This blog post originally appeared (in full) as a guest blog post on Firepole Marketing.
When you start your own business you have to be confident and at some point between believing in your idea and putting in the hours to make it work, you have to make some decisions about who your message comes from. Will it be “me” or “we”?
You know that you’re the only one making all the wheels turn but do you want your clients to know that?
There are benefits and challenges to both approaches but your answer to “we” vs “me” question can dictate how your target market will engage with your business.
The Advantages Of “Me”
It can be hard to admit you’re the sole person behind your business but when you don’t pretend to have a team of resources in 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
This angle is a great fit if you are your brand.
The other possibility is to stick with “we” right from day one and there can be some benefits to this.
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
- Are making a looking forward statement about your plans for your business
So Which is Better?
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 marketing? I don’t think so.
When you are building business relationships, 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 learnt 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?
The Copy Detective
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2 Responses
Good post. I have some experience with this, having marketed and performed work marketing my own enterprise, and also seeing how a lot of similar solopreneurs operate in my role being close to a number of very small firms as part of the “top small workplace” award the nonprofit I work for during the day does. I agree with your points, especially that it comes down to authenticity, and a deciding factor has to be what the consequences would be if one or more customers or clients found out that “we” is really “me.” I think there are many reasons for owner/operators who have no employees to be honest and market themselves as “me,” not the least of which is the current economy in which I think it’s much more broadly understood and accepted that people are going into business for themselves, and are the only ones generating output. Look at all the entrepreneurs on Etsy alone!
Hi Mark and thanks for commenting. It can be quite a conundrum for business owners but I agree with you – the authenticity behind being honest is a much more acceptable trait these days.