“Humanizing” a brand, or connecting a brand to the people behind their logo, has become increasingly important, especially as communication becomes more and more computerized. Gone are the days when you and your employees are masked behind a graphic image like anonymous puppeteers. So, here are a few ways to bring your company into the spotlight.

• Be funny.

Not only does humor establish rapport and create memorability, when based on a common problem, it creates a mutual understanding of the issues at hand. Make sure your jokes are all in good taste, though. Check out these tips for using humor in the workplace.

• Use everyday language.

Avoid the big words and just talk. Business jargon, aka gobbledygook, often dilutes the take-home message, makes you look overconfident and can usually be replaced with commonly understood words. For examples, check out the most annoying business speak ever or the 12 most overused words in produce marketing.

• Show real photos and videos of your company.

Whether it’s a Facebook cover photo of your team on costume day or an iPhone video of your fall harvest, your audience will appreciate the inside view of your company. Try adding fun shots to your Website, Instagram and even your new LinkedIn profile.

• Personalize your messages.

People send messages and write blogs. Not businesses. So, instead of signing off as your company name, let people know who they’re communicating with by signing your personal name.

• Know your audience.

And speak to them based on their needs. If you know that your buyers’ biggest concerns are food safety, quality and convenience, explain to them that your food safety audits, quality assurance team and convenient packaging can put them at ease! Don’t know anything about your buyers? Try creating buyer personas.

• Use expressions of social presence.

While there’s not yet a sarcasm or this is funny font, emoticons, punctuation and social media lingo (JK, LOL, etc) allow you to add non-verbal communication to your written messages. A simple smiley face or exclamation point can change the tone of your conversation from apathetic to caring and engaged, reassuring a trusted relationship.

It’s easy to send a generic message to the masses and even easier for your audience to delete it or mistake it for an imposturous piece of spam. People like talking with people. Get out there, expose those quirky personalities and bring your company to life!

Got your own ways of humanizing your brand? Do tell!