Forget for a moment that I’m a copywriter. That might sound like an odd request considering you’ve landed here looking for the help of a copywriter. But I want you to let that go so I can speak to you business owner to business owner, and share the following truth.
Writing copy for your business when you are your business is weird.
Think for a moment what it feels like to write copy for your business versus chatting about what you do. It’s always easier to talk about it. And, as you talk, your personality and enthusiasm for what you do burst through. It’s a great feeling.
But then you come to write it down for your home and about page… And it’s not the same. No matter how many times you rehash the copy, what you read on the screen sounds nothing like you. Writing, somehow, sucks all of the character out of it, leaving you with copy that feels lifeless and sounds like every other fucker competitor that does a similar thing to you.
I’ve been there. You’ve been there. Most solo, personal brand business owners you know have been there. And pretty much any client that’s needed me to write their about page has too.
Okay, now that we’re on the same level and can agree that writing is weird it’s time for me to put my professional copywriter hat back on and get geeky. I’m about to explain why putting personality into copy can feel so hard and give you the fixes.
Why adding personality to copy feels so hard
At the start of every project, I spend time speaking with the client and I always ask, What don’t you like about your current copy? The general response is, It doesn’t sound like me or It doesn’t sound right. So, I dig deeper to better understand why they’re finding it so hard. It usually comes down to one of these four reasons.
Reason 1: They’re afraid to be different. To get a feel for what other businesses do, they look at their website copy and then come down with comparrisonitus, falling into the mindset that because everyone else is doing it this way, they must follow suit. They give up their personal voice as a result and adopt what others have already done.
Reason 2: They find creative writing hard. Being able to write a formal email to a supplier or draft an in-house corporate document is very different to creating personality driven copy. Some business owners simply don’t know how to make that switch.
Reason 3: They don’t care enough to try. They tried it once. It wasn’t right and so they can’t be bothered to try again. They’re only words after all and no one will read it.
Reason 4: They care too much. When you are your business, you want things to be just-so and it’s easy to fall into the trap of overthinking how the copy should sound or what they’re trying to capture. They then lose sight of being natural and speaking freely in their copy.
Understanding why they struggle to write their copy tells me a little something about the client. It helps me understand how to best manage their project. For example, a client who cares a lot and has repeatedly tried to craft their copy will need more time to review and feedback so I’ll account for that in the project time line. (Although not too long, otherwise we risk falling into the same trap of overthinking it all.)
It might be hard, but it’s important
There are three reasons why you shouldn’t overlook personality driven copy.
- The first is as a way of distinguishing your business from others that are similar.
- It will resonate better with your ideal customer and so has a better chance of holding their attention and converting.
- Allows for consistency/continuity. If your copy reflects who you are and what your brand sounds like, then when people come to speak to you and your staff the voice will sound familiar. And where there’s familiarity, there’s customer trust.
One thing I’m really proud of is the number of clients who say to me, “You get me.” I think this is the biggest compliment a copywriter can get. “Getting” someone isn’t easy. Humans are complex and we’re all different. Reaching a point where someone is confident enough to say “You put what I think into words so perfectly,” is… Well, it’s a hell of an achievement.
So how exactly do I make that happen?
How copywriters write personality-driven copy
To truly get a client, I spend hours staring at their LinkedIn headshot until I enter a trance-like state and feel like I’ve become that client. Like method acting.
OK, OK, that’s not true. I could never spend that amount of time on LinkedIn. In actual fact, what I do first is something very simple. I listen.
Listening is an essential copywriting skill
Briefing meetings serve a lot of purposes. Their main function is to make sure I’ve got the essential project details so I can write the copy that you want. But it’s also a great opportunity for me to listen to you. To hear how you talk, the words you use, how you refer to things within your industry and your business. All of this then influences your brand tone of voice (ToV).
ToV is a document that outlines:
- word choices – what words are and are not acceptable to use in your copy
- the cadence and rhythm of your copy
- linguistic and persuasive writing choices.
Copywriter and ToV specialist Nick Parker has identified 11 primary voices. Pretty much every brand and company use one or more of these 11 voices to create their own ToV. Once in place, the ToV is the base for communicating the brand personality.
Defining ToV is only part of the job. There are three more things I do to make sure your copy reflects your personality.
1. Picking out words and phrases that make you, sound like you.
Everyone’s got their own quirky way of saying things. When we learn language, we’re influenced by the people who surround us and where we grow up. The language we used is moulded by local dialect, colloquialisms and idioms. It’s inescapable. Whether you speak the King’s English or have the thickest West Midlands accent.
Finding your favourite local language phrases and adding them where appropriate is how I make copy sound scarily like you. But it’s not just that. Adding these words and phrases helps your client too. When they speak to you on the phone, in store or over email, they’ll hear you say these things. It’s all about being consistent.
2. Explaining your industry and business in your words
Asking you to talk about your industry helps me understand:
- how it works (from your point of view)
- how you feel about it
- where your business fits in.
Your experiences of the industry you work in will be unique to you. And the knowledge and perception you have might be different from your competitors. This affects that language and tone you use when talking about it. Drawing on that can help me help you sound different from other companies in the same space.
From a check-box point of view, I get to know any technical terms and processes that will feature in your copy.
Here’s an example
I used to write for a Las Vegas wedding company. But not the sort of Vegas wedding you’re probably imagining. In fact, it was the anthesis of what you’re probably imaging. There was strictly no neon and definitely no Elvis. But there was desert, amazing sunsets and natural outdoor venues that had the ability to make sure couples could feel that their union was part of something… Bigger.
What they offer clients is vastly different from the wham, bam thank you ma’am weddings. But they operate in the same industry. How the owner of that company spoke about what it’s like getting married in Vegas—and what couples want from a Vegas wedding—was wildly different to what an owner of a more traditional chapel would say. And so it was my job to capture that different through the language we used and messages we communicated.
3. Revealing something personal
Good copy connects the customer with the brand. It helps them see themselves in the copy by acknowledging their pain points, laying fears to rest, and building trust. But I don’t think technical copywriting techniques like these are the only way to cement the connection. Revealing some personal tidbits about yourself or company helps too.
Sharing a few words about your hobbies and interests outside of work can be helpful. Although I believe that what you choose to share should somehow benefit your audience so it’s still relevant to them. (I’ve had copywriters strongly disagree with me about this in the past.)
For example, on my website content service page I state that I enjoy heavy metal music.
Why’s this relevant?
Because it’s often what I’ll have on in the background when I’m (head)banging out someone’s copy. It gives the reader a chance to imagine me at work, doing the word thing for them. Plus, it’s a little personal detail so they can get to know me better and hopefully surprises them just enough to keep them interested.
Some examples of how I’ve done this for my clients:
- An SEO strategist who loves marathon running
- A male escort who loves going to the opera, theatre and ballet
- A wedding coordinator who loves rock climbing
- A female escort who practises yoga.
What could you share? Take a moment to think about your hobbies and interests. Which would be appropriate for you to share and how can you relate it back so it benefits your audience?
I’m ready for a day of metal. Knotfest 2024
Let your personality come through in your copy so your audience can “get you”
The whole reason for having personality-driven copy is so your ideal audience is able to get to know you and connect with you. Whether you’re a freelance company or small business with a brand, there’s always a personality there waiting to get out. Don’t be afraid to let it show in your website, email and blog copy.
If you don’t feel like your copy properly reflects who you are, then know that you’re not alone. Pretty much all of my clients feel this. Try the four techniques I mentioned in this article:
- define your tone of voice
- throughout your copy pepper words and phrases that you regularly use
- think about the language you use to talk about your industry and your business
- find a couple of personal interests and points that you don’t mind sharing but that’s still relevant to your ideal customer.
And, if after trying that you still find yourself struggling to make your copy sound like you, then get in touch with me for a free copy review.
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