Building Community: Part 1

 

I’m starting a series this week on this Flash Briefing (and blog!) all around the theme of how Your Story Builds Community. I talk a lot about how your story can help you create community in general — but what does that really mean? How does it really work?

Every day this week, We will dive a little deeper into this.

No matter if you are a business with a tangible product, or a service-based personal brand, it’s important you find ways to share your story with your audience for this reason — it shows you are human. So often, marketing your business can feel sterile and cold, and your potential clients can be turned off by this.

You must find ways to share the heartbeat of your business and brand by showing the humans behind the machine.

In my own business, I use my social media channels to take my audience behind the curtain and show off different aspects of my life — I often will take the time to share bits of my story illustrate the passion for my work.

I share behind the scenes of when I go on interviews and am producing stories for clients.

Occasionally, I’ll share details from my life as a mom and wife.

Even if you are ultra- private — there are ways to show you are a REAL person without doing too deep into your personal life. Maybe it’s just a photo of you working at your desk, running your empire, showing you in your element rather than showing the polished headshot that sits on your LinkedIn profile page.

Maybe its a quick video of you at an industry conference, gleaning valuable wisdom and sharing a hot tip with your audience.

Just taking a minute to open up and create opportunities for your audience to see you are a real person — the human behind the brand — gives them an opportunity to feel the heartbeat of your business.

Sharing your story from time to time allows them to feel the passion behind your work — the reason you get up and do what you do every day.

When people can feel something, they are more likely to take action.

Sharing your story is a way to draw your audience in a little closer and make them want to stick around to learn more. They become more curious about your services and products as a result. They read a few more pages on your website. They try to find you on different social media channels to see what your up to. They opt-in for one of your free offers and open your emails.

In order for your audience to see you has a human, I think it’s important to remind yourself of this, too.

You are way more than just the CEO of your business. That’s just one of your titles.

What’s your favorite food?
How do you unwind after a long day?
What do you do on the weekend’s to refuel?
Who on your team is your right-hand person? How do they help you?
Who in your career has inspired you and pushed you to want to be better in the work you do?
What book are you reading right now?

These are all small details you have the opportunity to share with your audience. Find ways to sprinkle these into your communications.

I would love to see more businesses — big businesses, not just entrepreneurs and personal brands — do more of this.

Where is the heartbeat of your business? How can you show it more to your audience? Be the human behind your brand. 

Check back here tomorrow as we continue talking about Building Community with our stories.... each post will build upon the last, and give you a much better sense of how this all works, and how you can use it in your own life & business. 

 

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