Prior to the pandemic, I was a habitual Starbucks visitor. People would jokingly refer to the local Starbucks as “Corey’s Starbucks,” as they’d see me there, in my same chair, day in and day out. I favored other local coffee shops for their specialty coffee but still found myself at “Corey’s Starbucks” more often than not.
The secret was the staff. The baristas took the time to get to know me, and they quickly became part of my work family. Their investment in getting to know me created my unwavering loyalty. It had little to do with the coffee.
My point is not to plug for Starbucks. It is to remind us of the importance of the people behind our brand. They, in many ways, are our brand. And so, they should be a significant piece in our social media puzzle.
#HumanizeYourBrand
One of the most underutilized advantages of social media is the ability for a business to pull back the curtain and show the people behind the brand. We often forget that social media is, for all intents and purposes, supposed to be SOCIAL! Insurance companies don’t have to be, well, insurance companies. They can be a group of animal lovers that volunteer at a rescue shelter each month. Or a party committee that never lets a birthday pass by without a celebration. If you use your social media to offer a glimpse into your culture and values, you will connect on a deeper level with people your business supports. 
Highlighting employees, posting photos of charity events, and celebrating team member milestones are all great ways to show the human side of your business.
#CompanyCulture #HumanizeTheBrand
The action I want you to take:
  1. How can you better recognize or highlight members of your team on social media? 
  2. What are some examples of your company culture that you can share on social? 
  3. What events, activities, or celebrations can you better capture on social? 
Helping us get to know your team is a step in the direction of building relationships between customers and staff. Your product or service may get us in the door, but a positive relationship with your people will keep us coming back!
Have a great rest of your week!
Corey