Humanising your restaurant or coffee shop brand can build trust and help to grow your business. Here are 5 simple ways to humanise your brand from increasing your consumer knowledge to adapting your social media strategies:
1) What’s Your Brand Personality?
The first step to humanising your brand starts with your brand personality. What are your brand’s attributes? How do you engage with your consumers? What is your tone of voice? Developing a strong understanding of your brand’s behaviour will contribute greatly to building a successful brand personality that resonates well with your consumers.
See how to retain your brand personality here.
2) Who Are You Targeting?
Part of the process of humanising your brand personality also involves looking at the behaviour of your consumers. How do your consumers behave on social media? What style of language do they use? Are they usually active during the day or more so in the evenings? Taking a bit of time out of your schedule to learn more about your consumer habits will help you to refine and humanise your own brand personality.
3) Avoid Scheduling Content
Scheduling social media content can prove to be very useful in saving time, reducing pressure and avoiding the worry of a patchy Instagram feed. However, whilst you may feel you are engaging with your audience, you could actually be distancing yourself from them. People are quick to notice if your posts are automated despite how casual or personal they are. Dedicating more time and commitment to posting in the moment can come across as more human especially on platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.
Thinking of going live with Instagram? Read more here.
4) Be Engaging
Posting in the moment is one way to humanise your brand’s online presence. Another way is to create engaging content. Learn more about your customers by asking questions on their preferences or what they would like to see or experience at your restaurant or coffee shop. Engaging conversations can build relationships and develop trust and loyalty, something that is priceless in the overcrowded hospitality market.
5) Have Confidence
Having a level of professionalism is important both in-store and across digital experiences. However, coming across as too formal can be off-putting and does no favours in bringing your customers closer to your brand. Target the emotions of your consumers. Adopting appropriate humour in your branding and employing friendly, chatty staff are just some ways to connect with your consumers on a human, personal level.
By Dawood Pathan
In need of branding or interior design for your restaurant or coffee shop? Contact Offbeat Creative at hello@offbeatcreative.co.uk or call 020 7060 3121