Take a look at your company’s website. Does it whisper when it needs to speak up? Does it have all the flair of a business letter? Does it talk too much?  Why are there even any words on your site? Nobody reads anymore, right? That’s not true, and I’ll tell you why.

People don’t read – or listen – when they’re not engaged.

And when they’re not engaged, they don’t buy anything you have to say.

An authentic voice can play a leading role in your company’s success. The right voice can create a sense of authenticity and trust. You can get people involved in your story, finding out why you’re in business.

You can make your benefits loud and clear. You can be personal and likeable. You can help people make choices and influence their decisions. It’s all part of being true to your organization, sounding like the real people you are. And here’s a surprising tip. It’s not original with me, but I have taken it to heart.

Keep your words and ideas clear and simple.

The way I heard it was: “Write as if you’re speaking to a eighth grader.” Not because your customers are dumb or undereducated. They’re filtering waaaay too much information. They’ll likely be skimming your content. Big words and long paragraphs may not be doing you any favors.

Being Authentic Means Getting Real.

An authentic voice makes people more likely to read or hear what you have to say. Sometimes saying very little can speak volumes. Or you have some convincing to do and want to create an easygoing sales funnel that’s informative and inviting.

Don’t shy away from having a voice that’s a bit edgy or unusual, either. In fact, if you’re charming, you can tell a long story that will help sell your products. If you’re creative, you can get your customers looking forward your next flight of fancy.  If you really care about your customers, make that the backbone of your business. You’ll have customers and clients eating out of your hand, because they’re not being talked at or sold to.

So with all this in mind, let’s meet voice-to-voice. I’d sincerely like to know how you and your digital communications are getting along. We can just talk. No pressure. It’ll be fun.