Your logo is important, but your people are everything. In 20 years of building websites, I’ve learned one thing: customers hire people, not logos. But here’s my contrarian take—none of this matters if your website is built like garbage.
Your team should be the stars of your brand story. It’s time to let them shine.
The Foundation Nobody Talks About: Your Website Has to Actually Work
Before we dive into showing faces and building personal brands, let’s get one thing straight: if your website is slow, bloated, or technically broken, all the personal branding in the world won’t save you.
I see it constantly—trades businesses spending thousands on marketing, creating beautiful team photos, writing compelling content, then wondering why their phone isn’t ringing. Meanwhile, their website takes 8 seconds to load, crashes on mobile, and has more plugins than a Guitar Center.
Here’s my contrarian opinion: Focusing on how your website is built, focusing on speed, performance, and not having extra bloat, doing things technically the right way (or the best way you’re able to depending on your skill level) is probably the most important thing you can do.
Why? Because when you get the technical foundation right, everything else you do in terms of SEO and marketing becomes that much easier. A website that performs like crap means you’ll just be spending more and more money on things you don’t want to spend money on.
The foundation is super important and things can always be improved. Always keep an eye on things cause even the best developers in the world can sometimes make a mistake and things change quickly for a variety of reasons from updates to plug-ins to accidental mistakes. Always keep an eye on your website and performance—have steps and procedures in place so you’re checking in regularly with your team or yourself, whoever is in charge.
Foundation first, faces second.
Your Logo Gets Them to Notice You, Your People Get Them to Trust You
Don’t get me wrong—your logo is important. It’s how people remember you, recognize your trucks, and recommend you to their neighbors. A strong brand builds that know, like, and trust factor that every business needs.
But here’s where most trades businesses stop: they build a recognizable brand, then hide behind it.
That’s a huge mistake.
Once people remember your logo, once they’re on your website or following your social media, that’s when you need to show them who you really are and what you really do. The more authentic you are, the more undeniable you become.
And yes, I know how that sounds. “Be authentic” feels like business buzzword nonsense. But in the trades, authenticity isn’t about being vulnerable or sharing your feelings—it’s about being real about your expertise, your team, and your commitment to solving problems.
The Problem with Faceless Businesses
Walk through any neighborhood and look at the trades trucks. Most of them look like rolling corporate logos with phone numbers. Clean, professional, and completely forgettable.
Now think about the last time you hired a contractor. Did you choose them because of their logo? Or because something about them—their communication, their team, their approach—made you feel confident they could solve your problem?
People don’t hire logos. They hire people.
Yet most trades websites look like they were designed by robots for robots:
- Stock photos of generic technicians
- Corporate headshots that look like insurance ads
- “About Us” pages that read like legal documents
- No personality, no real faces, no human connection
Your customers want to know who’s coming to their house. They want to see the actual people who’ll be crawling around their basement or working on their roof. They want to feel like they’re hiring trusted neighbors, not a faceless corporation.
The Owner’s Role: Your Responsibility to the Team and Brand
Let’s be clear about something: as an owner, you have a responsibility to at least be part of the team and your brand to build your business. This isn’t optional. This isn’t something you can delegate completely.
But—and this is crucial—you don’t have to be the star. In fact, you shouldn’t be the star.
Your team and your customers should be the stars when communicating your brand, your value, and your services.
Your role as the owner is to:
- Set the foundation: Make sure your website actually works, your systems function, your processes are solid
- Lead by example: Show up consistently, communicate your values, demonstrate your commitment to quality
- Elevate your team: Use your platform to highlight their expertise, celebrate their wins, give them the spotlight
- Take accountability: Be the face of responsibility when things need to be made right
- Enable success: Give your team the tools, training, and support they need to be stars
You’re the director, not the lead actor. Your job is to make everyone else look good while ensuring the whole production runs smoothly.
Your Team: The Real Heroes of Every Job
Here’s what I’ve learned after 20 years: the technicians are the real stars. They’re the ones solving problems, educating customers, and building the relationships that drive your business.
Your team members are walking, talking proof of your company’s expertise. They’re the ones customers interact with most. They’re the ones who make or break the customer experience.
So why are you hiding them behind generic job titles and stock photos?
Smart trades businesses showcase their team because:
- Customers get comfortable with technicians before they arrive
- Individual expertise becomes part of your competitive advantage
- Team members feel valued and take more pride in their work
- Multiple familiar faces create stronger business relationships
- Customers refer specific technicians, not just “some company”
When customers can put faces to names, when they know who’s coming to their house, when they’ve seen your team’s expertise on social media—everything changes. The anxiety disappears. Trust builds faster. Conversations flow easier.
Website Strategy: Build It Right, Then Make Your Team the Heroes
Here’s where most trades businesses get it backwards—they focus on pretty pictures and forget about performance. Your website strategy needs to start with technical excellence, then layer on the human elements.
Technical Foundation First
Before you worry about team photos, make sure your website:
- Loads fast: Under 3 seconds on mobile, period
- Works on phones: Most of your emergency customers are calling from mobile devices
- Doesn’t crash: Clean code, minimal plugins, reliable hosting
- Loads properly: No broken images, missing content, or error messages
Why this matters: A broken website makes even the best team look unprofessional. A fast, reliable website makes average content look great.
Then Add the Human Elements
Once your technical foundation is solid, make your team the heroes of your story:
Team Member Profiles That Actually Matter
Skip the corporate headshots and generic bios. Show your team as real people with real expertise:
- Photos that show personality: Smiling, approachable photos that make people feel comfortable
- Expertise highlights: What they specialize in, how long they’ve been doing it, what they love about the work
- Personal touches: Hobbies, family, community involvement—things that make them relatable
- Customer impact: Brief stories about problems they’ve solved or customers they’ve helped
“Meet Your Tech” Sections
Create dedicated space for customers to get to know who might be coming to their house:
- Individual technician pages with photos and specialties
- Recent projects they’ve completed
- Customer testimonials that mention them by name
- Their approach to common problems
Behind-the-Scenes Content
Show your team doing what they do best:
- Photos and videos of actual work being done
- Before and after projects with the technician who did the work
- Problem-solving in action
- Team training and continuing education
This isn’t just feel-good content—it’s proof of competence. When customers see your team diagnosing complex problems or installing equipment properly, they understand they’re hiring experts.
Social Media: Be Helpful First, Everything Else Follows
Social media isn’t about selling—it’s about being helpful, useful, and answering questions. And your team is perfectly positioned to do exactly that.
Let Your Team Share Their Expertise
- Tip Tuesday posts: Team members sharing seasonal maintenance advice
- Problem-solving videos: Short clips explaining common issues and solutions
- Tool talk: Technicians explaining what equipment they use and why
- Safety reminders: Real experts sharing real safety advice
Day-in-the-Life Content
People are curious about what trades work actually involves:
- Morning routine: How technicians prep for the day
- On-site problem solving: (With customer permission) showing diagnosis and repair
- Tool organization: How pros keep their trucks organized and efficient
- Continuing education: Team members learning new techniques or technology
Customer Q&A
When customers ask questions on social media, have team members answer:
- Real expertise: Not scripted corporate responses, but genuine technical knowledge
- Personal connection: “Hi, this is Mike from the install team. Here’s what I’d recommend…”
- Follow-up value: “If you’re dealing with this issue, feel free to reach out directly”
The Psychology of Personal Connection
After two decades in this business, I’ve seen the same pattern over and over: people buy from people they trust, and trust comes from familiarity.
When customers can see your team’s faces, learn their names, and watch them solve problems, several things happen:
- Anxiety decreases: Home service calls can be stressful. Familiar faces reduce that stress
- Expectations align: Customers know what to expect and who to expect it from
- Communication improves: It’s easier to talk to someone you “know” than a stranger
- Loyalty increases: Customers develop relationships with specific team members, making them less likely to shop around
- Referrals multiply: “You need to call ABC Plumbing and ask for Mike—he’s amazing” is more powerful than “call some plumbing company”
Be Different, Be Undeniable
Look, everybody’s trying to give good service and good pricing. That’s table stakes now. You have to be different. You have to be undeniable.
Owners who take initiative and put themselves and their teams out there will reap the benefits in the long run. You have to do the things other people are afraid to do.
Most business owners are afraid to:
- Show their real faces instead of hiding behind logos
- Let their team members have individual personalities online
- Be authentic instead of corporate
- Stand out instead of blending in
That fear is your opportunity.
When you’re real, when you show actual people doing actual work, when you let your team’s expertise shine—you become undeniable. Customers don’t just hire you because you’re available or affordable. They hire you because they trust you, they like you, and they want to work with you specifically.
Implementation: Making It Happen
Ready to put faces to your brand? Here’s how to start:
Week 1: Audit Your Current Presence
- Website review: Count how many real team photos you have vs. stock photos
- Social media check: How often do you show real team members vs. generic content?
- Competitor analysis: What are others in your market doing? (Probably hiding behind logos)
Week 2: Start with Team Photos
- Professional but approachable photos of each team member
- Action shots of team members actually working
- Group photos that show team unity and culture
Week 3: Create Team Profiles
- Individual bio pages for key team members
- Expertise highlights and specializations
- Personal touches that make them relatable
Week 4: Launch Social Content
- Team spotlight posts introducing members individually
- Behind-the-scenes content showing real work
- Educational posts featuring team expertise
The Long-Term Foundation
This isn’t just about marketing tactics—it’s about building a foundation that will serve your business for years to come.
When you build your brand around real people doing real work:
- Recruitment improves: Good people want to work for companies that value and showcase their team
- Retention increases: Team members feel valued when they’re featured and recognized
- Customer loyalty deepens: Relationships with individual team members create stronger business bonds
- Referrals multiply: Customers refer specific people, not just companies
- Premium pricing sticks: People pay more for people they trust and like
The key is consistency and authenticity. Be undeniable as an owner, as a team, as a company. Have great communication. Be crystal clear on who you are and what you offer. Deliver an amazing experience every time.
That foundation will carry your business for decades—as long as you don’t mess it up by hiding behind your logo.
The Bottom Line: People Remember Logos, But They Hire People
Your logo gets people to notice you. Your brand gets them to remember you. But your people—your real, authentic, expert people—are what get them to hire you, trust you, and refer you.
Stop hiding behind corporate branding and start showcasing the humans who make your business special.
Show your face as the owner who stands behind every job. Showcase your team as the experts they are. Be helpful, be useful, be real.
Because in the trades, people don’t just want their problems solved—they want them solved by people they trust.
And trust starts with a face, a name, and proof that you know what you’re doing.
Your team should be the stars of your brand story. It’s time to let them shine.
