Tips for creating a relatable brand personality

Being relatable is HUGELY important, as you build your brand. You want your brand to be seen as a friend, or a mentor, or guide… And definitely not as a soulless robot.

Giving your brand human traits and a voice FULL of character, helps your business feel relatable. It makes people want to know your brand better.

So, that’s where defining your brand personality comes in.

Your brand personality helps to set the right tone and attract the right kind of clients. It makes it easier to build trust with your audience and emphasise what makes your brand different and valuable.

So! Here are some tips you can use to create a brand personality that gives your business a unique and inviting sense of character.

(Looking for a list of brand personality traits to choose from? Check out this list of 160 adjectives!)

1. Identify your ideal client first

Like every aspect of branding, creating a brand personality should be a reflection of the kind of client you want to attract. Often, this means creating a brand personality that is a lot like your clients themselves. That might come in the form of a shared sense of humour or expressing thoughts and feelings in the same way that they do.

Want some help defining your ideal clients? Click here for questions that will allow you dive deeper into who they are so you know how to catch their attention.

2. Give your clients what they need

Being likeable is important — clients don’t want to work with brands they don’t like, after all. BUT remember you’re usually not just there to be their friend. You have to be seen as a business that’s capable of providing the services they’re looking for.

Does that mean you need to be firm or capable of tough love? Are your clients looking for a business that’s very discreet? Do they need a business that’s very forthcoming and action-taking?

Create a brand personality that’s in line with the knowledge, skills and guidance you offer to your clients.

3. Use insider language

The words you use in your branding are a key way to express your brand personality. Use your messaging to not only convey your personality, but also strengthen the relationship between your business and its audience.

You can do this by

Repeatedly referencing stories and ideas that are relevant to your brand
Using the same vocabulary as your audience
Most importantly, starting conversations. Don’t just talk at your audience. Talk with them.

4. Don’t hide your quirks

You know what? “Nice” is boring. If all your brand’s personality traits are overwhelmingly positive and designed to please absolutely everybody, then you’re missing out on an opportunity to really stand out. Your brand isn’t for everyone. Don’t shy away from aspects that rub some people the wrong way. If someone doesn’t like the way your business speaks, don’t even worry about it because they’re not your ideal client.

Your little quirks are what makes your business interesting. It might be that your brand is unapologetically straight-talking. Maybe it’s a little brash or sarcastic or secretive. Maybe it’s cute to the point of being nauseating!

It’ll turn some people off, for sure. But if it aligns with your clients’ needs, they’ll love it.

5. Be human

This leads right on from my last point and is also, surprisingly, easier said than done.

Many of us have this idea that being professional means using a corporate voice, not saying anything controversial, and only focusing on showcasing your business in the most polished, smoothed-out light. We think that’s what it takes to be taken seriously… but it just turns out incredibly dry and forgettable.

People want to connect with people. And in service-based businesses, that’s important for building trust. Your business IS led by people. Whether it’s just you, or you have a team, you’re all human. Shouldn’t your business be human, too?

So, in your business, talk the way you’d talk to real people. Simple, straight-forward explanations, instead of fancy, convoluted ones designed to sound “smart”. Visual designs that communicate feelings. A brand experience that treats your clients like unique individuals. Start by giving your brand a sense of personality that showcases its human side.

Last thoughts

When working with clients, the brand personality is one of the key factors for defining how the brand should sound and look. Developing a strong sense of the traits used to describe the brand, really helps to guide its direction.

You may also be interested in taking the Brand Personality Quiz, to use as a starting point as you choose the words to describe your own brand. Check it out the Brand Personality Quiz.

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