How to Humanize Your Brand and Create a Connection With Your Customers as a Small Business Owner

When I started my business one of my main goals was to create a happy corner of the internet that felt more like a community and less like a business/customer relationship. I wanted my customers to feel like they were shopping with and supporting a friend, not some stranger on the internet. Here are the steps I took to make this happen! 

My favorite ways to build a connection with my customers:

1. Show up on social media

This one seems obvious but I'm not talking about simply posting on socials, you need to actually show up in the posts too! Your customers want to know the person behind the business and if you only ever share photos of your products they are never going to create a connection with you that will bring them back to purchase time and time again. I know, talking on stories is so awkward and sharing photos of yourself is scary but humanizing your business is the easiest way to connect with your customers! 

Ex: Get on stories to talk about your upcoming launch. Talk through the details on each item and tell your customers what YOU love about each product!

2. Share your life & interests

While we're on the topic of showing up on socials, another big way to humanize your brand is to share about your life and interests. You don't have to showcase all the details about your life but don't be afraid to talk about the things people can relate to! What's your favorite coffee order? Do you have a pet that keeps you company while you work? Where did you get that super cute candle in your office? Sharing relatable content is a great way to boost engagement and get conversations started!

Ex: Create a "get to know me" post to share a few fun facts about yourself and have your followers comment on which facts they relate to.

get to know me instagram post

3. Utilize the poll & question features on Instagram stories

I use the poll features on Instagram stories as often as I can because 1. it's a great way to boost my engagement 2. your customers will value having their opinions heard and 3. it's an easy way to gage what your customers are looking for. I love using this feature to ask my customers about future product options. Which color do they prefer? What size do they like better? It is so helpful to know exactly what your customers are looking for. You can also use the question box to ask what products they would like to see in the future!

Ex: Deciding between two color ways for a new product? Post a story with both color ways and use the poll feature to see which color your customers prefer.

tips to engage with your customers on social media

4. Engage with customers on socials

Be sure to engage with the comments on your posts and reply to your dm's! I always try to take the time after sharing a post to reply to all my comments. For me, answering dm's can feel overwhelming so I normally pick a few messages I want to respond to in the moment and go back to answer more at a later time. If a customer takes the time to share their order on socials be sure to message/comment with a big thank you! 

5. Use copy that sounds like you

Copy is the text that communicates your brand's tone and personality to your audience! Everything from your captions, product listings, text sections on your website, emails, text marketing, and packaging - includes your brands copy. The goal is to sound like yourself, don't stress too much on sounding professional. Remember, the goal is to humanize your brand. I use words like y'all and cute on an every day basis so I include them in my brand copy to sound more human and more like myself :)

6. Personalize your packaging

Upgrade your packaging so that it reflects your brand and feels more personal! You want to create an "experience" for your customers from the moment they click on your page all the way to their doorstep. This will help you stand out and build a memorable experience that will help turn your customers into returning customers.

Ex: Include a thank you card with a short message (don't forget to use your brand copy here too!). I like leaving space on the card so I can hand write the customers name for extra personalization. Adding stickers with cute messages is another fun & inexpensive way to personalize your packaging too!

small business packaging

These are just my top 6 tips but I have so many more! If you would like a Part Two on this topic please let me know, I'm happy to share. And don't be afraid to send me a dm on Instagram if you have questions about any of these tips!

1 comment

I always thought that a website had to look professional / corporate. But that’s far from true. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I like the way you put it — to humanize our brand because after all, we are real humans and makers behind our products! Thank you for sharing this post. It has been so helpful! Looking forward to more content like this!

Kailuna Co

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.