What image pops into your head when someone says you need to be professional? It might feel a bit stiff, possibly even boring. You need to be reserved, use formal language, and keep your views out of it. I don’t think so. You can have a personality and still connect with your customers while remaining professional. In fact, it makes you more memorable.
What does being professional mean to you?
I was networking recently, and we got onto the subject of finding good tradespeople. Everyone around the table had multiple stories about plumbers who didn’t reply to messages or decorators who came for a look around your house and never sent a quote. It wouldn’t have mattered if their messages had used basic language. We’d still have thought of them as professional if they’d only communicated with us.
The same applies to your marketing. You don’t have to be a corporate cardboard cutout. Using the words and phrases you’d naturally use in conversation lets people understand how you work and who they’re dealing with. When you sound like yourself, it helps you stand out. The important thing is to make the message clear and follow up with good service.
Forgettable marketing
I spend most of my work-related social media time on LinkedIn these days (come and connect with me if you’re there). I used to avoid it because I associated it with my former life as a solicitor and felt it was probably too corporate for a small business like mine. The other off-putting thing? People who write identikit posts about getting up at 5 am to meditate and journal or share remarkably mature words of wisdom from their 6-year-old.
Most people don’t write like that, but they often tone themselves down so much that anyone could have written their posts, website and emails. Reading them might give people the information they want, but they don’t get any sense of the person behind the words. By the time they’ve finished reading, they’ve already forgotten who you are.
Personality makes you memorable
You don’t want to be forgettably generic, so what’s the alternative? It’s sounding like a human being. When you’ve chosen a topic to write about, imagine you’re having a conversation about it first. What would you say if you had someone sitting in front of you? Share your views, even if they differ from what people might expect. Tell a story that explains why you do what you do.
Personality doesn’t have to mean drama. It just needs to sound like you, letting your readers spend time in your world and get to know you.
You don’t have to bare your soul
The idea of sharing your personality can feel scary. Maybe there are important things that inform your perspective, but that you’d rather not share with the world. That’s OK. Mixing personality and professionalism can mean focusing on your work and leaving your personal life out of it. Talk about the networking events you go to, your random conversations, or your opinion on current events that relate to your industry.
Equally, you might worry that your work is a bit boring and it feels difficult to infuse it with personality. Think about what you offer and how it helps your customers. When was the last time you solved a knotty problem or helped someone overcome a challenge? Does working quietly and being methodical mean you spot the things others miss? You might not think it’s very exciting, but it helps people identify you as someone with the skills they need.
Building trust
Good marketing is all about helping people get to know you and understand how you help them. It lets people get to know you and see you as a real person that they can talk to. Your professionalism comes through when you talk about your skills and experience, use personal stories, and reflect on what could have gone better. Doing that consistently means that when they have their first face-to-face conversation with you, they feel as if you’ve already met. In fact, it could be the reason they book the call. It’s far less scary to arrange to speak to someone who feels human rather than a corporate drone.
Ready for a chat?
Have a look at something you’ve already written. Does it sound like you, or would your personality shine through if you adjusted the language? If you need some help finding your voice, I can help with that.
When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business, and write content that showcases your best self, helping you connect with your ideal customers and talk about what matters most to them.
You can email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.
Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you. It also includes hints and tips to help you structure your posts if you’re currently writing your content yourself.
