Every business depends on personality to help them stand out from the crowd. Why do you buy coffee from one coffee shop instead of the one across the street? Maybe it's cleaner or you enjoy a nice conversation with the store owner every time you buy a cup of Joe. It's the character of the place that gets you to keep going back.
I heard a radio commercial for a lawyer who brands himself as the DUI Dude. I bet every major city has a lawyer who advertises toward the young crowd. They do this because they know that young people don't know their limits and end up crashing into a tree.
If I were to go into the DUI Dude's office, I had better not see expensive law books and a stuffy looking décor. I'm going to think that this guy's a fake, just trying to get my business instead of really believing in his marketing message. The atmosphere had better be lively, clean, and laid back like his commercials advertise.
Personality Branding
I used to buy an egg and cheese sandwich from the same shop every Friday because they had baseball photos and articles posted all around their shop. Every time I went in to buy my lunch I always discovered something new to read or look at. It helped me strike up a few good conversations with the owner and a few of his employees.
If they gave lousy service I would have gone somewhere else, but they were nice enough and I kept going back.
Your Space
When you express yourself within your small business, you are letting customers and clients know who you are. You are also allowing yourself the freedom to be you. There is nothing to be afraid of. You need to express your true self or you won't get noticed.
I judge people's websites the same way I judge a store. It needs to speak to me in some way or I'm leaving and never telling anyone about it.
Boring is forgotten, but personality is passed on to others.
This works in a large corporation or a small business. Even if allowing your personality to explode out into your work environment doesn't work right away, it eventually will because you are staying true to yourself.
Take your career to the next level by showing people your true self. Because when you are no longer afraid to be the "real you," you'll be so freaking happy that you wished you would have tried this years ago.
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This is a very cool suggestion. I think there are some great companies doing that we all hear about but forget to see that we could easily apply this in our own workplace, or at least our own workspace to some extend.
Mike King's last blog post..Why Are You Waiting for Happiness? Have it NOW!
Hi Mike, our own workspace can be such a tremendous place of joy. We just need to go for it and let our personality come out.
Hi Karl: Yesterday I was watching on CNN that the most popular iReporter segment all year was when they asked people to send in photos of their workspace. People had turned cubicles into little spa-like retreats for themselves, one had sports memorabilia all over, another looked like a miniature book store, and so on. We definitely need to let our personalities shine through.
Marelisa's last blog post..Lateral Thinking: Think Out-of-the-Box
That's a great idea. I should run a contest on this blog. I would love to see how people tricked out their cubicles. Thanks for passing on a great idea.
Hi Karl, very interesting post.
In this era of high competition, I think it is not just required customer satisfaction anymore but then customer delight like personal relationship as you have described above.
Arswino's last blog post..Christmas Envelope
Hi Karl,
This is a great reminder of what draws us to certain people or certain businesses - is, on one hand service, and yet also, personality. I tend to think of personality in terms of businesses I frequent, yet - you make an excellent point - that this can and should happen on a personal level as well. In our workplaces! That sometimes are sterilized all too much with the "corporate decor". Marelisa's idea really is an awesome one! Anyway, Karl, excellent article - and it's really got me thinking about the image I portray...
Lance's last blog post..Sunday Thought For The Day
You got me thinking - even though I work from home, my office is the most boring room in my house! Yet, my personality shines through the rest of my home! You've inspired me to bring my personality in the office as well - I'd probably enjoy being in it more often! Thanks!
Hi Arswino, letting our personality out is a must. We need to show each other what makes us happy.
Hi Lance, sterilized is a great word. We get too caught up in trying to portray professionalism and we lose sight of what really matters. That we have fun at work and accomplish our goals.
Hi Barbara, I'm ecstatic that my post encouraged a change. Let us know how it turned out.
I have never really been a fan of personal decorations on a workspace. I like everything to be functional. If it isn't, I think its a distraction.
Howevever, the one thing I pride myself on is plants. I leave a lot of plants around my house and I find they are both relaxing and inspiring.
Success Factors's last blog post..By: Derek