The greatest asset your business has, and will likely ever have, is you. You are the creative force, the visionary believer, the person willing to expend the effort to try and build something worthwhile. Even if you run a modest Etsy store or a small local cafe (which are by no means “less than” any other type of business), it’s important to recognize the value you bring and the platform you have.
For this reason, using your personality for the good of your business is not just a good idea, it can help your company go from a relatively faceless organization to a charming enterprise worth knowing. But of course, it’s not just about cracking jokes every time a customer comes in or beaming from ear to ear in your promotional material. There are very helpful ways you can invest your personality into your business that doesn’t feel like some kind of theatrical show or parade. Let’s discuss what those may be, below:
Showcase Your Expertise Online
Showing who you are and what your expertise is can improve your credibility and even make you look like an authority. That could involve using blog posts, social media, or videos, as a space to visit and learn from, and might include offering tips related to your industry, sharing behind-the-scenes insights, or even creating how-to guides. For example, if you’re an expert on cheeses in a artisan store, why not write about them at length on your website?
Freeing Yourself From The Checkout
Sometimes, business owners can feel chained to the customer service angle, so why not give yourself more freedom in practicing that? Implementing a system that allows you to use your iPad as a POS system can encourage you to walk around your shop floor and engage with guests, perhaps even processing sales and orders right then and there. It also lets your other staff members focus on space maintenance or customer flow management while you let yourself shine.
Become A Community Presence
As a business owner, you’re part of a location, and there’s no better way to ingratiate yourself to local customers than celebrating that area. Being an active presence in the local community can make you more visible too, which is a worthwhile place to start. That may mean contributing to community events, sponsoring local causes, or collaborating with other businesses through partnerships and mutual sales, but of course, these are just some suggestions and not necessarily the full prescription. Your involvement in your local space showcases that you care about it and you want your presence to be a net good there. If you’re diligent and authentic about that, who could take issue with it? Just know that this might take a little time to convince customers of, but doing so can be more than helpful.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily use your personality for the good of your small business. We’re willing to bet that with a little effort, you’ll be amazed at how far a great, affable character can get you.
