As you make your way through the many tasks associated with running your own business, you can sometimes get lost in the thick of it…and so can your voice. Wrangling in that voice can sometimes be perplexing and a chore you think might not be as important as SEO, SEM or connecting with an “influencer.” But I’m here to say it is. Branding laryngitis is no fun, nor is it effective.
Without a clear voice, your content lacks the authenticity that your audience is yearning for, especially those impatient, confident and hopeful millennials, the Peter Pan generation as some like to call them. It also deflates your branding and makes it more difficult to stay true to your mission. So what’s the solution, you ask? Well, I think I just might have 5 ideas for you.
1. Name your top three goals for your business…and don’t think too long about these. The quicker you write them down, the more authentic they will be. And don’t be too specific because you need to leave room for flexibility so that your business can adapt to the ever-changing landscape.
2. Fine tune your biography(ies) so that it is clear what AND who motivates your business. I’m not saying you need to spill out your heart on the screen. Just a little background information should suffice. Give them something to which they can relate. When I interview clients, I like to ask what’s the one question I should have asked you that I didn’t. Or what would someone be surprised to hear about you?
3. Determine your audience. Without a clear-cut idea as to who you’re talking to, it’s like spewing words into the dark with the hopes that they’ll land in the right place. Trust me, it won’t work.
4. Get all your thoughts and ideas on paper, a screen or CD. It’s tough to organize those thoughts unless they’re all out in the open. As you organize and whittle them down, your voice will reveal itself.
5. Give me a call or email!
