This is the question almost every small business owner asks themselves at some point in their journey.
Many clients ask me this too, so I’m laying down my thoughts on it to give you clarity and confidence in your brand voice choice.
But first… A word on brand voice.
Brand voice is the way your business talks.
It can be tongue in cheek (Koala), left of centre (Ikea), flowy and heart-filled (Castle & Things) or real and down to earth (me🙋♀️). Brand voice doesn’t have to be loud, trending or funny. It’s just got to be you. Because that’s sustainable, natural and comes easily when you write for your business.
Whatever your brand voice is, keep it consistent across all your marketing.
So, I or we?
If you’re a company of one, you might want to use “we” to make your business seem bigger and more established to build trust and buyer confidence.
If you’ve got a team, you probably don’t feel right using “I” because you don’t want people to think you do it all when it’s a team effort, even if you’re the face and voice of the brand.
What’s the right way to go?
It comes down to authenticity. That builds more trust and connection than making your business out to be something it’s not.
When to use “I” on your website
If it’s just you in the business, running the show (and the coffee pick ups), pulling the strings, making all the decisions and doing all the work, use first person singular i.e “I” or me.”
If you’re a solo operator who does it all on your own most of the time (with a few things outsourced from time to time like graphic design, website updates, VA support etc), I recommend you also use “I/me”.
Buyers relate to that. It makes buying from you personal, real and human. Using “we” when it’s just you isn’t true. There is no shame in using first person singular and making it clear that you’re a solo operator. In fact, it makes you more appealing because we love to support the little guys.
When to use “we” on your small biz website
When you’re a team – whether that’s a virtual team, an in-person team or a crew of people you outsource to for major tasks that help you deliver your product or service – go for “we/us”. That’s the truth, so presenting the brand as a single person business is nothing but inauthentic. If you’re worried that buyers might be put off by your size, then it’s time to amp up the human side of the brand, letting them know there’s a small but mighty team of real people driving the business.
Think you need some help with your brand voice? I can help.