Hey, Client, This Is Me! Sell With Your Writing Voice

In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as they read what you've written -- they'll click right past pages that feel "been there, read that." They're looking for a voice that says, "Hey, client, this is me!"

They want to know not just what you deliver -- but how. Will you be funny or serious? A perky cheerleader or a sardonic commentator? Will your view of life be based on "believe and it happens" or "what you see is what you get?"

Here are some tips to add your own voice to your writing.

1. Write from the heart.

Too excited, passionate or angry to sit still? Best time to connect with your voice. Grab a pencil and scribble ideas as you jump around the room.

2. Say something new.

After forty articles on time management, your readers know about cutting projects into manageable chunks and setting priorities. Ho hum. Try "better than zero" or "turn your life into a time warp."

3. Tape yourself talking to a good friend about a product.

Do your words sound different when you speak than when you write? Transcribe the tape into an article for easy reading.

4. Picture your ideal client (you do have one, don't you?). Imagine that she is gushing about your service to a friend -- highly recommending you. What words does she use to describe your services? What emotions come through?

5. Cut. Then cut again. When you have to trim your piece to meet a word count requirement, notice that you're left with the most essential words -- all yours.

6. Write fast. Get the words down before your inner critic has a chance to participate. Edit later.

7. Reveal yourself: family, mistakes, secret dreams. When you feel just a bit embarrassed, or feel your private persona has become more public, you've probably just touched your audience's heart.

8. Be concrete -- not abstract.

As writing guru Natalie Goldberg would say, "It's a geranium, not a flower."

9. If you've had voice training, be especially alert to creating the bland and the blah.

Julia Roberts could hold an audience while she reads the telephone directory. Your copy has to stand alone, without dramatic oratory. Exercise 3 may not work for you.

10. Don't be afraid to break the rules: use slang and contractions. And it's okay to begin a sentence with "and" or "but."

Just tread carefully on the rules of grammar and spelling. "Your about to head off for you're great adventure" can be a credibility-buster.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker, editor, and consultant. She helps clients who want to use writing to sell and sell what they write.

Visit http://www.makewritingpay.com.

cathy@makewritingpay.com

---

7 Steps You MUST Take Before Writing a Word of Copy!

Copywriting ChecklistOkay, you know you have your product (or service)... Read More

Tech-writers: A Necessary Evil

New to tech-writing, or thinking about starting? The key to... Read More

Fill Your Readers with Confidence

Site visitors generally stay with you for as long as... Read More

42 Deadly Ad Copy Sins That Ive Made

I have read thousands of ad copies online and offline... Read More

Can Honest Copywriting Succeed?

I confess--I'm a marketing heretic! I've built my career on... Read More

Why You Should Write To Inform And Not To Sell

Advertising is key! Unfortunately most people waste their money on... Read More

Copyright, Copyrighting, and Online Copyright Abuse - Save Yourself the Headache by Reading This!

Lets start with copyright infringement.It is easily explained as copying... Read More

How To Get Started With A Career In Copywriting

Careers in copywriting are booming. Could it be that the... Read More

So Youve Decided to Hire a Freelance Copywriter - A Guide to the Collaboration Process

Whether you're an executive or a small business owner, chances... Read More

How You Can Proofread Your Own Work

Putting out a high quality product is a given these... Read More

Its Time To Start That Swipe File

Just as great fiction is an art, so is great... Read More

?Super Adjectives? Boost the Power of Your Copy

Pretty or elegant? Good or scrumptious? Nice or delightful? There... Read More

10 Keys to Copy That Sells!

Whether you're selling a product or service, the 10 tips... Read More

How To Become Qualified As A Proofreader

The field of proofreading is not as easy to get... Read More

Ad Copy - Your 12 Point Inspection!

You're ready to launch that new product or promotion, &... Read More

How To Become A Freelance Copywriter In New York

As a freelance copywriter in New York, your work is... Read More

On Copying and Stealing Designs

The notion on the great artist, Pablo Picasso's quote, "Bad... Read More

Pulling Sales with Your Ad Copy

One of the best marketing tools available to your internet... Read More

Segmenting Your Target Audience Through Your Copywriting

Ask any copywriter what the first commandment of copywriting is... Read More

Boost Your B to B Marketing Copy: 3 Major Copywriting Blunders and How to Correct Them

When you're writing or evaluating copy for a B to... Read More

How To Make A Career Out Of Copyediting And Proofreading

Do you possess the qualities of a good proof reader?... Read More

Is Your Content Provider Selling You Ripped Content?

Ripped content: well the term itself is self explanatory. Content... Read More

Why Your Advertising Copy is not the Most Important Part of Your Ad

If you own a shop in the middle of the... Read More

How to Write a Direct Mail Fundraising Letter (Four Tips for Fund Raising Success)

1. Address your reader as a friend, not as "Friend."When... Read More

Its the Headline, Stupid! - Writing Powerful Headlines

"It's the headline, stupid," is the sign that hangs over... Read More

Copywriting for Astrology, Numerology, Tarot, and the Mystic Audience

These days, you don't have to traverse the dark forest... Read More

Write Hard-Hitting Headlines With Magic Words That Sell

Writing a killer headline for your copy is simple! You... Read More

5 Rules for Effective Written Sales Communications

Most salespeople have great ideas, but when it comes to... Read More

3 Steps To Better Sales Copywriting

Whether you're wet-behind-the-ears or a seasoned copywriter, your craft will... Read More

What Is Persuasive Copywriting And How Can It Help Your Business?

Persuasive copywriting is what draws the attention of prospective customers.... Read More

Does Your Copy Look Fake To the Search Engines?

From the early days of search engine optimization, keywords and... Read More

Magic Words That Sell and What Words to Avoid

We all know words are powerful. Whether written or spoken,... Read More

Writing Benefit-Driven Web Copy ? 4 Steps to More Sales

You've identified the benefits you offer your customers, but how... Read More