‘Make your brand more human.’ This has been the loud and clear mantra communications experts have been telling since the boom of social media. But what exactly does it mean for a brand to be ‘human’? Roughly, it has to have these characteristics:
It talks in a relatable manner.
Social media has made brands more reachable. Consumers can send their questions or complaints in a few seconds to the Facebook or Instagram page, with just a click, without a hassle. Much like what people do when they talk to friends and loved ones. That very similar communication mechanism in close social circles applicable to reaching out to brands is the reason many customers expect companies to talk exactly like a human being. They don’t want the chatbot messages or templated responses. They need you to speak in a language they themselves use, precisely because it appeases them that there’s actually a human being behind the neat logo and the popular name. So in your brand messages, whether in billboard copies to social media posts, even to the last thank-you note in your chatbox, make it a habit to leave them relatable. At the same time though, adhere to your brand identity. If you don’t have a brand bible yet, consult KC advertising agencies to help you get started on it.
It tells stories.
People love stories. When a friend starts talking, ‘so here’s what happened…’, everybody listens. Your consumers are drawn to narratives, simply because it makes sense of the things around them and their experiences of it. So if you want to be like that ‘friend’ who collects ears when they start talking, you have to start talking about stories. What stories? Those that will be of great relevance to them. For instance, rather than talking about the benefits of your products and services, champion your consumers who have experienced such themselves. In that regard, your storyboard will look as simple as the problem in the beginning, the use of the product in the climax, and the difference the brand made in the resolution. In terms of content online, this can take different forms: photos, videos, or blog posts. The more that you exhaust various types of content, the more it will resonate to different kinds of audiences.
It stays true to its personality.
As much as people have unique quirks and dispositions, so should your brand if you want to make it more human. You have to be especially conscious of your company’s personality in every aspect of your business, from your product design to retail store layout down to your brand ambassador choices. Everything should embody your ‘psyche’, your funness or candidness or professionalism. Now, if you’re just starting out and you don’t have a clear vision yet of how you would project your organization to the world, reach out to brand image specialists to guide you in the decision-making process.
Is Your Brand Humanized?
Humanized brands are more engaging to audiences. It’s the secret to creating loyal, committed consumers, and thus more opportunities to do business. So ask yourself, how human is your brand?
