Recently, I was presenting at a conference. And I took with me a handful of templates for the attendees to try out. Well…one of the attendees (who owns a branding company) said, “These templates all kind of sound the same. How important do you think ‘voice’ is?”
That was, perhaps, the worst moment in my presentation. Because I didn’t have a great answer. And I’ve been thinking about it ever since.
Here is what I should have said:
Ten years ago, voice was important. Who you really were played a big role in connecting with others. If you were silly, your tone was silly. And it was great. If you were cranky, your tone was cranky. And it was great. If you were uber knowledgeable, your tone was academic. And it was great.
But things have changed a little bit, and I’m less concerned about voice than I used to be. You know why? Because emotionally, we now connect better with people we perceive to be compassionate, approachable, and confident.
And that particular “voice” has become the standard.
So what sets you apart if it’s not your voice?
- The stories you share
- The memes, pop culture, images, etc. you choose to include in your copy
- Your level of consistency
- Your testimonials
- Your track record
- Etc.
Is it okay to use templates as your own?
Yep, it’s okay. Because the blanks you fill in on the templates is where you come shining through as an individual.
Let the details be yours. Then don’t worry about how the sentences are structured.
Besides, your “voice” should actually be a reflection of what your prospects and customers feel. So it’s not really yours anyway.
And ultimately, if you stay focused on what your prospects and customers want, your message will be powerful.
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