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There is an apparent misconception amongst some online businesses and bloggers that personality is a bad thing.
If I had a dollar for every bland and uninspiring blog that I had come across (and subsequently left), I would be a rich man. The same goes for websites in general – I am far more attracted to something a little edgy or interesting, rather than the same old safe design and content.
Photo By Noel
I believe that this lack of personality is borne out of the fear of losing leads – the logic being that personality provokes judgment – that personality can polarize. The “safe” play therefore is to remove personality from the equation.
The irony is that such polarization is a good thing.
The Power of Being Yourself
We all have crises of personality at times. We fear what people think of us. But the most important thing to bear in mind at such times is that all we can do is be ourselves. Sure – we should seek to improve our character if it is in fitting with what we aspire to be, but trying to be someone we are not is never a practical move. You can’t please everyone.
The exact same principle should apply to your “online personality”. Those who are truly themselves are the people who invariably build a loyal and passionate audience or clientele. They’ll also build up a whole bunch of people who just plain don’t like them, but that isn’t a bad thing. People who don’t like other people tend to go public with their judgements, which leads to exposure, which leads to a bigger audience.
Take the likes of Ashley Ambirge or Johnny B. Truant – both larger than life characters. I do not read either of their blogs, and I actually find Ashley’s content quite irritating. And yet here I am, mentioning these two blogs – because they stand out. Even though I’m not a fan of either, they still get exposure. Their content is like a drop of blood in the ocean – despite the ocean’s utter vastness, the sharks will still come when they smell blood.
Businesses with Personality
The concept of businesses with personality is becoming more and more common. From MOO to Apple, many businesses are becoming driven by their character. This in turn attracts a loyal clientele who will buy because they like the business as much as they like the product.
For evidence of this, just consider the businesses you buy products and services from. There are many different reasons that define who you choose:
- Price
- Quality
- Service
And so on. But there will be at least one business you buy from because you simply like them. Yes, they make a good product, but they are also eminently likable as a brand. For me personally, Innocent is an example of this. TOMS is another great one. You will undoubtedly have your own.
Don’t Fear Polarization
So I urge you to bind your personality into your online presence. Be something more than the norm, because you are. Elevate yourself above the drone of monotony, and you will soon find that more people are more interested in what you have to say.
Even be a little reckless, if it feels right. Whilst risk taking can result in loss, playing it safe will typically result in nothing.
What are you waiting for?
This post was written by Tom Ewer, a regular contributor for MyWifeQuitHerJob.com!
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“Those who are truly themselves are the people who invariably build a loyal and passionate audience or clientele.”
Made me think about Pat Flynn who was mentioned in Forbes yesterday.
Good Suggestions. The old saying that bad press is still press holds true, perhaps blue hair and platform shoes are not such a bad thing after all.
[...] The Power of Personality in Online Business There is an apparent misconception amongst some online businesses and bloggers that personality is a bad thing. If I had a dollar for every bland and [...]
There’s nothing worse than a plain vanilla, corporate presence. Boooring. But some of my favorite bloggers also use some pretty crass language (TheOatmeal comes to mind). I won’t be venturing into that kind of prose for one of my new businesses (selling children’s tea sets) but I wonder if it’s ever appropriate for a blog that’s connected to a business? What do you think?
Agreed. I specifically hate the use of large, not often used words and corporate speak.
Hey Catherine,
I think it depends upon your business’ “personality” and clientele. Some corporations don’t really have a choice but to be formal and entirely professional in their writing.
Cheers,
Tom
Hey there, I think yes, there needs to be a level of honesty about who you are when you’re blogging, however there is such a thing as professional restraint, or lack of openness. IOW, perhaps it’s better to be honest than to be open, at least about oneself. You want your personality to shine through, but you don’t want to share inappropriate things that later on come back to bite you in the butt. I guess it depends on your market too. Mine is very general. If I get too edgy I can put off some of those I want to keep reading. For me it’s not so black and white.
Hey Heather,
Glad to see you here! Different tactics work for different people. Some bloggers cuss up a storm, are crass, and have a loyal following. Others just come across as authentic and it works too. It largely depends on what type of customers you want to attract.