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Finding your personal voice in writing can be a challenge and that includes when you do your own writing or while working with a ghostwriter.
On this episode of “The Business Storytelling Show,” I chat with Ghostwriter Bruce Shutan to discuss what goes into finding your writing voice when working with a ghostwriter and when writing your own content. And what about using assistance from AI?
A previous episode with Tara Hunt shared the following tips on finding your brand voice:
Show notes
In this episode, I chatted with Tara Hunt, then CEO of Truly Inc, about how to develop an authentic and effective brand voice. They discuss the common challenges brands face in defining their personality and voice, and strategies for creating a unique and memorable brand voice.
Try Tara’s card game: “Who the deck are you” to determine your brand voice.
Key Takeaways:
- Many brands today rely on vague “brand personality” guidelines that use words like “fun”, “friendly” or “creative” to describe their desired voice. But these words are too ambiguous and open to interpretation to provide real direction.
- To develop an authentic brand voice, you need to think of brands as having multiple dimensions, just like a real human personality. This includes not just vague traits but provocative traits that push boundaries.
- For example, early Zappos branded themselves as “a little weird” – quirky, willing to say unexpected things. This memorable trait made them stand out from competitors.
- Live streaming and podcasts are great ways to showcase an authentic brand voice, since they provide transparency and you can’t hide behind editing.
- Brand voice should align not just with executive personalities but also the target audience. Patagonia’s bold stances work because they tap into customer values.
- Developing a consistent yet adaptable brand voice takes practice, like an exercise in acting. But well-defined core traits make it easier for anyone creating content.
Key Quotes:
“A brand voice is your personality signature, so I can identify the brand through the personality in the text.”
“You want to get into that provocative side and push the edges on that.”
“Live streaming and podcasts are a great way to showcase an authentic brand voice.”
“Trying to create something authentic to your customer base is different than just mimicking executive personalities.”
“Well-defined core traits make it easier for anyone creating content to adapt to a brand voice.”
