You may talk a lot about brand voice, but brand personality is something different. Brand voice is how a brand sounds. Brand personality is who a brand is. More than just words, personality shapes the feeling people get when they interact with a brand. When it comes to merch, this means products should feel like a natural extension of the brand — not just random items with logos.

Writer Kaleigh Moore says brand personality builds trust, guides better decisions and creates emotional connections. Personality is also a big differentiator. It helps people choose between companies offering similar services and products.

Developing a brand personality isn’t about picking adjectives off a list, she says. It’s about making intentional choices about who you are and how you want to show up consistently. We explain Moore’s process for developing a brand personality in this issue of PromoPro Daily.

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Start with your truth (not your aspirations). Before you define how you want to sound or feel, be honest about what is already true about your business. Moore says this means looking at why the company exists, how decisions are made and what you would still stand for even if no one were watching.

Understand your audience’s emotional needs. Moore explains that brand personality lives in the relationship between you and your audience. To shape it well, you need to understand not just who your audience is, but how they want to feel when they interact with a brand like yours.

Define your personality traits with intention. Once you understand your foundation and your audience, she says you can define your core personality traits. She recommends listing 3-5 traits.

Create a personality statement and brand style guide. According to Moore, the personality statement captures the essence of your brand in a few grounded sentences. The style guide then translates that personality into practical direction, from voice and tone to visual cues and examples of what to do and what to avoid.

Translate personality into behavior. A brand personality doesn’t just live in a PDF you review from time to time. It influences everything, from how you craft sales pitches to how you onboard sales reps and handle client concerns.

Turn your employees into brand ambassadors. Moore recommends helping your team members understand what the brand is and how it should feel in practice. When people are empowered to make decisions through the lens of brand personality, they stop following scripts and start showing up with confidence.

Stress-test it for consistency and longevity. Make sure your brand personality works across teams, channels and growth stages. Ask yourself if it will still feel right in 5 or 10 years.

Moore says a good personality should be flexible enough to evolve, but strong enough to remain recognizable.

Don’t leave brand personality to chance. When you show up consistently and carry the same traits across everything from merch to messaging, people remember it.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Kaleigh Moore is a freelance writer for SaaS companies. She also speaks on topics related to ecommerce and small business.