A Face Behind the Brand: How to Humanize Your Business for Maximum Growth Social media has made us more accessible to clients than ever before -- here's how to make the most of it.
By Morissa Schwartz Edited by Amanda Breen
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
At the time of writing, Elon Musk has 59.9 million Twitter followers while Tesla has 10.9 million. Social media reflects real-world sentiments. Musk, a social-media-savvy tech billionaire, is overwhelmingly more popular than Tesla. It demonstrates that the public is often more interested in the person behind the brand than the brand itself. Such a person can directly influence the success of the brand.
Why is this?
Long before social media up-ended traditional marketing, Zig Ziglar used to say, "People buy on emotion, and justify with logic."
Tesla's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy. This is a compelling statement! It's straightforward and logical.
Elon Musk believes it. He's sharing his message, and we're listening.
As consumers, we're going to take the word of someone that we know and trust. We're going to act on the information of someone that we believe honestly has our best interests at heart.
Related: 9 Tips for Creating an Awesome Brand
What kind of person does a consumer connect with so that they're motivated to act?
The face behind the brand is relevant
As consumers, we want to be relevant. Things change so quickly; we often rely on influencers to keep us up to speed. We're prepared to take their word for it.
The internet is inundated with brands all vying for their customers' attention. Keeping up with current industry trends can help our brand become more competitive. Building a versatile brand that meets the ever-changing needs of our consumers helps our brand stand out.
Humanizing a company through a single influential face is one way to do this. An influencer can more easily adapt to trends. This adaptability is a quality that companies need in a constantly evolving market.
The face behind the brand has experience with the product
The effectiveness of the face behind the brand concept is well-illustrated in Popsugar's features of influencers like Christine Bullock, whose secret to success is competitor market research. She identifies what other brands offer and whether or not other businesses address the current needs of their consumers.
People will follow an influencer on social media, and they'll see how a product is used in everyday life. Putting a face behind the brand gives the audience a relatable person to connect with. As they grow to appreciate this person, they increasingly engage with the brand and patronize the business.
The face behind the brand offers unique expertise
Thanks to Instagram and TikTok, it's easier than ever for brands to have "faces" that the public can relate to. Businesses can utilize this common feature by posting videos featuring a face that represents their brand. And, in turn, our brand gets the attention it needs through social-media platforms.
One great example of this is Gary Vee. He took advantage of TikTok while it was still a rapidly growing platform and worked his way through the competitive influencer world of Instagram.
He essentially gave authoritative advice during these financially challenging times, growing his Instagram and TikTok following to 9.2 million and 8.9 million, respectively. He built an online reputation with insightful posts and a kind demeanor, all the while giving exposure to his "Vee" brand.
By taking advantage of these free social-media platforms and simply being himself, Vee became a relatable face behind his brand.
Related: 4 Branding Tips From Gary Vaynerchuk and Entrepreneurs Who Built Brands the World Can't Ignore
The face behind the brand is recognizable
It can be difficult for many to relate to a faceless brand. Adding a human face, someone consumers will recognize and associate with our company, to any branding campaign is an effective way to make our audience resonate with our business.
Consumers prefer engaging with another person instead of a completely abstract entity. They will be loyal to someone that's accessible, relatable and inspirational.
A person is easier to remember than a logo. When a consumer recognizes the face behind the brand, he or she will connect the message to the product.
The face behind the brand is responsible
With the ubiquitous internet, we're overwhelmed with information. We're aware that our lifestyle choices can have an impact, for better or for worse, that extends beyond our personal bubble. We factor sustainability into our purchasing decisions, and we need reassurance that our decisions are consistent with our social values.
A person that has established a relationship with a consumer through a targeted branding campaign is going to communicate this message effectively and compassionately.
The face behind your brand is how people build a relationship with you
We may not ever be a billionaire like Elon Musk, but we can drive a car like his. Tesla drivers may be logical and well-informed, but their Tesla makes them happy. They're connecting to a new Tesla community and believe that they're making the world a better place in the process.
Nobody wants to be just a number. Our customers want to be heard, understood and recognized as individuals. They crave emotional connection. And, as obvious as it sounds, people connect with people.
Ultimately, this is why we need a face behind our brand.
Related: Branding Strategies That Create Customers Who Spend 300% More
