Internet users connect with people, not brands. They want to know about you, not just your brand, your business, your products or your services.
Be the face of your brand. Your customers do want to learn about you as a person, so they make a real connection. Sure, you want them to like your brand, but you want them to fall in love with you.
Richard Branson does this best. He’s intimately connected with the Virgin brand, and his personality drives the brand. If Branson wrote a blog, you could believe he was writing it himself, couldn’t you? Can you think of any CEO of a large organisation who has that sort of personal credibility? Heck, can you even think of any other CEO of a large organisation at all who does anything for their brand apart from the occasional media statement?
All the new Internet tools are personal tools: Facebook, Twitter, blogs, podcasts, YouTube, Myspace. They’re designed to show a personality – your personality. They’re powerful marketing tools, but they shouldn’t be used only for marketing your business. They’re just as important for marketing you.
This is one area where we in small business have a huge advantage over large organisations. Most large organisations don’t have a personality, they have a brand. Even people with personality aren’t allowed to show it, in case it harms the brand image. So you end up with bland, not brand.
That’s why it’s rare to see a large organisation using these new Internet marketing tools well. Imagine a big bank asking its customers to follow them on Twitter. Even if they convinced us it’s not a cynical marketing exercise that’s just paying lip service to the new technology, how would it work?
- Would it be the bank’s CEO sending the Twitter messages?
- Would they respond to customer complaints?
- Would they take up an issue on your behalf and get it resolved?
- Would they be allowed to criticise the bank?
- Would they engage in real conversations (as opposed to corporate speak)?
- Would they truly engage with individuals (as opposed to just sending marketing messages)?
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd jumped on the Twitter band wagon, but he doesn’t get it either (The Sun Herald describes him as “a boring Twit”). It’s all one-way communication, with typically bland political announcements.
We can be different.
As small business owners, we have – or should have – a relationship with our customers. They know us, they trust us, they know what footy team we support and they know where our kids go to school.
Note that I didn’t say you know what footy team they support or where their kids go to school. You might know that, and some salespeople are taught to connect with their customers at that level. But this is the other way around: You’re giving them an insight into you, which is a completely different thing altogether.
If you’re uncomfortable with that, get over it! I’m not suggesting you share every aspect of your personal life with your customers. And I definitely advise you to think about your privacy and security when you choose to share with people outside your family and close friends. But be willing to show a bit of personality, so they can connect with you as a person.
(This is one of my nine principles of what’s new in Internet marketing. For the others, download my new e-book – it’s free – here).
Another great idea, Gihan. Only took me about two years of you telling me this before I finally did it.
To all other readers – don’t wait two years like I did, jump in. (Oh and read the book too – terrific!)