Sharing a peek into your personal life is huge when it comes to communicating your brand through blogging and social media. It can, however, also be a double-edged sword. This is even more true when you're in business with your spouse, significant other or family member. When working with blogging clients, I always make sure they show their personality and provide a tiny glimpse into their personal life. People work with people they know, like and trust. Opening up allows you to connect with like-minded clients. Likewise, connecting on similar passions can help strengthen the professional connection you make with your clients and your colleagues.
Social Connectivity As Marketing
A social media post showing our Westie sitting at the steering wheel of our Mini Cooper got more likes and comments than any other post. We connected with dog lovers, people who support adopting rescue animals and Mini Cooper fanatics. It had nothing to do with my wedding planning company though. In another, I opened up about losing my mother to breast cancer, a two-time survivor who beat the odds. I founded a charity wedding cake competition that combined my love of food with the wedding industry. It connected me with brides, moms, foodies, breast cancer survivors and those dealing with breast cancer. I bridged this deeply personal point in my life with my deeply personal commitment to my profession. I established a very specific connection point with people who I could work with on a meaningful, personal level.
How Much Is Too Much?
I learned a valuable lesson a long time ago: people, clients and vendor partners alike, want to be part of a winning team. This means being positive, even if business is a little slow or if couples are driving you crazy. If you have a personal social media page with colleagues, past clients or potential prospects following you, think twice before your air family business.
It Takes Two
With both of you working together, be sure to take your spouse, partner or family member and their business into consideration before sharing a personally inflected post or blog. What you post can affect both of you. Discuss a social media and blogging calendar to be sure you're covering topics that are inspirational. Showing your business in its best light establishes positive connections and supports positive relationships with your clients and professional peers.
It’s Not Personal
Beyond social media and blogging, be sure to think twice before arguing in front of your staff. Like kids in a classroom, employees can have a tendency to divide and conquer. They play one against the other when they see an opportunity to benefit from a conflict. Additionally, as much as you might think your event industry partners are your friends, business is business. Their perception is their reality. If they perceive an internal problem, it may cost you in referrals down the road; as we all know, people talk. Being in business with a spouse, significant other or even a family member has amazing benefits. It’s necessary, however, to always present a positive, united front to move your business forward.
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