I looked down, the decorative koi pond with its stone border looping around my feet.

Was I really going to do this? I swallowed. The itchy dryness in my throat almost gagged me, the lingering taste of sour Twizzlers mixing with the suffocating air of the greenhouse.

I glanced around quickly. The only witnesses were rows of potted plants and cacti.

So I did it. I knelt down and cupped some of the water from the koi pond into my mouth.

The bliss of finally parching my thirst was quickly cut off by my dad's incredulous, "Emily? What are you doing?!"

So much for no witnesses.

And that, my friends, is the story of the time I drank from a koi pond at a plant store.

Oh, well that's what all young kids do, you're probably thinking.

Yeah...I was in fourth grade when I did that. 😂

(For the record, my parents 100% would have gotten me water if I'd asked for it. I never even told them I was thirsty. But they'd just bought me a new flavor of Twizzlers at the last store, and there was a 0% chance I was passing up Twizzlers to ask for water instead.)

Why do I tell you that story about my questionable hydration choices in elementary school?

Because THAT'S how you market personally without being too personal.

Last week, we talked about how marketing personally can be the key to whether your marketing appears "salesy" or not, even if you use the same marketing strategies.

But when I bring this up to clients, I typically get two responses:

1. I don't want to get too personal because I have safety concerns / I can't share details of my story because they involve other people / I don't want to share too much about my kids online, etc.
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2. I'm not comfortable being vulnerable / I'm more introverted, etc.

So I'm here to tell you:

You can 100% be personal in your marketing without sharing personal information.

Take the story above. Do you feel like you know me a little bit better after it? (And maybe judging me — it's okay, I'm judging me too.)

But what did you actually really learn about me?

• I have a dad.
• I've had Twizzlers and been to a greenhouse.
• I made some questionable thirst-quenching choices in fourth grade.

Nothing too vulnerable or personally identifying from that, but it still achieved the effect of helping you get to know me a bit better. It allowed you to feel a personal connection without me sharing anything too revealing.

The key is relatable storytelling, not identifiable details.

And before you say, "Well who's going to care about my random stories?"

Let me tell you: Everyone.

We're hard-wired for connection. That was God's plan for us from the beginning. It is a lie of the evil one to make you think that no one cares about you because frankly, us caring about each other annihilates a lot of his plans for destruction.

God, on the other hand, is the master at revelation. He is constantly revealing Himself to us, and the beautiful way He created you, with your unique gifts and talents, is meant to be revealed to others too.

So how do you market personally without marketing too personally?

Step One: Figure Out Your Line

Decide where your "line" is. What is the line of what you're willing to share and not?

I highly advise bringing this to prayer, because it will be different for everyone.

For example, I will talk about motherhood, the general ages and genders of my children, and funny or cute things they say or do that could be universal to any child. But I don't share their names or faces or anything identifiable about them. That's my line.

Step Two: Collect Stories

Next, you have to become a story collector. Seemingly mundane things that happen in your life are now possible connection points for personal marketing.

I highly recommend keeping a notes app on your phone and jotting down any stories that might be relevant: an encounter you have, a revelation during prayer or from the daily readings, even a roundup of other Catholic businesses you've shopped from recently or a recipe or song you really liked that you want to recommend.

Not coming up with any recent things to share? Here's a few other ideas for personal, but not too personal anecdotes:

• Talk about things that happened in the past
  • Example: A story from your childhood, a vacation from last year, something from a previous job
• Talk about a universal experience
  • Example: This past newsletter, where I talked about my toddler's sudden dislike of a food he used to love which narrowed him down to being...literally any toddler.
• Can't share certain details of a story because they involve others? Focus on yourself and your reactions to that situation versus the others.
  • Example: "I'll never forget the feeling during that confrontation. My heart raced, my hands clenched, and the pink striped wallpaper seemed to blur into a dark red as I got angrier."
• If you REALLY can't talk about a personal story for whatever reason, use "you" instead of "I" to tell your audience's story (even if it's your own story with some details changed).
  • Example: "Your eyes smart with tears as you hang up the phone. Yet another tense conversation with your child who has strayed from the faith. Your heart is a mixture of betrayal and sadness and anger. Every conversation now is like walking on eggshells as they take personal offense at your own faith journey. You can't even mention that you went to Mass without an argument simmering under the surface as they try to "teach" you why you're wrong, silly, and even intolerant for following the Church."

This is my least favorite, as it does put a degree of separation between you and your audience, but sometimes what you talk about is sensitive enough that you need that separation, so this strategy is an alternative to not being personal at all!

Step Three: Focus on (Unimportant) Specifics

The key to personal touch without revealing personal information is going all in on the details that don't matter as much, but help to set the scene.

In the story above, notice how I mentioned the specific plants, the stone border of the pond, the specific type of candy.

Not because these details were particularly important, but because it helps you to picture the scene as though you were there, without needing to reveal anything that might be more identifiable (like the name of the store or the town we were in).

Talk in the first person, use specific quotes from conversations, and load up on the visual, tangible details to create a personal story without needing to go too far.

Step Four: Be Vulnerable

Sometimes, it's not that we can't tell our stories; we just don't want to.

We are naturally introverted or don't like being vulnerable or worry what our audience will think of us.

I'm going to try to speak the truth in love here: That may be pride coming out in your marketing.

Bring this to prayer. Why do you fear being vulnerable? Is it from a lack of feeling worthy? A desire to be private as an avoidance strategy? An experience from your past where you were hurt by letting others in?

Then, let Him heal those places in you — and pray for the bravery to accept His call to be vulnerable like He was.

Because Jesus always revealed more of Himself before calling others to action. Through His teachings and healings, He always took that step of vulnerability first.

And in our marketing, He invites us to do the same.

So this week, see if there is an opportunity for you to be personal in your marketing.

Start small. You don't have to reveal your deepest sins or struggles — start with a simple recommendation of something you enjoyed recently, and go from there.

Because in a world that is getting less and less human, particularly in marketing, one human authentically sharing with another human is the most persuasive thing in the world.

For His greater glory,

Emily

P.S. If you liked today's more in-depth tutorial, you may want to keep your eyes peeled for mid-May. Here's a hint: This isn't the only marketing strategy God shows us how to do first before asking us to do it ourselves. 👀 He calls us to market differently AND shows us how to do it...in a place you likely wouldn't expect.

SENT Ministry Showcase I saw this opportunity and had to share — the chance for Catholic ministries (specifically evangelization-focused) to present to potential donors or sponsors at the SENT Summit. Learn more