Why Showing Your Personal Side is Essential for Business Success in 2025 and every other year)

Even cat sits for you every now and then.  In the other corner, there's some random Dave from an online ad who's got a fancy website and approximately 47 certifications. They're both qualified, both charge the same, but who are you going to call? (And no, not Ghostbusters, though they did have fantastic branding.)👻

If you picked Bob, congratulations - you're like 99% of humans who prefer working with people they actually know and trust. Mind-blowing stuff, right?

💎The Cold, Hard Truth About Business Personality 

Let's rip off this plaster quickly: while 85% of companies think they're absolutely smashing it at the personal touch, only 60% of customers agree. That's a bigger gap than your manager's understanding of what you actually do all day. It's like thinking you're a brilliant dancer after three glasses of wine - the reality might be slightly different from your perception.

The numbers don't lie (even though we sometimes wish they would): 

💎 71% of customers expect personalised experiences 

💎 76% get properly miffed when they don't get them 

💎 49% of Gen Z would rather eat their own shoes than buy from brands offering impersonal experiences 

💎 Personal branding can reduce customer acquisition costs by 28% (because actually being likeable is cheaper than paying for ads - who knew?)

Want more stats? Click here

💎Why Being Human Actually Matters (Sorry, Corporate Robots)

Look, when was the last time you got excited about receiving a "Dear Valued Customer" email? Exactly - never. And if you did, we need to have a serious chat about your life choices. People don't want to interact with faceless corporate entities that sound like they've swallowed a business textbook and regurgitated it all over LinkedIn. They want real humans who understand that life isn't all PowerPoint presentations and synergistic growth strategies.

And here's a wild thought - maybe, just maybe, your customers would rather work with someone who admits they sometimes have bad hair days and occasionally sends emails with typos, than someone who pretends they emerged fully formed from a corporate handbook, wearing a pressed suit and spouting buzzwords.

💎The Psychology Bit (Because Science Makes Everything Sound Fancier)

Our brains are wired to connect with stories and people, not corporate jargon and logo designs. When you share personal content, you're not just another business - you're a character in your customer's story. Preferably the hero, not the villain who keeps sending them automated emails at 3 AM.

💎How to Actually Show Your Personality (Without Looking Like a Complete Muppet)

1. Document Your Reality (Yes, Even the Messy Bits)

💎 Share your morning chaos (we know you're not really "crushing it" at 6 AM) 

💎 Show your workspace (strategic coffee cup rings included) 

💎 Talk about your actual challenges (not just the humble-brag ones)

2. Behind-the-Scenes Truth Bombs

💎 Show how you really prepare for client meetings (panic and all) 

💎 Share your planning processes (including the "where did I put that file?" moments) 💎 Document team brainstorming sessions (yes, even the ones that go completely off the rails)

3. Team Spotlights That Don't Make Everyone Cringe

💎 Share actual hobbies (not just "I love working here!") 

💎 Highlight real achievements (including that time someone managed to not burn the office microwave) 

💎 Show how different personalities make your business work

The Do's and Don'ts (Because Every Article Needs a List)

Do:

💎 Share genuine moments (even the awkward ones) 

💎 Respond like a human being (not a chatbot on steroids) 

💎 Show your expertise through real examples 

💎 Be consistent (but not robotically so) 

💎 Include your team (they're humans too, presumably)

Don't:

💎 Fake authenticity (we can smell it from a mile away

💎 Ignore negative feedback (pretending it doesn't exist won't make it go away) 

💎 Copy others' styles (be yourself, unless you're terrible - then maybe we should talk)

💎 Real Success Stories: When Personality Pays Off (Yes, These Actually Happened)

Need proof that being yourself actually works? Buckle up, because we've got receipts.

Take Sarah (our beloved "morgenmuffel" - that's German for "grumpy in the morning," and trust us, it's accurate). She once had a potential client ring her up out of the blue, not to talk business, but to chat about hay fever of all things! They'd seen her post about struggling with pollen on LinkedIn and thought, "Finally, someone who gets my seasonal suffering!" 

That casual conversation about antihistamines naturally evolved into a proper business discussion. No awkward sales pitch needed - just two sneeze-prone humans having a chat about their shared misery. 

Then there's Jem, our founder and chief dance enthusiast. She's constantly getting calls from people who've watched her LinkedIn videos of dancing and singing around the office like nobody's watching (except everyone is, because it's LinkedIn). They choose to work with her because they've seen her having a proper laugh, being herself, and not trying to maintain some ridiculous corporate facade. Before they've even had their first meeting, clients feel comfortable enough to let their own guard down. No need for that dreaded "professional" small talk - they can just be themselves, awkward dance moves and all.

And you know what? We're ridiculously picky about who we work with. No aubergines 🍆, no toxic bosses. Life's too short to work with people who make you want to bang your head against your desk repeatedly.

🦉The Duolingo Effect: How a Dead Owl Proved Brand Personality Isn't Dead

Look, if you want proof that showing personality doesn't mean sacrificing professionalism, let's talk about the green owl that broke the internet. Yes, we're talking about Duo, Duolingo's mascot, who apparently kicked the bucket in February 2025 and created possibly the most entertaining corporate funeral ever.

Here's why this is brilliant: Duolingo took something as serious as death notifications and turned it into a viral marketing masterclass. Their announcement? "Tbh he probably died waiting for you to do your lesson, but what do we know?" Savage, hilarious, and completely on-brand.

But here's where it gets interesting - other brands jumped on this. Companies started creating their own theories about how Duo met his end, turning what could have been a one-day wonder into a full-blown corporate murder mystery. Even Dua Lipa got involved, tweeting "Til' death duo part" (slow clap for that pun).

Want to see what we’re talking about? Click here.

Why This Works (And Why You Should Care)

💎 It's Professional But Playful: Duolingo maintained their brand voice while participating in something utterly ridiculous 

💎 It's Relatable: Everyone knows that guilty feeling of abandoning their language lessons 

💎 It's Interactive: Other brands could join in, creating a community moment 

💎 It's Memorable: Would anyone be talking about Duolingo's latest app update? Probably not

The Takeaway For Your Business

You don't need to announce anyone's death to show personality (please don't). But you can: 

💎 Join trending conversations in your brand's voice 

💎 Create content that acknowledges your industry's inside jokes 

💎 Interact with other brands in a way that stays professional but shows character

💎 Use your brand's 'mascot' or identity to tell stories

And the best part? Duolingo's "devastating news" probably got more engagement than any serious marketing campaign could dream of. All because they weren't afraid to have a laugh and let their brand personality shine through.

💎Making It Work in the Real World

👔 For Professional Services:

Share client success stories that don't sound like they were written by AI. Talk about the actual process, including the bits where everything went wrong before it went right.

🎨 For Creative Industries:

Document your creative process, including the moments when you questioned all your life choices. Show works in progress, even the ones that look like they were created by a toddler with a crayon.

🏪 For Retail:

Introduce the real faces behind the counter. Share product origin stories that don't sound like they were copied from a Wikipedia article.

🔮 The Future (Because We're All Apparently Futurists Now)

With AI taking over everything (hello, robot overlords), being genuinely human is your superpower. While chatbots handle the basics, your personality is what stops people from replacing you with an app.

📏 Measuring Your Success (Because Numbers Still Matter)

Yes, personality is important, but we're still running businesses here. Keep an eye on: 

💎 Engagement rates on personal vs. corporate content 

💎 Comment quality and conversation depth 

💎 Direct messages and enquiries 

💎 Client retention rates 

💎 Referral business growth

Just remember - these numbers should come naturally when you're being genuine. Don't get so caught up in the metrics that you forget to be human.

💎 Social Media as a Conversation (Not a Corporate Presentation)

Think about it - when you go to a networking event, do you talk like you're giving a PowerPoint presentation? (If you do, please stop immediately.) Social media is just a digital networking event. Talk like a human being, not like you've swallowed a business manual.

Remember: sounding "professional" doesn't mean being boring. The world moved on from "yours sincerely" a long time ago, and nobody's business reputation has crumbled because they didn't end their email with "Kind regards."

💎 Final Thoughts (The Bit Where We Get Serious for a Moment)

Stop hiding behind your logo and corporate speak. Your customers aren't just buying what you sell - they're buying into you and your story. Make it interesting, make it real, and for heaven's sake, make it human.

The best part? You don't need to be perfect. You just need to be genuine. Start sharing, stay real, and watch as those authentic connections transform into loyal customers who actually want to work with you.

Still not convinced? Think about it, they've all seen your posts about work. They've clicked that link to your website approximately 47 times. They know exactly what you do - probably better than their own job description at this point.

So why aren't they all beating down your door?

Here's the thing: in a world where everyone's selling something, people aren't just buying your service - they're buying into YOU. Those personal posts scattered between your sales content? They're not just filler. They're the reason someone chooses you over that other person who does exactly the same thing.

When you share that post about your morning chaos, someone out there is thinking "Finally, a real human being!" When you admit to having a complete meltdown over your printer not working (we've all been there), someone's nodding along, thinking "This is someone who gets it."

It's like dating - sure, plenty of people look good on paper, but you want someone you can actually stand being around. The same goes for business. Your potential clients have options, and they're choosing based on who they want to spend their time (and money) with.

Think about it - when you're scrolling through LinkedIn, what makes you stop? Another "10 tips for success" post, or that honest story about someone's massive business fail that turned into a valuable lesson? We're all drawn to authenticity because it's becoming rarer than a peaceful inbox.

So yes, keep sharing your expertise. Keep showing what you can do. But don't forget to show who you are. Your tribe isn't looking for perfection - they're looking for someone real. Someone they can relate to. Someone who gets them.

And those who don't get you? They were never your tribe anyway.

(And let's be honest - would you really want to work with someone who can't appreciate your collection of questionable dance moves or your slightly unhealthy obsession with office stationery?)

Remember: in a world where every business is trying to look perfect, being genuinely yourself is your biggest advantage. Even if yourself is a bit weird. Actually, especially if yourself is a bit weird.

Ready to get real with your business presence? Brilliant. Start with one personal post this week and build from there. Your authentic voice is your most powerful marketing tool - even if it sometimes snorts when it laughs.

Want to chat about making your business more personable? Get in touch. We promise we're actual humans (most days) who can help you show off your personality without scaring everyone away.