‘I’: two letters next to each other on the keyboard. The monosyllable we pronounce most often. Yet many are afraid to use it in marketing communication.
There has been no doubt since social media has existed: at the center there are people who communicate with people. The brand enters this conversation but on tiptoe and asking for permission.
Doors open to ‘I’ so even if writing in first person risks slipping. Those who ‘put their face to it’ also run the risk of getting very hurt (and damaging the brand).
Put your face (and a description)
Rule number one. No false modesty! Whoever deals with a theme wants to be recognized as a point of reference on that theme. But on what basis? A brief self-description is therefore needed. Not a CV, for heaven’s sake! A few indications, perhaps written in a nice way, are enough.
Autobiographical ideas? Yes if …
It is possible to include some personal hints in the communication as long as it is relevant (related to the topic to be dealt with) and consistent with the buyer persona, that is, with the profile of the ideal interlocutor. The autobiographical cues serve to bring the reader closer to the author. So let’s avoid mentioning trekking in Tibet or super academic qualifications.
Stay ‘warm’ and different
If the relationship was opened on a ‘personal’ level, it cannot be closed. What would we think of a person who one day greets us with affection and the following days treats us coldly? Similarly, if you choose a personal tone, you need to distinguish yourself from other forms of corporate communication in terms of graphics (different layout, different use of photos and fonts) and content. We avoid using phrases or images that are also present in corporate communication.
We live on stories
Sharing stories is always better than proposing data. Our brain absorbs and metabolizes stories much better than any other source of information: it memorizes them, reacts to them by making them its own by sharing them and is led to modify its own behavior on this basis more than it would do in the face of logical reasoning.