Brand marketing builds broad awareness of what you do; YOU marketing (personal stories, gifts, birthdays) builds deep one-to-one connection. Do both.
The idea
In my coaching we told members they need both tracks in their business. Brand marketing makes people aware of what you do, reaches many at once, and can be direct about your work: newsletters, mailers, social posts, market reports, events, ads. YOU marketing creates a connection between one person and you, built on value and attraction: gifts, birthday messages, anniversaries, and personal content about a recent client experience, something you attended, a book or show or restaurant you love, your family, your travels. You are what you're selling.
How to do it
Sort what you currently send into Brand and YOU.
Each week, plan two YOU sessions for every Brand session.
For YOU content, share something real: what you did, saw or loved this week.
For YOU touches, keep them one-to-one: a birthday note, a gift, an anniversary message.
Example
When members said personal content felt "unprofessional" (one actually said "Yuck!"), we asked: if you had to trust someone to guide you through the most stressful time of your life, would you pick someone who seems cold and distant, or someone you can relate to? Nobody picked cold and distant.
Watch out for
Brand alone gets you seen without the deep connection. YOU alone can leave you talking to an empty room if nobody knows you exist. You need both.
Social Media and Relationships: Marketing is one-to-many visibility and relationship building is one-to-few trust; social media belongs to the first and feeds the second, and you need both.
Three Types of Marketing (25/25/50): Split marketing time three ways: 25% on offers and listings, 25% on brand awareness, and 50% on personal, human content for the people you know.
Market Experiences, Not Expertise: Before sending content, ask "can they Google it?" If yes, share your own experience instead; it shows your expertise without the pitch.
Be Worth Knowing: Share your own take and what you're into; industry jargon makes you invisible, while personality and stories make you memorable.