Everybody has a personality. Whenever you think of someone you know — your mother, neighbor, coworker, or anyone else — you picture their personality. You can easily imagine how it feels to be around them, their sense of humor, their talkativeness, and a thousand other character traits.

Companies have personalities, too. And whenever people think of your company, they will immediately think of its personality. And that personality — the taste in their mouths as they think of you — will determine if they become repeat customers.

Not every company personality is the same. It shouldn’t be. One company might sell itself as challenging the status quo and constantly pushing boundaries. Another might cultivate an image of tradition and reliability — offering the same tried-and-true products and service that it has for decades.

We know when a company has made us feel that we can trust it. However, shaping your company’s personality requires intentionality and commitment. Here are several specific ways to do it.

Customer Service

Exceptional customer service is the most obvious. Your employees are the face of your company, and as such, they have a profound influence on building its personality. When a customer (or potential customer) interacts with an employee, that will be the most memorable part of their experience. If the employee treats them poorly, they will certainly remember it. Likewise if they were given exceptional treatment by an employee.

Make sure your employees know the importance of everything they do. The way they present themselves, talk to customers, spend their time while at a jobsite — it will all build up your company personality. Take the time to train them on how to interact with everyone (especially more difficult customers) with complete professionalism.

But go beyond the basics, too. Add a gift bag with the purchase of a unit or the signing of a maintenance agreement. If you believe in the work of your technicians or your products, promise refunds if the customer isn’t happy.

Social Media and Website

Social media offers the unique ability to continue building a relationship with the customer, even when not directly involved with them. Your treatment of social media will build your business’ personality. The videos your company shares, the humor you inject in your posts, and more all have the potential to show potential customers who they will be buying from if they choose your company.

And don’t underestimate this power. People want a company they know and can trust to buy from. A prospective customer might learn about you, go onto your business’ social media page, and see a list of posts showcasing your company culture, your technicians, and ways you served your community. That will build a personality and a relationship far better than an extremely outdated social media page.

The same can be said of your website. If a customer goes to your website and finds it difficult to use, they will likely assume that the rest of your company is clunky and hard to work with. But the opposite is also true. If the website is easy to use, streamlined, and a chatbot opens up with helpful, kind suggestions, the website visitor will assume that booking a call and interacting with your technicians will be just as easy. And all of these things build your company’s personality, leading to the formation of relationships with customers.

Trucks and Advertising

Your advertising and your trucks will construct your company identity as well. The moment an old (or new) truck rolls into a customer’s driveway, a message is being sent about the personality and the quality of your company. Similarly, a wrap on your truck — whether it shows a graphic or just the name of your company — will portray whether your business is put together and professional. All of these things lead to the customer building a relationship with your company’s personality and walking into their discussions with your employees with optimism and trust.

Direct advertising is a way for you to speak directly to customers and tell them about your company’s identity. Whether you invest money in a radio ad, television commercial, or direct mail advertising, invest time, money, and thought into deciding exactly what message you want to get across. The right script or text can portray your company as relatable, trusting, caring, yet entirely professional.