5 ways to infuse feeling into your brand

We all desire the opportunity to make an impact. For business owners and solopreneurs, it’s often key to how and why we do our work. We want people to feel certain things when they engage with us, and those feelings may be evident in how they experience our brand or in the attributes we uniquely bring to the work.

In recent work with a client, it was clear that one of her key leadership traits was making people feel heard, seen, and valued. As a leader within an organization, staff across different departments sought her out to resolve challenges because they knew they’d be heard and valued. As a consultant who’s trying to build bridges within a traditionally siloed industry, the same trait uniquely equips her to do her job effectively while ensuring her clients also feel heard and cared for.

These soft skills and empathetic qualities are so pivotal to how we work, and they set us apart from others, but they can be a little more challenging to incorporate into our brand messaging or narrative – for example, in the language we use on our website or in outreach efforts. This is particularly true for those appealing to traditional business professionals and C-suite executives, where we may feel like we need to use more “corporate” speak.

Fortunately, there are ways to reinforce these values without having to spell them out.

Why emotions and empathy elevate your professional brand

Incorporating emotions into your brand is key to building strong, lasting connections with your audience. It increases values, provides differentiation, and enhances loyalty by establishing trust.

Empathy can show authenticity. In turn, it can build stronger customer relationships, improve the customer experience, and create a positive image. Large to small brands can use empathy to show how they’re evolving to meet their customers where they are.

5 ways to bring feelings and emotions into your brand

While these qualities may be foundational to your work, there are ways to evoke feelings and emotions without having to say them outright.

1. Craft an authentic look and feel for your brand

Emotions play a pivotal role in your branded assets, particularly in imagery and colors. These are generally the first elements your prospective audience will see, and they’ll carry through to online and offline experiences.

If empathy is a key brand principle, choose a color palette that radiates warmth. Fortunately, there are a lot of options for what that might look like. Start with understanding what you want people to feel, and then look for a color palette that feels authentic to you.

The imagery you choose also plays a role. Aspirational photos of people (even stock shots) always win the engagement test. What’s the aspirational and intrinsic feeling you want people to have by working with you, and then what does that look like?

2. Tell a compelling story

Emotion and empathetic qualities play an important role in communicating what you value. If you’re looking for an alternative to using these emotions in your branded messaging, you can instead use them in telling your origin story or in how you communicate your mission and vision. Compelling case studies or customer stories and testimonials can also help you paint the picture.

Social media channels also offer a more personal platform for authentic storytelling. In many cases, emotional vulnerability is encouraged. On LinkedIn, for example, sharing authentic struggles and successes gets engagement because it stands out from position announcements or more conventional business-related posts. Similarly, sharing inspirational quotes or the passions behind your work can make people feel things — and “salesy” is not one of those feelings.

3. Build a connected brand experience

Your brand exists both online and in your interactions with clients or customers. Personal touchpoints can be an important way of reinforcing your values and emotional connection.

Think about how you personalize your outreach efforts. There are tools to personalize your marketing emails or generate content for individuals based on their interests, but also consider ways to do more individualized outreach. It takes more time, but it’s worth the effort. Are there also ways to bring like-minded people together and create a community experience?

4. Align your brand with a relevant cause

Cause marketing is often used by big brands to show a more human, caring side. When used authentically, it can be a great tool, even for small businesses, to work with a cause that aligns with their business and values. 

A partnership might look like a monetary donation — for example, 1% for the Planet — or you could give your time and donate resources. When it’s done from a place of authenticity and where there’s natural brand alignment, it can elevate your work and their efforts – and there’s some great storytelling built in.

5. Seek feedback

Gathering and actively listening to feedback from your audience reinforces your commitment to ensuring they feel seen, heard, and valued.

Audience research is a powerful tool for developing your brand – and it’s equally as important as you grow and develop. Consider sending a feedback form after you finish a client engagement, generating an annual survey to existing customers, or meeting with members of your current and prospective audience groups as you consider expanding.

This feedback can generate powerful insights and help you hone in on the feelings that make your work so valuable.  

 Need help creating a brand or brand narrative that feels authentic? Let’s connect.