One of my clients recently posted a photo of her pet dog on her social media accounts explaining the importance of this dog to her family.
What did it have to do with her business? There was no call to action. There was no direct weblink for anyone to click on.
An international digital marketing specialist with a massive online following recently told his life story on Instagram – revealing a significant amount of detail.
Why would he do that?
In both cases, the life of these people is an important part of who they are and what they do. They live and breathe their business – dogs and all. They’re also interested in forming relationships.
People wanting to do business with them need to know they’re genuine and committed, as well as being able to produce the goods.
It’s also part of the brand personality they’re developing and nurturing – theirs and that of their businesses.
Social media is often where you see people sharing their back story (sometimes warts and all) – after all, it’s about being social, right? But what about your website? Do you share details about who works in your business, including information that reveals not only their skills and expertise but their personalities? It doesn’t have to be an autobiography, a couple of sentences will do.
One of my all-time pet hates on both social media and websites is going to the About or Bio sections and finding nothing that tells me a person is running this business. It’s incredible how many sites don’t include the name of a person in the contact information or anywhere else on the site. There’s all this third person speak about the business and use of “the royal we”, but no names, photos, or blurbs about who makes the cogs turn.
I get the need to separate your professional life from your personal life and the want for privacy in this world where privacy is a rare commodity, but the reality is that if you’re in business, you are marketing online to an audience that may extend well beyond the city limits of your local town. The other reality is that you’re in competition with other businesses in this space who are doing it better than you and being personable about it.
If I have the choice between dealing with someone with a face and personality or a business that doesn’t reveal who is running it, then guess which one I’m going to more likely purchase from?
You don’t need to share what you ate for breakfast unless you’re in the breakfast cereal business, but you do need to show you’re a living, breathing person.
A word of warning: Don’t fabricate a back story either – the digital equivalent of plumping up the resume. It’s a small world when it comes down to it and you will be found out. Keep it real.
To find out more about who I am, check out my back story.
Kim V. Goldsmith 