A senior consultant called me with a problem a few weeks ago.
She had written a great article for her sales effectiveness services firm. It was called “Mastering Sales Compensation.” With a new certification under her belt, she explained that her next business goal is to begin contributing content to support her company.
The problem?
Her leader wanted her to infuse her personality into the content.
“I don’t know how to do that,” she said. “How do I bring my personality to this subject?”
I took a closer look at the article. It delved into the various partnerships needed to succeed in sales compensation administration.
I smiled. “That was good feedback,” I said.
The information was thoughtful, gleaned from nearly two decades of experience. It read like a white paper, educational and formal.
Her leader wanted to take it further. She wanted the content to resonate with readers. And she knew that to connect with readers takes personality.
But how do you add it?
First, understand why personality matters in content marketing.
Whether you’re creating marketing content for your business or book, it’s not enough to convey information. Your audience wants more than what you know. They want you.
That’s why the feedback I regularly receive after speaking is rarely about the information I teach. It’s always, always about me.
“I appreciate your transparency,” people say. “Your willingness to share personal stories.”
The same is true for writing. Infusing your personality into your message invites people to relate to you. They’ll be more receptive to learning from and being inspired by you. When they see that you share their values and experiences, they’re more likely to trust you, join your community, and engage with you.
It’s a tremendous service to your company. By showcasing your personality, you humanize the brand and help set it apart from competitors. Your content marketing can attract the ideal business audience and build loyalty over time.
Here are ten tips to bring your personality to your content marketing.
1. Find a universal theme in your information. Look past your industry-specific wording to identify the broad concept you want to convey.
2. Consider an analogy. Think about a real-life visual that can help people quickly grasp your concept. Skip obvious comparisons and brainstorm ideas about current events, pop culture, history, science, art, or your life.
3. Tell a personal story. Share a behind-the-scenes experience, success, or challenge to make the topic more relevant and compelling. Commit to telling a story that allows you to be vulnerable with others.
4. Answer a burning question. Address a question your audience is wondering about, even if it’s taboo in your industry. Talk frankly about pricing and factually about product comparisons. People will appreciate your honest perspective on questions that no one else is willing to tackle. To dive into this strategy, read Marcus Sheridan’s revolutionary content marketing book, They Ask, You Answer.
5. Use humor. If appropriate for your brand and audience, a touch of playfulness can liven up even the dullest subject.
6. Show your enthusiasm. Express your energy and passion for your topic. Inspire others to care.
7. Use photographs. People aren’t as interested in stock images of products and services. Personalized images perform up to 60% better on LinkedIn, especially if people are in the photo and, most of all, if you’re in the photo. Incorporating brand colors in your images boosts brand recall by 15%. Vertical photos render best across all devices.
8. Use other creative formats. Repurpose your content to reach your audience in many ways. For example, I use a hub-spoke strategy. I write one thoughtful article each month (my “hub”). Then, I divide that into shorter weekly social media posts (my “spokes”). You can also turn your content into polls, quizzes, memes, or infographics to reflect your personality and style. Videos and live streams perform best!
9. Engage with your readers. Take the time to read online comments, thank people for their time, and respond meaningfully. LinkedIn evaluates the relevance and audience interest of a post within its first 90 minutes, so stick around to reply to messages quickly.
10. Trust the process. Resist the temptation to add a link to your book or business in social media posts. Studies show this may result in a 50% lower reach on LinkedIn. Content marketing is a long game, so focus on building relationships with your readers rather than pushing products and services.
Here’s one solution to the personality problem.
We applied these tips to address the personality problem of the senior consultant.
A quick look at her Facebook page showed no problem with nailing personality. There’s much more to her than sales incentive compensation. She’s a Navy veteran, Houston Astros fan, and pet lover. She travels, is married to her high school sweetheart, and is surrounded by friends.
The detail that jumped out to me most was her running. There were many happy photos of her holding 5K and 10K medals. It got me thinking about her article.
The introduction to her article mentioned that success in her field hinges on balancing challenges and developing several skills. I know from personal experience that success in racing also requires balance and development. Runners must balance training, nutrition, and rest while developing strength, endurance, and speed.
I encouraged her to use running as an analogy to bring her topic to life. It’s a hobby that many people share. She could incorporate humor. (If you’ve ever prepared for a race, you know funny material abounds.) And she could use photos to personalize her storytelling even more.
Whatever strategy she ultimately uses to bring personality, I look forward to her final article. And I applaud her initiative to support her company through content marketing!
Conclusion
Take the time time to bring your personality to your content. It helps create a memorable brand experience and build relationships with your audience.
Begin by identifying your universal theme. Then, illustrate it using analogies and personal stories. Consider adding humor, expressing your enthusiasm, and answering burning questions. Dial up your marketing by using personal photos and other creative formats. Be sure to respond to comments.
Remember: Content marketing is a long game whether you’re marketing a book or business. Make it enjoyable for both you and your audience!
*Special thanks to LinkedIn content creation & analytics tool AuthoredUp for the LinkedIn insights.