. You probably can’t even think about these powerful brands without subconsciously smiling and wishing you were in their awesome stores at that very moment. We possess these wonderful affirmations with humanistic brands because they provide personalized, helpful, and trustworthy vibes. THAT is a perfect example of branding humanization!

So, how can you humanize your brand?

Ditch the Jargon:

There’s a time and a place for business-minded jargon and it’s not on your company’s blog, social media, or face-to-face communication with clients. Of course, professionally articulated discourse is vital to your credibility, but you don’t need to deter your clients with nonsensical rambling.

One of the biggest attributes of being considered approachable (in all walks of life) is securing a down-to-earth energy. Of course, the savvy tech gurus at Apple could spit jargon for hours without you understanding the half of it, but everything from their website interface, instructional guides, and in-person techs possess down-to-earth quality. At the end of the day, the brand is relatable, approachable, and communicates with individuals like one would naturally in real life.

Craft a Friendly About Us Page:

FYI: bragging about your brand, and/or broadcasting language like a public service announcement, is unwarranted and ill-received!!

Don’t do it!!!! This is THE page of your website where humanistic qualities can shine! Aside from informing the world about who you are, what you do, and what you provide, you can dress the company up in the attire of your choice! You can place the name with the face…and make sure it’s a FRIENDLY one!

Think light-hearted! Share personal anecdotes about specific individuals or back stories. The more personal you are, the more “human” you will be perceived as a brand.

SHOW your Team:

In OTV’s blog post about ROCKSTAR ‘Instagram’ campaigns, we discussed the enjoyment of displaying your brand’s team! Show us WHO literally backs the awesome brand. Putting a precise face to your company allows for better brand association, on top of showing clients that you’re not some factory of nameless numbers!

Perhaps you might even bolster your Instagram campaign to do this! Social media is the perfect platform to publish photos of your team and display that behind the scenes FUN that we, as viewers, definitely want to see.

BE FUNNY:

Certainly, some industries of business allow for relative humor more easily. However, if you can professionally incorporate captivating, insightful, and FUNNY content, by all means DO SO!

Being able to crack a smile, or even induce laughter, in your customers is a force to be reckoned with. Humphrey Slocombe, a highly successful San Francisco-based ice cream shop, has an incredibly playful Twitter and social media campaign. The humor they allocate only entices brand loyalty, amiable value, and approachable nature.

COMMUNICATE with Followers and Clients:

One of the most frequent things we see with big brand communication is the urgency to reach out to clients when something AWRY occurs. Of course, when a client has an issue with your product or service, this is the time to amp your social media campaign, reach out, and communicate. However, DO SO when a client rewards your brand as well. Clients (or people, in general) love to know they are heard! Not only hearing your clients, but actually responding to their commentary or inquiries, is an excellent way to show you’re REAL and that you care.

Confess Mistakes & Apologize:

This brand tip should really go without saying, but you’d be surprised how many brands attempt to glaze over super big blunders. When your brand makes a mistake (and we ALL make mistakes!), address it before any other press can! And, when doing so, lend your most professional explanation and sincere apologies. Chances are, if you have loyal clients, they’re going to understand and appreciate your authenticity in failure admission and apology.

Sign Emails with a REAL Name:

If you’re a brand at the corporate level, you’re probably employing or should be employing an email marketing campaign. There’s nothing more impersonal than reading a generic email, with generic company information, and a generic signature.

Rather than blast your clients and prospective clients with aloof commentary, expose them to your unique brand and associate that brand with a REAL individual. Consider signing your emails with the name of someone in your company, accompanied by contact information and even a photo. These kinds of attributes will certainly bolster the humanistic qualities of your brand, as well as compel clients to pay closer attention.

Don’t Always Communicate with Marketing Motives:

Sometimes, the content your brand puts out there should just be “for love of the game.” As a successful brand, your motivation shouldn’t always be to market, advertise, and solicit. Since you presumably possess a great deal of helpful knowledge regarding the community of your business, sharing helpful information for the sole purpose of being helpful is a terrific business agenda!

Whether you’re crafting a great blog article, new social media campaign, or the like, providing information without the marketing motive is appreciated and RECOGNIZED by clients. People certainly don’t like to feel like they are being talked AT with business solicitations. That is why your genuine candor will go a long way.

There’s a lot to be said for humanizing your brand, getting down-to-earth, and approaching clients like friends. This should certainly not ever be mistaken for compromising your professional integrity, but rather getting REAL and welcoming more valued client relationships. In fact, employing any of the above tips is a surefire way to not only be admired as a most genuine brand, but further leverage your visibility and overall success.

bit.ly/Yt5ErY How do you HUMANIZE your Brand? Click through to get some strategies via OTV’s blog #brand

— On Top Visibility (@ontopvisibility) February 25, 2013