This article was originally published in July 2018. Refreshed: January 2025.

A question I always ask new clients is this: ‘What don’t you like about your current copy?’

And if I had a quid every time they replied with, “It just doesn’t sound like me” or “it sounds boring” then I wouldn’t be writing copy anymore. (Yeah, okay, maybe I would, because I love it and right now I can’t imagine giving it up.)

For many a-business owner, achieving a chatty, conversational tone is as desirable as a designer-stubbled Ryan Gosling in a fine-cut suit. But similar to the attempts to subtly model your partner on Mr Gosling to fulfil your fantasies, it’s really hard to achieve. And making it appear effortless is even harder.

Alright, jokes aside, what’s to be done about this troublesome copy? Because you can’t for the love of all things cute and fluffy publish another blog, email, or social post that sounds as beige as an over-milked latte.

Well, let’s first address what’s probably happening when you sit down to write.

The desire to ‘sound professional’ has a lot to answer for

The Internet is a harsh and extremely judgemental place. So much so, that people and businesses fear what the general public thinks of them. They don’t want to come off as weird or different to their competitors because then they face backlash.

The recent serve of trolling that the Jaguar rebrand received is a perfect example of this.

Companies actively avoiding being different use a very specific word when they brief their copywriter. This word is their attempt to ensure that their copy tows the line and avoids the risky business of standing out. And here it is.

Professional.

A company that wants to sound professional may as well say, ‘Pretty please, make us sound like our competitors because they are making money (we think) so we should sound the same.’ They want to follow the bland book when it comes to copy and tone of voice. And part of sounding professional involves using as many buzz words as possible, along with a brain-bending amount of industry jargon.

The problem is that the copy then starts to talk at the reader rather than to them. It loses its sense of conversation, which is what we’re trying to achieve. Complex topics are the worst at falling foul of this. But here’s the funny thing…

When we’re verbal about these topics or actually chat with people about our businesses, there’s less desire to sound professional. Rather, we just talk in a way that’s comfortable to us. And we allow space to listen. And we go off on tangents.

It’s an easy-flowing, simple, and clear conversation. And that feels really good. And garners responses from the people we’re talking to.

It’s how (most) humans like to interact. They don’t want to be talked at. They want to speak with you. And capturing that conversational back and forth is the challenge.

Achieving the feel of a conversation through the written word

The way I see it, is that good copy must include the elements we’d expect in a face-to-face conversation. It should be an easy-flowing exchange of ideas that both the reader and writer understand. Conversations need two or more participants, so the copy shouldn’t just talk “at” someone, it needs to give the sense that it’s able to listen, too.

One of the easiest ways to achieve that much-coveted conversational tone is to run your copy through the barstool test.

How the barstool test works

Originally coined by direct marketing copywriter, Paul Hollingshead from the American Writers & Artists Inc (AWAI), the theory behind the barstool test is this.

“Your copy should sound like you’re sitting on a barstool, chatting with a friend, rather than lecturing him.”

To put it into practise, imagine taking whatever you’ve written to the pub, where you’ve arranged to meet the person this copy should appeal to. Now, over your imaginary drink you start reading your copy to them.

As you read each sentence think, Is this how I’d really say this point, in this way, to this potential customer so they’d understand me?

If the answer is “no,” then you need to find a more natural way of saying it. Rewrite the sentence or paragraph. Really try to imagine how you’d explain this out loud, in an easy flowing, simple to understand way so your prospect gets it.

It might take several attempts. And that’s okay. You’re drinking buddy isn’t in a hurry. And by the time you’ve finished they’ll be so thankful that you spoke with them rather than at them that they’ll go ahead and buy whatever it is you’re selling or asking them to do.

That’s pretty much it. That’s how the barstool leads to copy with a conversational tone.

Or to put it another way…

I recently heard a variation of this accredited to Ogilvy. But rather than sitting in a bar Ogilvy urged writers to sit on a Greyhound bus and listen to the language people were using and how they spoke with each other. The point is the same: use the words and language that your customers are using so they understand the point you’re making in your ad or copy.

What are the benefits of using the barstool test?

By running your copywriting through the barstool test it’s more likely to:

• be free of confusing, industry jargon
• be more interesting and engaging
• put the reader at ease so they trust you.

Yeah, but Rose, what if the tone has to be more formal?

Some businesses balk at the idea of using a conversational tone. There’s the misunderstanding that ‘conversational’ means ‘informal’ and they need to sound professional. The concern arises when writing for a B2B audience.

My advice: still run your copy through the barstool test.

Not every conversation has the same tone. If your prospect is a young, go-getting business owner, the tone of that conversation will be different to an exchange with a mature finance manager for a big corporate company. But you’re still talking to both of them. You’re still aiming for a natural-sounding, easy flowing, simple to understand conversation.

See what I mean? Different audiences may require a slightly different conversational style. You can switch it up to suit your audience by making small changes to the language you use. (Without going OTT on the technical jargon.)

Not got time for a trip to the bar?

Finding the time or energy to run through the barstool test isn’t for everyone. As I said at the start, getting a free-flowing, natural sounding conversational tone is difficult.

Luckily, I love a good chat, am an experienced writer, and even used to work in a pub. Basically, I’ve got everything going for me to help you get this right.

If you fancy testing me out try my free copy review. It’s perfect for small businesses like yours.

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