Latest / Values-First Marketing / Hone Your Authentic Brand Voice To Build Trust And Credibility [Part 2 of 3]

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Hone Your Authentic Brand Voice To Build Trust And Credibility [Part 2 of 3] · Values-First Marketing

• 0:00
  Unknown: Welcome to the copywriting for coaches podcast.
• 0:02
  Unknown: My name is Megan khachigian, and I am obsessed with having your brand actually sound like you on the internet. We help you write all the things that you've been trying to articulate about your business but have never been able to put into copy. We're going to go deeper to uplevel your business without adding more to your already full plate.
• 0:18
  Unknown: We'll keep it simple and sustainable. Sound like a breath of relief? Let's dive in. If your website copy sounds generic, your social media captions fall flat, and your emails feel like a chore to write. Those are all signs that you might not have a clear grasp on your brand's authentic voice.
• 0:37
  Unknown: Today I'm going to guide you through the steps that brand strategists take to uncover a brand's true essence. This is part two of our brand strategist and interview series. If you miss part one, that's okay, you can click in the show notes and give that a listen or read it on the blog. But you don't necessarily need to have listened to that to understand that part two here, and then part three will be coming at you next week. So today we're gonna learn how a strong brand voice translates into powerful copywriting building trust and attracting your ideal clients.
• 1:07
  Unknown: We'll also explore the emotional connection that a genuine brand voice Foster's and crafting messaging that resonates with your audience allowing you to connect on a deeper level. This is your roadmap to mastering your authentic brand voice.
• 1:24
  Unknown: We're going to ditch the marketing jargon and write copy that truly reflects reflects your brand's unique personality.
• 1:32
  Unknown: So how do you master a brand's voice? This is one of the number one questions that I get asked when potential clients and I are having that initial conversation is how do you even write in my voice so that it's still authentic to me. And so there are a few technical ways that we can do that. And I think a large part of it too, just feels like a natural, a natural thing to me. And I think as a highly sensitive person, I really pick up on it intuitively. But I'm also going to share with you six different ways, tangible ways that we achieve that. Because simply it's more than simply just write the way you speak, though that is a good start. It requires going deep beyond those surface level impressions. And it's also a balance between using what your client is saying, and how you express that, how you would say it and how like the tone and the voice in which you express it. So let's dive into the six ways that you can achieve that. One is through market research and client surveys, as previous and current clients as well as people in your brand's life to identify common patterns and how they perceive the brand. Often there are insights that the brand itself may not be aware of until they see it reflected back to them. This is another reason why it's hard to do this yourself. No matter how smart you are. And you are very smart.
• 3:01
  Unknown: It's just often a matter of perspective. So having either a brand strategist or a copywriter who does this. Look for these golden threads is super, super helpful. And then you can iterate off of that feedback from there to create more aligned and resonant content.
• 3:17
  Unknown: Number two strategy is self reflection and really an authenticity check. So ask yourself critical questions. Is the voice you are projecting aligned with your brand's actual personality? Or are you conforming to perceived norms? A lot of people feel like they have to be more professional than maybe they would talk normally. But is that how you actually want to come off? Maybe yes, maybe no. So you need to check in with yourself and see what what your brand's personality is, and have external influences unintentionally altered your brand's authentic voice is imposter syndrome creeping in?
• 4:00
  Unknown: Are the doubts creeping in? Are you afraid of what this one person is going to think if you put that out there, all of these things can unintentionally affect how we are coming off.
• 4:11
  Unknown: And it's important to have that gut check so to speak, so that we can truly say what we are meant to say, without diluting without dumbing down to truly be our most authentic self in a way that is going to resonate with our most ideal clients that we can have the biggest impact on number three way we can master your voice is just listening to you deeply in conversation to uncover what feels natural to you. I think about it like I think about friends who have moved overseas. One friend moved to England and now that she has been there for a while she has actually picked up and talk to her I'm like you have adapted their accent you We speak with a little bit of an English accent now that you didn't have before because who you spend time around, that is who you become like and become start sounding like. And as entrepreneurs we know who you surround yourself with is so important, so important to have people who lift us up and are maybe you know, a step or two ahead of where we are. Because then you become like, who you surround yourself with. And so similarly, for copywriting, the more time we spend around you having conversation with you. And then also listening to maybe your stories on Instagram, if you post on YouTube, if you have a podcast, reading your blog, reading all your content, that is spending time with you. In a way, that also saves you time, because you have already created this past content. And then we pick up on things you say your habits, your mannerisms, your how you would say things simply by being in your orbit and being in your world. It's also very similar to how an actor or an actress gets into character.
• 6:05
  Unknown: Right? They do it very well of like where you are convinced that they are. I don't know why this is coming into my head, Lizzie McGuire. Like it's not Hilary Duff, it's Lizzie McGuire. That's such a funny random silly example. But or like Heath Ledger got so into his role as the Joker, right?
• 6:26
  Unknown: It's people cannot tell the difference, he could not even tell the difference between himself and the role. So yes, it is definitely possible. We see that in our own field. But we also see that in other fields like acting as well. Alright, moving on to number four.
• 6:39
  Unknown: Another way we master a brand's voice is by recording and listening. So recording the conversations that we have with you as a client, listening closely to your natural speech patterns, paying attention to your exact words and descriptors, the way that you say things. This helps in understanding how you naturally communicate, and ensures that your brand voice reflects that.
• 7:01
  Unknown: Number five is community and feedback. So involving your brand's community in the process. So we can do formal brand surveys, I don't always like those because it can they can be doing it like for the incentive that you like if you offer, you know, a Starbucks gift card or whatever it is. But getting natural feedback on your communication style by soliciting it through an email response if you're really active emailing your subscribers, which I highly recommend. And this external feedback can validate or refine your insights into your brand's authentic voice.
• 7:34
  Unknown: Because this is again, this is not something you figure out theoretically, in your head, this is something that you are actively doing, actively putting out there. It's a trial by fire trial and error process. And like yes, there's ways that we can start out on like on the right path. But it's a constant feedback loop. And if you think it's one and done, it's it's never truly evergreen, maybe it is for a little bit. But it can always be refined. And that is Step six is to reflecting and reflecting, reflecting and refining on what your brand values are because they can change and evolve over time. And not just what they are, but how they are perceived by others. So look for recurring themes and traits that define your communication style. And this broad process, again, is a gut check ensuring that your brand remains true to itself. Even as it evolves, even as it changes.
• 8:31
  Unknown: That is a normal part of the process. Like so many people come to me saying like, Oh, my website doesn't feel like me.
• 8:37
  Unknown: And is that I feel like the most common most normal thing because you are constantly changing. And so therefore, your website is going to have to constantly change and update as well, to keep up with who you currently are, and professionally, personally, and how you want to put yourself out there.
• 8:58
  Unknown: Okay, so what is the role of copywriting in in branding? And again, this is a question that I asked. I asked 11 different brand strategists to get their take on this overlap between branding and copywriting. And I feel like again, I said this in the initial episode of this series, but that brand strategy and copywriting really overlap where there is messaging and positioning because a brand strategist might help you figure that out initially, but the copywriter is the one who actually carries that out and execute and implement on it for you. We're the ones who make it come to life. And we are also if you have a good copywriter intentional about keeping up with that as you grow after you have your brand strategist session. So copywriting creates and spreads brand identity. So first you get clear on who you are, what you do, who you do it for why it's different at each different stage and evolution of your business and your growth.
• 9:57
  Unknown: This clarity then informs your copy language and messaging.
• 10:00
  Unknown: From there, then you can move on to colors, fonts, logos, website design, the pretty stuff. But you it's highly recommended that you have all your copy written before choosing a template or a website designer to ensure a stronger, more cohesive message.
• 10:15
  Unknown: It's not impossible to do but for my best projects, we do copy first and that is the standard recommendation or advice in the industry. So copywriting is essential for expressing your brand's voice across various platforms like your website, social media, emails are the things. Copy takes the foundational elements of branding and makes them expansive and real. Because Words have the power to make everything feel tangible and authentic. It is often underestimated but it is truly one of the most impactful aspects of branding, good copy hits messaging pillars and ensures every piece of content aligns with the brand's voice and values. Without it, you might end up throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping something sticks. Copy translates that big picture brand vision into words on the page, working hand in hand with visuals to create a consistent ecosystem. When your messaging is consistent, it builds trust, just like when you meet these people in person.
• 11:21
  Unknown: That is a huge trust builder to and the ultimate compliment is when like oh, you're exactly who I expected you to be right it should feel the same when they interact with your brand online and when you meet the when they meet you in person, you should feel like the exact same person that is a huge goal of branding and brand copywriting. And this is where the power of finding your right fit copywriter comes in. I have a whole blog blog article and podcast episode about do you really need to hire a copywriter in your business?
• 11:47
  Unknown: And spoiler alert? Sometimes the answer is yes. And sometimes the answer is no. And we go over those nuances in that episode which I will link in the show notes. But I want to highlight today how the brand strategists see Finding the right copywriter in in this next part here. So finding the right copywriter involves more than just picking someone who can write well, it is so much more than writing is about finding someone who can speak in your brand's voice, pay attention to detail and understand your market the nuances and the industry specifics. The two biggest barriers to hiring a copywriter are most often the cost and the fear of losing control over your voice. Many worry that no one else can convey their message or they've had poor experiences been burned in the past. I hate that. However, valuing your time and focusing on your strengths is crucial. Some clients prefer to write their own copy, but others benefit from a fresh perspective and save the time by hiring an expert. While visuals capture attention first, copywriting builds and maintains relationships, which is so so important. A good copywriter can bring your brand story to life with emotion and authenticity, something that AI cannot achieve. They help define your brand's personality, whether funny straightforward or storytelling, whatever it is, even if you feel like you don't have a personality, we can ensure that it resonates with your audience and I'm actually have a whole episode coming up on that because I feel like I have a very vanilla plain Jane personality, but how do we still incorporate that into the copywriting. So a skilled copywriter will uncover your unique angle of mastery and communicate your expertise effectively. They address root causes of problems, not just the symptoms and create a deep connection with your audience.
• 14:12
  Unknown: Okay, so next, I asked these 11 brand strategists what their branding process is if they want if their client wants a team member to understand and take over their authentic brand voice, and their processes varied slightly as to be expected. But I synthesize and create a kind of like the overarching stages of brand development that I kind of pulled out and synthesized from all of them. So roughly overall, it starts with an initial questionnaire where you get to kind of bring up about your core offers who your target market is a SWOT analysis, what you want your brand to convey and what you truly care about. From there that it's typically a kickoff call where then you actually have a discussion around those questions that you talked about, get into more detail. Look for common themes. This is really about probing deeper follow up questions, things that might be hard to express in writing and having a conversation or a sounding board and someone to help extract and pull more out of you to get clarity on like, What do you mean by that? One of my favorite questions. So then after you go deep with that, then there is some sort of market research He's looking at competitors that are positioning mapping out the buyers journey survey or stakeholder interviews. And the goal here is to really develop the marketing positioning statement or also known as what your competitive advantage is your USP. So we look deep inside within you first, then we look on the outside. And then based on an inside and outside view, then they create a comprehensive brand guide. And actually not all brands to just do this. So I would highly recommend if you're looking for a brand strategist, find one who creates this brand guide, because I can tell you as a copywriter, it is so helpful to have it saves me a lot of time, by having everything just right there, instead of me having to like redo all of that research is just synthesized right there for me, and I can add on to it, if needed. But it's a great starting point. So if you don't have a brand guide, that doesn't mean you can't hire a copywriter. I've definitely worked with both. But if you do work with a brand strategist or thinking about it, please do make sure that they give you a brand guide at the end. Because this is a final product that you can tangibly use in your business, you can give it to a copywriter. But it's also for a graphic designer or others on your team, even a VA so that everything remains cohesive. As a copywriter. I love being able to see your brand book because it allows me to know you better much more quickly and ask more nuanced questions. So you don't have to rehash and re explain things that you've already said before, but it wasn't captured in a guide. So it saves you a lot of time as well. A brand guide typically includes who you are, what you do, who it's for a mission statement and why it matters, your brand values and how they are defined in your business. In your annual and with your audience, how does it actually look and play out who your audience is who you're specifically talking to? Who will get the best results by working with you. It'll detail your brand voice how you talk about what you care about and core messages, marketing speak snippets, headlines, subject lines, and Instagram bio blurb, kind of things that you find yourself always saying to your clients what you're what you're really about. And then the last step in the branding process is usually a final call to walk through every element to make sure it sits right. Sounds right and everything feels good. But a strategy is only as good as implemented. A brand guide is a fantastic asset and provides a consistent clear and confident foundation, but not if it collects digital dust. So a copywriter turns your brand into marketable assets that can bring in a direct ROI. And if you do not have this brand guide, that is actually something that I offer as well in my done for you packages, because I'm doing all this work and research on your voice in order to be able to write in your in your genuine voice. So I might as well, like I do that for myself anyways, to define what your brand voice is so that I stay within that. And I don't want that just to live and die with me if I'm just doing a launch project for you or a certain project for a finite amount of time. I don't want all that research to live and die with me, I want you to be able to take that with you and with your team to be able to continue to use and implement and like the ROI from working with me carries on far beyond the project that where we work together. And then of course if we have a retainer together then that is something that I can continue to build for you and your other team members if you have them can use it as well.
• 19:07
  Unknown: Alright, so next I asked these brand strategist, how what brand What strategies do you use to connect potential clients to a brand emotionally because we know that to truly connect with customers or clients on an emotional level, and to build strong client relationships and loyalty like that is so key. So it boiled down to these four tips here. First is to tell stories and we all know like tales to storytelling, storytelling, storytelling, we've all heard that's a great thing to do. But so often I get well how do you do that? And like what stories do you even tell? So you can share who you are what you believe in the reason why you created your business. Why this means so much to you. By understanding your client and connecting their dreams to your brand. Like by making your story, their story and having that overlap there.
• 20:02
  Unknown: You create a true sense of community and belonging because it becomes bigger than just selling a product. It's being a part of something bigger than themselves. And your values to what do you what do you do what you don't believe in? That creates that stickiness of a brand makes people want to stick around. We want depth and soul Not just a superficial facade.
• 20:24
  Unknown: And by being honest and vulnerable about your own journey, you create a connection with your audience. And sometimes I know it can feel weird to talk about yourself.
• 20:33
  Unknown: But remember that it's not really about you. It's about making your audience feel seen known and understood. And, of course, you don't have to share everything and all the details.
• 20:45
  Unknown: But you never know how many people you might inspire with your journey. Your story has shaped who you are today, and it is part of your authentic brand voice. Your brand will continue to grow and change over time.
• 20:55
  Unknown: And it's important to acknowledge this evolution and take your audience on the journey with you. All right, another strategy to connect emotionally is being authentic with an appropriate level of vulnerability. So this kind of goes along with storytelling, but it's truly being true to yourself, which isn't always easy. And it doesn't mean that you have to share every detail about your personal life. But it does mean being real. When you aren't genuine, you create a connection with your audience because they see you as an actual person and not just this faceless brand, which I think is a trend that has come and gone the goodness. This authenticity can lead to better client experience and retention, building rapport and making your brand more relatable. And then consider your audience journey.
• 21:40
  Unknown: How do you want your intended audience to feel as they navigate through your brand from the entry point to the endpoint, get an understanding of where your audience is when they find you. Let them know you understand their situation and show them how it can be different. Explain the transformation they can expect from working with you, or buying your product, show a deep understanding of their needs and wants, and then illustrate how you can help them solve their problems or alleviate their struggles. And finally, lead with empathy and values be in tune with your audience and their values. Values are your emotional touchpoint. They are your gut check your operations manual and how you show up in the world. They are your differentiator. Talk about your values, both implicitly and explicitly. How do they show up?
• 22:28
  Unknown: How do you live them out? How do your values fuel your brand's actions and messaging, even if you don't always cite them directly? This is about creating genuine connections and relationships to grow your brand. And authentic brand voice is about being true to yourself your values and letting that authenticity shine through in every aspect of your brand.
• 22:51
  Unknown: Okay, so then we moved on into copywriting tips to convey brand identity in your authentic brand voice. First thing is creating crafting a mission statement that you are passionate about.
• 23:06
  Unknown: Your mission statement is the heart of your brand identity.
• 23:09
  Unknown: It's more than just a tagline.
• 23:09
  Unknown: This is your declaration of the core values and what you stand for. Personally, I love writing for clients that have a really powerful mission statement.
• 23:19
  Unknown: Because I'm behind it. It excites me it energy it energizes me and it lights me up to like yes, I am so amped to be amplifying this message to be putting it out there because I truly believe in the mission that they are all about. Then, another one way to incorporate personality and create a brand and identity as you incorporate quirky phrases are unique to you and your business. So consider what phrases you say all the time not just in business, but like even in your ordinary life.
• 23:51
  Unknown: It can be things you always say to your clients or ways of speaking outside of business.
• 23:53
  Unknown: These can become like your signature phrase, or the thing that your audience associates with you. For example, we all know that Jenna Kutcher start as a photographer with a Craigslist camera. Or when entrepreneurs talk about how everything is figured out double. That's Marie Forleo or think about Steve Jobs, iconic black turtlenecks.
• 24:12
  Unknown: Those are associated with him. I even noticed this while reading Winnie the Pooh with my young kids. Pooh Bear always says Oh bother or Tigger calls him playboy. And like those are signature phrases of those characters. And in this context, some more typical phrases we might come across or if you say y'all like my more southern clients say y'all and so I incorporate that in their copywriting even though I don't personally say y'all in my in my speech, or some people say like girly like I'm a podcast early I'm a gym girly. I'm a Pilates really like whatever. They say girly in there. And then some people specifically do not say that or like Hey, sister, you know, so how do you talk to your people, I'm picking up as copywriter on those things, and incorporating that into your copywriting to make it sound more conversational, and more like you and the way that you speak. The next tip is to just start writing. This is a good one for any game fives and people like me, don't overthink it, especially your first draft.
• 25:16
  Unknown: Just get your thoughts on the paper first as ugly as can be.
• 25:19
  Unknown: Then we can work with them from there, but it gives us something To start working with, and you can reverse engineer it by getting all your thoughts out and refining your content to ensure that it conveys your authentic brand voice. So think about what's the purpose of this, what do you want to say just get it all on paper. And then we can go back make it nice and check if it brings out your brand personality hits your key messaging and aligns with your brand strategy. Remember, nothing is perfect on the first try and your first draft is not meant to be perfect. Next is utilizing social proof. Do not underestimate the power of this this is the number one thing that is like makes it so easy to increase conversions is adding more social proof. highlight how many clients you've worked with their success stories, this not only builds credibility, but also reinforces your brand's reliability, credibility and effectiveness. And then the last tip that these brand strategist said and I love this one is try a done with you session for a call with a copywriter. So if you are struggling to articulate your ideas in emails or on sales pages, your website whatever it is, consider hiring a professional copywriter and you don't have to dive into the deep end right away by hiring done for you. There are so many benefits to a done with you session even beyond the actual copywriting. That is a done with you session is often a great way to start with a copywriter to kind of dip your toes in to see if you like working with them.
• 26:43
  Unknown: And then once you get your first project together under your belt, then you can decide and feel into is this you know great you can like now moving to done for you. Or like okay, maybe I'm gonna pivot maybe I still need to DIY or maybe this wasn't the right fit for me. So I loved on with you sessions. Personally they light me up and they are so much fun. And actually my last episode I will again link it in the show notes is was a case study where I helped a client make $6,000 from just a one hour done with you session. And a copywriter can help you craft cohesive and compelling content across your website, sales pages, email sequences, all the things we ensure everything looks and feels consistent keeping your authentic brand voice intact. Again done with new sessions are a great way to do this. When you hire an expert they can help you go all in on your brand's messaging. We can guide you on whether to prioritize your website sales page email sequences, which one to get off your to do list first and an experienced copywriter will work with you to implement your strategy effectively helping to maintain a cohesive brand presence. So I love copywriting because it is not theoretically theoretical. We are doing the doing. We are making it happen we are executing we are implementing, which is where the magic happens. But creating and maintaining an authentic brand voice requires intentionality and consistency. Consistency is hard when you are also coaching and running a business and trying to be the visionary, which is why a copywriter can feel so supportive. So by implementing these tips, you can ensure your brand's identity is conveyed clearly effectively and resonates deeply with your audience. So don't settle for generic copy that leaves your audience scrolling past and bored. We want to uncover your authentic brand voice so that you can connect with your ideal clients on a deeper level. Ditch the jargon embrace your brand's unique personality and let your voice shine through in every word that you write. The result is a loyal following who resonates with your message and is ready to join you on your brand journey. After all, trust is built just like any strong relationship by showing up consistently acting in line with your values and keeping things clear and concise no guesswork needed. An authentic brand voice is the foundation for building a brand your audience can truly connect with. And if your brand voice currently feels convoluted, maybe you're doing too much and that's where I can help. You can download my free services guide for a done for you or done with you copywriting support. If that feels supportive and discover how I can craft powerful messaging that reflects your brand's unique personality.
• 29:22
  Unknown: Let's find the right words and create copy that both resonates with your audience and drives results. And lastly, I want to thank the brand strategist who contributed to this interview series again, this is part two, you can catch part one in the show notes and part three will come next week. And so the brand strategists who I interviewed to synthesize and put this article together are Ariana Barclays Valley Pelini, Ashley saying Mallory musante Emily hunt Kate Hyde, Turkish treasurer, Malika, more Malhotra, Alexis Underwood, Jasmine, hadal, Ani, and Tiffany Newman. This is part two of my brand strategist energy interview series. You can find part one on mastering authentic brand messaging by clicking in the show notes and part three on effective brand copywriting examples top branding tools and future trends, which is gonna be so good. We'll be coming at you next week.
• 30:26
  Unknown: Thank you for tuning in to the copywriting for coaches podcast.
• 30:29
  Unknown: If you've been enjoying these episodes, let me know that you're listening and what you love about it by clicking on the copywriting for coach's show in Apple podcasts and leaving me a review. Be sure to subscribe while you're there, so it's easy to catch new episodes every week. If you want digital resources to finish that copy project you've been working on the links are all waiting for you at copywriting for coaches podcast.com