Branding 101: Get Personal

In my last blog, I talked about the importance of letting your customers know who you are, not just what your business does. Because I am all about helping your brand be successful, I wanted to show you how being personal helps you connect to your audience.

It's December 15. 10 days until Christmas. I force myself to wait to turn on the holiday channel on satellite radio until Thanksgiving when my family and I put up our Christmas tree so right about now the music is getting redundant. We'd turn it off, but somehow it is enhancing the excitement of the downhill slide between now and next week; you know, it's like it's Christmas week at school anyway. So Christmas music is the soundtrack playing quietly in the background.

My son is a freshman in high school so this is a year of firsts. He We survived marching band season and the first indoor band concert of the season is tomorrow night. I was given a piece of paper letting me know that the uniform is "dress blacks", black, collared, long sleeve button-up shirt, black dress pants, and black dress shoes. I was not given this piece of paper Friday night when my son brought it home, but instead tonight, the week before Christmas. Another thing to know about my son is that he is 6'4" and 140 lbs so finding clothes for him any time is difficult, but with less than 24 hours notice and the week before Christmas-- well, this is why I have a flexible job. Today it's to flex to meet my son's needs, next time it'll be to meet yours, even if that is helping you find a pair of size 14 men's dress shoes with 12 hours to spare.

That crisis was averted when we found the needed clothing in the closet; it may be a bit too big, but it'll do. Instead I am working on keeping this fire blazing.

You can probably guess that I am not doing so well while I'm writing this. But, alas. This is how it works. I give you a little and then I can go back to making merry.

Speaking of which, my fire really is slowly dying and I think you can see how a little storytelling can help your audience connect to you.

Now, who has a blowtorch? (Humor helps too!)