Personality and professionalism are a balance too many creatives get wrong. But you don’t have to.

Does this sound familiar, “I want my clients to like me for me. But I also want them to respect I’m a professional and a business owner.”?

It’s something many creatives struggle with. And as the influence and impacts of personal brands continue to evolve, finding this balance can feel even harder.

People buy from people. But people have flaws, mishaps, and unattractive elements- will these affect your sales and connections?

Sometimes you want to keep things to yourself. You don’t want every element of your personal life or personality in your creative personal brand.

Maybe you’ve shared ~too much~ personality in the past and your creative personal brand has shifted from a business tool to bestie maker. And while there’s nothing wrong with being friends with your clients, boundaries can become blurred.

Whether you’ve been hurt before, you’re a private person, or you’re unsure what to share and what not to, you can find a balance in your creative brand. It’s possible to showcase your uniqueness while remaining respected and admired by your clients, peers, and colleagues.

Here’s how to balance personality and professionalism as a creative brand online:

Have a website

While there’s no doubt you can make money without a website, your website is a sign of legitimacy. Having a website shows your audience that you’re a real business with set processes and systems (which will be outlined in your website copy). By viewing you as a professional business, they’re more inclined to treat you as one.

Be aware of the nuance & flexibility in your brand voice

There are multiple components of your brand voice. It might be friendly, informative, romantic, and formal. However, it might embody these descriptors differently depending on the situation.

E.g. your onboarding and administrative tasks may be more informative and formal. Whereas, your website and socials tend to be friendly and romantic.

Showcase testimonials and success stories

Sharing case studies of your past projects enhances your brand’s credibility while adding a personal touch through the intimacies of storytelling. Instead of just posting photographs of your client experiences, go in-depth with testimonials, stories, and personal highlights.

Balancing personality and professionalism in your creative brand needs to happen from the first touchpoint. You can’t bulldoze in wanting to be best friends before swiftly putting a wall up and handing over a rule book. Set the tone of how personal and/or professional your creative brand is through your messaging, copy, and communication. Make sure there’s no room for uncertainty around what you expect, how you communicate, and what your relationship with your clients is like.

If you need help crafting copy and messaging that presents your brand correctly, Cupid would love to help.