Customers, employees, and business owners all have one thing in common – we are all human! It’s important that customers feel they are dealing with living, breathing people that understand their needs and concerns rather than robots. Humanizing your company takes some thought, but doing just a few small things can help you make a more personal connection with your customers.
Create a blog
Blogs are a great way to share timely and relevant information if you stay on top of the latest news and trends. Once you develop content and write blog posts, you can socialize them and drive traffic to your website. Companies who blog receive 97 percent more links back to their websites.
Video blogs (vlogs) are also a creative way to show off your company’s unique abilities and display your employees’ individual personalities.
Generate original content
According to Demand Metric, 90 percent of consumers find custom content useful. Creating original content allows companies to establish credibility and build a loyal customer base. Putting out a public whitepaper, expert paper, or e-book or conducting a webinar will create buzz and get people excited to hear what you have to say.
Book speaking engagements
Speaking engagements provide an opportunity to show your personality, authenticity, and ability to develop real connections with your customers.
Even though social media is great, there is nothing like face-to-face contact!
Get active on social media
Social media is the perfect way to engage with your audience. You can share content and develop a following on various social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and more! Social video apps are also becoming an increasingly popular way to engage audiences. Depending on whether you are a B2B or B2C company, you just have to decide which platform is best for you.
Show a sense of humor
Your content should be infused with personality. Don’t be afraid to show emotion, wit, and humor!
Always remember that laughter is the best medicine. After all, no company wants to be perceived as outdated or uptight. It is definitely possible to get your point across and humanize your company at the same time.
Use everyday language
Speak in your audience’s language. Remember that the people you are targeting may not be as expert-level as you are. There is no need to talk over people’s heads using buzzwords or industry jargon on social media.
Engage in conversation
According to a recent survey, brands only reply to about 11 percent of people who reach out. Even worse, almost a third of those ignored by a brand will go to their competitor instead.
Make sure you respond back to people’s posts and comments, whether they’re on social media or your website. Small gestures can go a long way in building rapport and keeping your customers happy.
Be approachable
Make your company’s tone personal, approachable, and engaging. It is important to act like a person, not a robot. Engagement with your audience allows you to build stronger, more meaningful relationships to better humanize your company.
Having a great product or service is definitely necessary, but portraying your company as authentic and genuine can be just as important. Giving your company a human touch can make all the difference to customers looking for more than just another faceless corporation.