Some people call their business “their baby” and that’s not very far from the truth for many of us. A brand can take on a personality much like an actual person. In fact, the more human your business is, the more you’ll connect with your audience on a personal level. Let’s first define what we mean by “brand”
A brand is far more than what something looks like. It is the culmination of values and goals, molded by its actions and interpreted by its audience. A brand is not just what someone sees, it’s what they feel or think when they see it. ~Behind The Brand Podcast
When we use the above definition you see that a brand isn’t just a logo or the color you use on your website. It’s about how people feel when they hear your name, it’s about what they tell their friends about your services or what they see your business do on social media. Your brand has a personality and you want people to like you, really really like you.
Let’s put a face on your business idea. If it’s still early in your business planning phase, the persona will evolve over time. But it is your responsibility to know the personal you want your business to have so you can portray that to the public no matter how old (or new) your business is right now. If you haven’t defined the personality yet – now is the time to do that. So let’s get this down on paper and start working on the profile sketch.
- What personality traits and characteristics does your business have? Here’s a list of words you could use.
- Using the principles of color theory and the meanings or emotions that each color evokes, what is your business’ favorite color (or colors)?
- What’s your business’ favorite song or genre of music? Think about what kind of music might be playing on a television commercial for your business.
- Is your business introverted or extroverted? Does it gain energy from introspection or from being surrounded by people? Is it outgoing or reserved?
- If your business were a superhero, what would be its super power?
- What animal best describes your business’ personality? What characteristics of that animal are mirrored in your business philosophy and actions?
- What are some of the negative aspects of your business personality? What skeletons would you rather be kept in the closet and not exposed to the public?
These are just a few questions to get your started. Don’t hesitate to take this exercise as far as needed to get a clear picture of your business as a personality. Here’s a list of getting-to-know-you questions that might spark some more ideas.
Once you finish this exercise, it might help you to write a few sentences that describe your brand’s personality. Summarize the important character traits that define the persona of your business.