Do Business' Have Personalities?

YES! Words and actions create your personality... same holds true for your business.  When you are spending a lot of time (and money) on social marketing you need to make sure your online and in person personalities match! When your customers sign up for your email newsletter or subscribe to any of your various social media outlets they are saying they want to be a part of your mission and dialog.  It's relatively easy to build that online.  People have come up with "magic" formulas - post so many X type posts, followed by this number of Y type posts and do it at this time of day.  However, if the words don't match your actions you're going to have a very scattered personality. In the history of your life you've come across people that say one thing but do another and it's left you angry or confused, possibly elated... but typically the outcome is negative.  Think of your business, if the only message (or input) a customer receives is your social media feed... and that information says you're the happiest and most friendly place to shop, but the customer comes in to experience that your clerks are horribly evil and don't give a crap... your online efforts are the equivalent of verbal vomit.  Sorry to be harsh - but it's time to make sure that your online personality matches your in person personality.   The person who is constantly communicating with your outside world must communicate with your staff.  Match your values, align your goals, and find that voice. Below I included one of the coolest marketing / personality builders I've ever seen... The City of Tampa humanized their sidewalk, well Riverwalk.  This is a walkway along the river and allows visitors to travel great distances by foot between stores, hotels and the convention center.  Instead of just having the history and interesting sights on placards along your walk, they have created a personal "thought" journey.  Every so often you come across a beautiful stone with a quote.  They are quite inspirational and as you walk you ponder...  This allows the visitors to take in the sights, sounds, smells but also incorporates positive thoughts.  It's a great conversation starter, too.  Can you do this at your business?  Maybe not a stone river walk, but can you post online different thoughts or inspirational quotes, or add to your newsletter, or frame near your cash register.  I know a certain coffee house that gives a 10 cent discount if you get a trivia question correct... I also have spent more than one visit arguing with my husband over the answer!   The trivia won't make the coffee better, but it does build the personality of the business as a place to spur conversation.   Now again, you've got to match... if you're a matter of fact business, warm and fuzzy messages will feel artificial.  It's ok to be "matter of fact" just make sure to own it online.