4 Tangible Tips To Insert More YOU Into Your Brand’s Social Media Story
Because You are the secret sauce
to your brand’s success.
You may have heard that your personal brand story is important.
You may have even heard that it could be your sustainable lifestyle brand’s secret weapon.
How can that be? Good question. Let me explain.
Since most of us buy from companies we know and trust, companies we feel a personal connection with, it’s mission-critical to have a brand your customers can connect to.
Your personal story humanizes your brand, helps you create meaningful connections, and, when used well, it can even open up new opportunities for your company - from speaking engagements to corporate partnerships.
But how, exactly, does one even go about doing this?
Is it really as simple as adding a few pictures of yourself onto your social media feeds?
The answer, my dear, is both yes and no.
Technically speaking, sharing your story on your company’s social media isn’t complicated. Anyone with a phone and an internet connection can do it.
But there is a smart way to go about it - one that’s intentional, strategic, and focused on long-term business results.
Fortunately for you, that’s what we’re here to talk about!
But before you go full steam ahead, make sure to check out our previous post, Four Major Reasons Why It’s Time To Invest In Your Personal Brand Story.
Now, read on for tangible ways to bring more of yourself into your company’s social media - in a smart way.
Your personal brand story is important for your business - and it doesn’t have to be hard.
Tangible Tip #1: ‘Document, Don’t Create’
This term was coined by the marketing strategist and serial entrepreneur, Gary Vaynerchuk.
Lots of founders are often stressed when it comes to creating content.
We’ve already got so much going on and can barely keep our heads above water. How can we possibly think about creating new content and stories?
Gary’s response? Document. Don’t create.
What are you currently working on? What’s actually going on in your business? How can you turn your day to day into teachable moments, or opportunities to connect deeper with your audience?
One example that showed up in our Instagram feeds a few months back comes from Canadian brand, Tamga Designs.
Tamga is an ethical fashion company based in Canada focused on forest-friendly fashion and socially conscious clothing. Their co-founder, Yana Barankin, also serves as the company’s Creative Director and does all the photography and photo editing herself.
Fully aware of how the fashion industry over edits images and propagates unrealistic expectations on women, Yana took the Tamga community behind the scenes and showed in full detail HOW she edits Tamga’s photos.
By doing this, Tamga’s audience not only got to know Yana more personally. It also helped solidify Tamga as a brand that cares about doing things ethically and fairly in all aspects of the business.
Takeaway: If there’s something you have to do anyway, take a step back and ask yourself: how can I share and talk about this in an interesting and educational way?
Tangible Tip #2: Take Your Audience Behind The Scenes
We’ll be the first to admit that creating social media content can be stressful, especially when you’re putting yourself out there. This is a photo of YOU, posted OUT THERE, for all the world to see in a semi-permanent way.
We get it. It can be an anxiety-inducing experience for the camera shy.
Enter the beauty of Instagram Stories.
Spontaneous, organic, and informal content is exactly what people want to see on this platform - so, give the people what they want!
Case in point: our founder Sarah Jean often attends ethical fashion shows, launches, and PR events with our lovely clients.
Capturing behind the scenes is great material for your brand's social media.
She’ll capture behind the scenes with videos, boomerangs, and snapshots of what’s going on, giving our audience an inside perspective of glam events, while highlighting Peace Flag clients and their wonderful accomplishments.
But Sarah Jean doesn’t stop there.
She’ll also take our Peace Flag House community behind the scenes of her farm to table lifestyle - from making her own tomato sauce to preparing elaborate dinners with seasonal ingredients. It gives our audience a glimpse of ethical luxury in its different forms.
Takeaway: What are some behind the scenes of your business and your life that could give your audience a unique insight into who you are? Next time you’re out and about, capture and share those experiences with your community!
Tangible Tip #3: Share What You Learn
As founders, we’re on a constant journey of growth and learning - it honestly never stops.
The great thing is that our online channels provide us with a platform where we can share that learning and knowledge with others.
You could release a Letter From The Founder once a month through your brand’s email newsletter, social media channels, or blog where you talk about what you learned the past month or that month’s highlights.
You could also take to Instagram Stories or YouTube to share quotes, or talk about books or films that have inspired you and why.
There are so many ways to share your knowledge.
Michelle Obama shares her learnings in her book, Becoming, bringing us all closer to her.
One figure who has inspired us often is Michelle Obama. Her book Becoming is all about her journey of learning, and how she became the person she is today.
Both within her biography and her social media accounts, she often posts about the people she’s met and how they’ve taught her different things - about the power of education and the need for stronger support for military families. If you follow her journey, you’ll be able to see how her experiences and learnings have influenced her advocacy around the world.
Another example is Ashley LeMieux, founder of The Shine Project, an online community and shop to empower women around the world.
The Shine Project is a brand that’s all about resilience and courage, and Ashley will share candid experiences of how she lives by her brand’s values. She posts about personal challenges and new ventures and even released a personal book called Born To Shine, a shining example (excuse the pun) of how your personal growth can inspire your online community.
The Shine Project is a brand that’s all about resilience and courage, and Ashley will share candid experiences of how she lives by her brand’s values.
Takeaways: Keep track of what you learn in a journal or diary, and revisit it often. As you do, think of how you could share some of these insights into your community and in what formats.
Tangible Tip #4: Show Your Face!
Lastly, one powerful way to insert your personal story is to just show YOU.
Take, for example, Reese Fernandez-Ruiz, the co-founder and president of Rags2Riches.
Rags2Riches is an ethical fashion company in the Philippines that creates a sustainable livelihood for Filipino artisans through upcycled and eco-friendly accessories. Reese was named a Forbes 30 Under 30 winner and has even presented at the World Economic Forum alongside world leaders.
On top of sharing often about her journey in social entrepreneurship on her personal social media channels, Reese talks often about motherhood and what she’s learned along the way.
She makes frequent appearances into the Rags2Riches’ Instagram feed with photos of her speaking at events, or even modelling some of their pieces. The sharing is always done in an intentional way so as not to overpower the brand’s story while adding a very human touch.
On our own Peace Flag House channels, Sarah Jean can often be found styling vintage pieces or dropping some marketing insights for our community. There’s something powerful about being able to put a face to the words on your screen, feeling a much more human connection.
On our own Peace Flag House channels, Sarah Jean can often be found styling vintage pieces or dropping some marketing insights for our community.
But if you’re not all that comfortable with having your face out there, how about the faces of your team members, supporters, or community?
Introduce a team member every two weeks. Or, like Mama Earth Organics, show everyone who your suppliers are and their values.
Takeaway: Experiment with posting a photo of you or your team members once every few weeks. Showing the real people and story behind your brand, whether that’s YOU or your supporters, can make a huge difference in the look and feel of your company.
Bringing more of YOU into your brand’s social media story doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems. With a little intention and strategy, you can quickly humanize your brand, connect with your customers, and improve your bottom line.
How do you share your personal story on your brand’s social media channels? Let us know in the comments!