At some point, we all feel as if we might be invisible. Our Facebook posts sink without trace, blog posts are ignored and the phone never rings. You probably just need to improve your marketing, but how?
That’s when the doubts start to creep in. Maybe we’re just not cut out for self-employment. Why would anyone choose to work with us when there are better people out there?
I get it. Sometimes the ups and downs have nothing to do with the facts and everything to do with our own brains. So what can you do?
Focus on your strengths
It’s up to you whether you compare yourself with the competition or not. Some people find it useful but if you’re spending hours looking at what other people are doing instead of working on your own business, stop. It’s not helping.
Other people might offer the same product or service as you, but they’re not you. Developing a working relationship with someone isn’t just based on talent. It’s about personality too. People need to feel that you’re their kind of person and that working with you will be easy.
Improve your marketing with personality
Your relationship with your customers might need a certain level of formality. That doesn’t mean that you don’t show some of your personality. You can improve your marketing by taking the same approach.
You are the difference between your business and everyone else’s so your content marketing needs to reflect that. If you can write a blog post that shares some of your story it can help your customers to relate to you. You could write about your reasons for getting into your industry or even just share snippets about your day to day life. Your customers will connect with you much more easily if you have a common reference point.
Think about style
The way that you write will help you improve your marketing. The easiest way to get your personality across is by writing in your own voice. It can be tricky. The question you need to ask is whether someone who knows you in real life would hear your voice in your writing. This can be really important if your service involves speaking to clients.
Imagine reading a blog, written by someone you’re considering working with. You love their style and they come across as someone whose company you’d enjoy. Then you go and meet them and they’re the complete opposite of what you’d imagined. What a disappointment.
Finding your style
So how do you write with personality? Try talking before you write. Tell the story you want to tell and record it, then write it down. It might need a few tweaks but it will be in your voice.
Good grammar helps to create a professional impression but breaking the rules can sometimes sound more natural. The key is to think about what your audience needs.
If you’re really struggling to find the right balance between your personality and your business, talk to a writer. I do a fair bit of ghost writing which means I have a few different voices in my head. For most people, that sort of admission could prompt a visit from a psychiatrist. Luckily writers can get away with it! Seriously though, sometimes a fresh pair of eyes (and ears) can really help.
Do you struggle with injecting personality to improve your marketing or do you find it easy? Drop me a comment and let me know!
Further reading
If you’d like to read more about finding your voice, I’ve written a blog about it which you can read here.
Claire Mitchell of The Girls Mean Business is brilliant at getting her personality across in writing. Check out her blog here.