Starting your own business requires confidence and guts. You have to believe in yourself and put in the hard yards to make it all run smoothly. At some point you have to decide how you will reference your business. Will your marketing message come from “me” or “us”? Even when you’re the only the one making all the wheels turn, do you want your clients to know that? There are benefits and challenges to both approaches, but your answer to the “we” or “me” question can determine how your target market will engage with your business. When I started offering copywriting services, I came from a corporate marketing background. I wanted to look successful and professional and I felt that an implied team gave me that image. But once I started building my client base, I switched my marketing back to “me”. And here’s why…
Social Media Marketing Has Changed Everything
Social media marketing means we no longer have to jump through expensive hoops to talk to our customers or our industry partners and competitors for that matter. Faceless organisations no longer impress us (if they ever did). By building transparency into my marketing, my clients get to know me. When they choose to work with Copywrite Matters, they get the sum of my marketing experience and knowledge. This connection, amongst other things, has led to my business having a growing group of champions who make social media a very powerful part of my marketing.
The Advantages Of “We”
By implying that you have a team of resources in your business, you can present a lower risk to your customers because:
- Your business will appear successful enough to have “staff”
- Your customers get a sense of security from the idea of shared responsibility
- A team image is especially valuable if you need to respond quickly
- You are making a looking forward statement about your plans for your business
The other possibility is to stick with “me” right from day one and there can be some benefits to this.
The Advantages Of “Me”
When you admit to the world that you are your business, you:
- Add a very personal element to your product or service that could be what makes you unique
- Operate in a more transparent fashion, which can be rewarded with more trust
- Open the door to developing closer relationships with your customers (and stronger, closer relationships lead to more loyal customers with a much higher ‘lifetime value’)
- Instinctively communicate in a friendlier, less formal tone
So, Which Pronoun is Better For Your Business?
This is a question that depends on your product or service; the expectations of your target market and the consequences if they find out you’re faking it. Is either option more professional? I don’t think so. Authenticity is the key. If your greatest asset is YOU, don’t be afraid to show yourself off in your marketing. Promote your personal service and unique experience, as it could just be your competitive advantage. I have learned that sometimes showing your vulnerabilities is a strength that your market embraces. Whichever path you choose: be consistent and work the angle to your advantage. So now it’s over to you. Did you choose “we” or “me” when you started your business? Or which do you respond to when you are selecting a provider to work with?
