Stephen Guise lives happily outside of the box and enjoys sharing his ideas for positive life change. At Deep Existence, you'll find an irresistible combination of (deep) critical thinking, creativity, and humor. Say hello to Stephen on twitter!

Professionalism is very important. The following is not a replacement for it, but an invaluable supplement to it that is often overlooked. I speak from experience as an owner of a blog and a customer of countless other businesses, blogs, and services. I have found that noticeable personality in business is somewhat rare. When it is present, it is typically subdued to a high degree in the name of professionalism.

This company has been wildly successful - In 2007, Coca-Cola acquired Glacéau for $4.1 billion. Why have they been successful?

Glacéau's marketing has been nothing short of brilliant. While I used to like Vitamin Water, I do not anymore (except for sports) - it is flavored water with a lot of sugar and a few vitamins. A large part of their success has been the company's great personality. They are more interesting and better at marketing than the competition.

“The inside is natural. The outside is plastic.” ~ Glacéau Smart Water Bottle

When I had first purchased Vitamin Water, I was pleasantly surprised that the information on the bottle was very different from what I’d looked at my entire life. The writing was interesting, witty, and humorous. Glacéau had actually gained some rapport with me without communicating directly with me. That is an amazing accomplishment for a business.

Again, I do not suggest this in place of professionalism. It is possible to have both and I can prove it with a simple question. Do you know any person that is professional and yet has a personality? It is no different with business.

As blog owners or business owners, we are always wanting to learn about how to improve them. The truth is that they can learn a lot from people! Humans are relational beings that love to connect with other human beings. This is a core and innate desire in every person and it is why businesses with a personality do better.

The answer is often very simple - do not stifle your own personality and let it permeate your business. If people like you, then they will like the ensuing business personality. Another option is to create a personality. For Geico, the marketing and PR team determine what personality they give the business. It's no secret that Geico's marketing efforts are among the best - a personified gecko and hilarious commercials.

Can you imagine how Geico would fare in comparison if they ran commercials like everyone else in their industry? They would be less successful and have less exposure because many of their funny advertisements go viral. As a customer of Geico, I can say they are also among the best in professionalism in my experience.

To personify your business, you need to be intentional about it. Ironically, people are often intentional about removing personality from their business. They aim to adhere to an unspoken "standard" in their industry or field.

Do you ever see lawyers joking around on commercials? No, they all seem like they are mad at someone or void of any personality. They want to give the impression that they can work 35 hours a day on your case and have the logic of Einstein. Well, I'd rather work with a real person.

How would you react if you saw a lawyer ad that was funny? I would think, "hmm...that's interesting and different from all the other lawyer ads out there." A month later when I want to sue my neighbor for letting his dog eat my cat, I won't remember the generic lawyer ads. I'll remember the funny lawyer and move to the next step by checking out his track record.

And yes, I know that law is very serious. I know that lawyers are valued for their performance in court. But when it comes to marketing, there is a more important area of focus:

"How can I differentiate myself from the competition?"

Ed Debevic's restaurant in Chicago is purposefully rude to customers and gives them terrible service. The highly controversial Heart Attack Grill in Arizona serves burgers that contain up to 8,000 calories. Both of these restaurants are very popular because they are different from everyone else.

Different = interesting. Don't fall into the trap of conforming to a standard or you'll be a drop of water in the sea. Break free and innovate. Be a drop of water in the desert. Give your business a personality.

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