3 steps for crafting your most authentic brand voice, AI not required

Hey everyone! Quick update here. For months, I have been trying to land LinkedIn’s Top Community Voice badge. After writing dozens of contributions, I had pretty much given up. But last week, it landed on my radar again. I got a few new pieces of information and decided to try them out — and I was successful this time, which is notable because I have less than a 1,000 followers! I’ve created a quick guide on how I did it, and I’m giving it away to anyone who subscribes to email newsletter for the next two weeks. If you’re already subscribed and want the guide, shoot me a DM on LinkedIn. Now onto this week's topic …

Authentic brand voice.

It sounds like an oxymoron. How can it be authentic if you’re having to craft a voice for your brand?

It doesn’t mean you write only one way all the time — far from it. But it does mean certain attributes and qualities guide your content creation.?

Earlier this week, I attended an online workshop on ChatGPT, and the man leading it —?a popular LinkedIn creator — demonstrated a tool that allowed him to emulate the voice of famous people. Walt Disney was his example.?

I’m so glad the camera wasn’t on, because I had one of those jaw dropping moments. Why in the world would people want to sound like someone else? was my first thought.

And then it hit me:

They lack confidence in their own writing and communication.

Look, AI is good for many things and can save a ton of time with content creation, but I don’t want to live in a world where we’re all trying to sound like other people. As a human, creator and consumer, I want to hear from and connect with the real you, especially if we’re doing business.?

Writing authentically for your brand is all about reflecting what makes you unique. It doesn’t mean letting it all hang out or even shedding your layers of professionalism, it means integrating your true self into your professional persona. The goal isn't to mimic or hide behind a fa?ade, or someone else, but to write in a way that aligns with your brand's core values and connects with your audience on a more personal level.

Crafting your brand voice doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler, the better. It can be a standalone guide that gives your writing greater clarity and purpose, or it can be incorporated into a larger brand and marketing positioning plan for your business.

Here’s how to develop your most authentic brand voice.nbsp;

1. Identify your core values and beliefs

• Reflect on what matters most to you. What are the attributes you want to be known for? What values guide your decisions and actions? Think about the attributes or impressions you want people to take away from you.?

For example, I want to come across as experienced, knowledgeable, genuine, approachable, practical and actionable. Write down each of these attributes, with the goal of identifying the three to five that most encapsulate your brand.

2. Understand your audience

• Create a customer persona. Knowing who you're speaking to is crucial. List the characteristics of your ideal customer or primary target audience, including their challenges and aspirations. What stage of life are they in? What are they struggling with, especially as it relates to what you are offering? How would they feel if they had more of what you are offering? While this doesn’t have to be time-consuming, I encourage you to go beyond general demographics and really understand who you are speaking to, so you can feel confident your brand voice speaks directly to them. Does it align with the attributes you listed? Here’s where you might refine your list to better align with your audience.?

3. Combine your values and understanding

• Craft a brand voice chart. List your brand attributes (e.g., experienced, actionable, approachable), provide a short description of what that means for your audience alongside dos and don'ts for your content. For example, if your brand is approachable, your description might read, “I want my brand to feel welcoming and accessible to those who might not be as knowledgeable on the subject matter as me.”?My list of dos might be:?Use clear, simple language; write conversationally; use contractions. My don’ts might be:?Stuffy writing; overly complicated words.?

Once you’ve got your brand voice chart created, it becomes a quick reference to keep your writing consistent. It can also be incorporated into a larger brand positioning document. The more closely your attributes match your natural writing style, the easier it will be to follow. It doesn’t have to be formal or complicated, but I would encourage you to view your brand voice part of your overarching brand identity.

Do you have a brand voice that guides your writing? What are your attributes? What do impression do you want your audience to have? I’d love to hear what you think!

Need help with your content strategy! Let’s chat.