The Human Touch: Five Ways to Humanize Your Company’s Brand

There is a saying that “people don’t buy from companies, but they buy from people.” This idea has proven to be true for many. Think about the last time you purchased something. Your interactions with people who represented the brand likely impacted your decision to buy. 

This reason is why personalities like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Oprah, and countless other entrepreneurs and moguls are synonymous with their brand. People are impacted by the ideas and personal touches of these people. 

How do you ensure that your brand has a human touch that attracts your target audience, especially in these times? Take a look below: 

Show Who is Behind The Scenes 

You don’t want your customers feeling like they are purchasing from a faceless company. You want your audience to connect with you and your staff. This can mean including bios on your team members, profiling your staff on social media, or including a short video clip on “a day in their life” at the office. The goal is to ensure that customers know your staff represents your company’s values and that they are talking to real people when they call in, email, or interact with them on social media. 

Spotlight User-Generated Content

Seventy percent of consumers will consider user-generated content (UGC) when they make purchasing decisions. Again, people buy from people, and one of the most impactful groups of people that customers listen to is other customers. When your target audience sees that other individuals have positive interactions with your brand, your audience is more likely to go from becoming visitors to customers. Brands like UPS, Starbucks, and Disney have mastered the art of UGC on their social media channels, and because of it, customers can relate to these brands on a personal level. 

Be Accessible

One thing that many tech companies do well is interacting with customers over digital platforms. Both Microsoft and Apple have active forums where customers can communicate with one another and technical support staff. These digital communications can also include addressing customer complaints on social media or quickly answering questions through email. The more your brand communicates with customers, the more they will feel as if you care about their needs. Ultimately, they will see that your company is not an empty entity, but a group of people who care about their needs. 

Appreciate and Welcome Your Customers

A welcome email is 56 percent more effective than a standard email. There is a reason why customers respond to these messages more than others. A welcome email is in itself, personal. It lets your customers know that you acknowledge their decision to interact with you and that you are happy they are there. Think about how you interact with your friends. You recognize the things that they do, and you thank them for doing something favorable. When you say “welcome” or “thank you” to your audience, you are adding another human element to your brand and are personalizing the interactions you are having with potential customers. 

Tell Stories

Stories are 22 percent more memorable than facts and figures. It also causes more neural activity in the brain, which leads to more feelings and emotions from customers. Connecting storytelling with your product and brand is a great way to help your customer get to know the personality of your brand and your team. Automakers are known to be excellent at storytelling. Brands like Toyota, Subaru, and Ford have captured their audience’s attention by using their commercials and even social media content to tell stories about actual customers and make their audience the stars of their own story. You want your customers to see themself in your narrative, and storytelling brings that element to your branding. 

Humanizing Your Brand Isn’t Complicated

Think about what drives you to trust a brand. Your reasoning is probably not much different than how your customers think. Put yourself in their shoes, and develop ways to ensure your branding addresses their needs and concerns. The more you humanize your brand and ensure your customers don’t feel like they are talking to an unfeeling company, the easier it will be to strengthen their trust and loyalty. 

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