Sometimes I hear of people worrying about how they ‘come across’ in their marketing activities. It might be trying not to be too controversial on social media (understandable in the content of ‘pile-ons’ we unfortunately see sometimes), or just wanting to be careful to be fairly bland so as not to rule out potential clients with a jarring word or social media post.
But showing your personality when you’re marketing is really important and can make such a difference to how effective your marketing is. Here are five reasons why you should be doing it:
1. It’s easier!
When you’re talking to people, at networking events, posting on social media, writing blog posts or whatever you’re doing, if you’re just being naturally yourself, that’s so much easier than moderating what you’re doing or trying to come across differently. How exhausting that would be! Marketing is often not people’s favourite activity anyway, so being yourself makes it much more enjoyable, which means you relax, which means you’re better at it!
2. “People buy people”
This is something we hear a lot, but for small business HR consultants it is particularly true – probably more so than for other professional services a small business owner might engage. You can be incredibly knowledgeable and experienced, and your services can be excellent value for money, but if your potential client doesn’t feel engaged by you personally, it is unlikely to work. Small business owners need an HR consultant they can trust, and get on well with, and feel an affinity with, and personality is a big part of that. Showing your personality during marketing means potential clients can start deciding before they even meet you whether you might be a good fit for them.
3. Removes inhibitions
Potential clients are more likely feeling comfortable approaching you at the point they need some help if they already feel they know you a bit. By showing your personality in marketing activities, that can start to be the case. Sometimes a potential client might feel worried about asking for advice. They might feel they’ve messed up, they might feel their question is a silly one. If they feel they know you a bit, those things are less likely to inhibit them picking up the phone.
4. Enhances credibility
Whether you are part of a franchise like face2faceHR, or work for a consultancy, or are a solo independent, your business is likely to have values, an ethos, an approach to business, whether explicitly stated or not. If your personality ‘fits’ those values (as it hopefully does!), they come alive, and aren’t just words on a website, they are how you live your business. Your credibility is then enhanced, which means people will be more likely to trust that you’ll deliver.
5. Helps self-selection
Ultimately, you want clients and potential referrers who are a good fit for you. Those relationships are always going to work best for both parties, be fruitful, profitable and enjoyable. And you don’t want clients and referrers who won’t be a good fit. They are the ‘wrong’ people.
Attracting the ‘wrong’ people is unlikely to work anyway, as they’re unlikely to end up working with you, or, if they do, the relationship may not last or may be difficult. Showing your personality should attract the right people, and, if by doing so you dissuade the ‘wrong’ people from approaching you, that’s only a good thing! There’s probably another HR consultant out there.
If you think you’ve got the right personality to work with small to medium-sized businesses in your area, do get in touch for a chat.