Be yourself! How to stay professional but let your personality shine through

As a business owner, you want to be taken seriously and known as an expert in your field, but the biggest mistake for your business is not letting your personality shine through too, writes Ben Hughes, Vice President, Creative at Squarespace.

At Squarespace, one of the things we hear most frequently from small business owners is their desire to be taken seriously – to be seen as established, trustworthy and “real.”

Especially when first starting out, establishing credibility is crucial, and your business’ brand and online presence are powerful tools to help you achieve that.

However, many business owners make the mistake of playing it too safe, sacrificing personality in order to appear buttoned-up and professional.

Why personality beats professionalism in small business

The legendary ad man David Ogilvy once quipped, “You can’t bore people into buying your product; you can only interest them into buying it.”

This is excellent advice. Once your business has cleared a minimum threshold of professionalism, it’s time to pile on the personality, because it’s one of the cheapest and most effective ways to stand out from your competitors. Unless you’re an undertaker or a corporate accountant, you’re unlikely to lose potential clients because they found you too interesting.

Personality doesn’t have to mean littering your website with puns or designing a wacky logo, though (and really, you shouldn’t).

Here are four areas to consider when designing some interest into your business and brand:

1. About page

One of the most differentiating things about your business is its people and its story. Your About page is where you can show off both. Invest in some nice portrait photography, introduce yourself to potential clients, and tell the story of why you’re in business in the first place.

2. Colour

Injecting a bit of colour into your brand can immediately differentiate you from your more staid competitors, but avoid going full Google and throwing too many into the mix. Instead, create a simple palette of primary and secondary colours that evoke the emotion you want your brand to communicate.

3. Social media

Even the most conservative businesses can show a bit more personality on social media (consider this crime scene cleanup company with 4.2 million followers on TikTok). You don’t have to be goofy to make good content — showcasing your process or answering common questions can bring you an audience.

4. Automated emails

When someone buys your product, books your service, joins your mailing list or submits a form, they probably get an automated email. In most cases, these can be easily customised, so instead of a generic thank you or a promise to respond within 24-48 hours, you can say something that’s in your own voice.

While a more conservative brand may seem like a safer bet, you risk missing out on valuable opportunities to stand out and stick in the minds of your customers.

By showing a bit of personality, you can build a great reputation not just for what you do, but how you do it.

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