Unearthing Your Brand Voice
Aka your ‘literary flavour profile’
Have you ever landed on a website, opened an email, or read an article and thought ‘oh my gosh this person gets me!’ or ‘ugh I LOVE them, we should be friends’.
On a website the words are referred to as ‘copy’ and copy that’s written well speaks straight to the heart of your Ideal Client (you know the one you dream about getting 50 more of). It also speaks to their wallet, which is a bonus - you are in business after all!
Speaking of…let’s cut to business, identifying and analysing your Brand Voice, so you can strategically design your brand, website, copy and content to stand out from the masses, attract your dream clients and say peace out to customers that don’t align is what you’re here for right?
You know that strategically crafting irresistible customer inspired content is hard core leverage and if you can combine that with your authentic brand voice that’s dynamite baby!
Why should you bother?
Imagine the pain of successfully flooding your website with visits from your ideal clients only to have them click the dreaded exit button, heading off into the web wilderness to solve their problems elsewhere. What if they could instead land and never want to leave?
Great news! I’ve tailored an in depth workbook for you to guide you through the process to just that (you’re welcome!). Consider this your golden ticket to borrow all my skills and magnetise your dreamy ideal clients…right here, right now.
I can teach you how to create a website and brand so irresistible and resonant you’ll be filling your rolodex with aligned clients in no time!
Buckle up beautiful, it’s time to build the website and brand of your dreams & have your dream clients gushing about the most magnetic brand they’ve found since George Clooney.
Let’s dive into your ‘literary flavour profile’
There’s a massive difference between tiramisu and curry, am I right? We’re about to unearth where you sit on the flavour spectrum. But more than that, we’re then going to test and tweak the recipe a little (like every great chef would) so we know your ideal client will get a taste of your brand and be itching for more.
If the food analogy is a little confusing, think of say Tom Hanks vs Jim Carrey. The way they present themselves and communicate is completely different. Which is great - the world would be boring if we were all the same! But in being different, they are able to magically attract and repel their audience. Their followers are passionate about their ‘brand’, they look forward to hearing what they have to say and engaging with the content they make. Make more sense? I’m going to head back to the flavour analogy but hopefully that gave it a little more context for you.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED
I know it’s a lot to ask, but I want you to do this exercise twice (I know *rolls eyes flicks hair and pouts ‘whatever Ballantyne, Imma get it done first time just watch me’*).
Hear me out, I want you to do it twice for good reason - the first time I want you to answer as you - uncut. The second time, I want you to bring everything you’ve prepared about your brand thus far to the table, putting all that information on like a pair of glasses and reading through the lens of your brand and brand positioning, listening with the ears of your desired audience (that ideal client) and testing for what needs to be tweaked in order for them to connect, engage and relate, aka think you are the most spectacular option on the internet and immediately throw all their money at you.
As you work through the exercises know that I am always here for any questions you may have.
Ready to dive in?ROUND ONE : YOU
🎵 I’m talking bout the ‘man in the mirror 🎵
Great news, you are the world expert on this subject!
But if you draw a blank, put the pen down and get back to life, taking your observational scientist with you and noticing all the things you say (and don’t say). Notice the words you choose, the way you deliver them and the turns of phrase you reach for. And if you’re still stumped, dial a friend, sometimes people have an uncanny way of seeing us clearer than we see ourselves.
*GRAB THE GUIDE FOR THE FULL EXERCISE
Notebook open, let’s go!
You’ll want to consider things like how you communicate ‘in the wild’ - how do you really greet and farewell people close to you? What are your hot words? The ones you reach for without even realising? Where are your communication boundaries? What do you never do or say?
If you need help, open your phone or inbox, the proof’ll be in the pudding!
Ok let’s flip this slightly and turn to writing… Do you have habits when you’re writing - are there little idiosyncrasies that make it clear it’s you typing? Side story example, I once had a friend that sent all her messages looking a little like this: hi gOrgEoUs, jUst chEckIng in On yOu to sEe whAt’s nEw. Vowels were accentuated but not all of them and if the sentence came through looking normal I would have been suspicious of kidnapping or a full lobotomy!
How about style? How would you describe your writing style? Are you flowery, lyrical, romantic and descriptive, or blunt, brutalistic, straight to the point? (They’re not the only options obviously but they give us some guideposts to start percolating on!)
Ok, let’s fill the tank up… For when the blank page looms!
People love real people and their stories. Let’s get your writing feeling as authentic as possible. We’re going to create a bank that’s jam packed with all your beautiful uniqueness so when the blank page is staring at you, you know exactly where to start.
Dive into details, quirks, fun facts, and ditties you can reach for to season your writing or get the ball rolling when the pen runs dry!
* REMEMBER YOU CAN ACCESS THE FULL EXERCISE HERE:
Ok so with all this information in your pocket what words might you use to describe your Literary Flavour Profile? Spicy, sweet, subtle, warm, tart, punchy, full on?
ROUND TWO : LENS OF YOUR BRAND, EARS OF YOUR IDEAL CLIENT
☞ Calling the CHEF to the KITCHEN ☜
Ok you’ve nailed it, you’ve cracked your flavour profile and now we need to test and tweak it until it is completely resonant with your brand and speaking straight to the heart of your ideal client. This is the moment we get in the kitchen and check the dish like a great Chef would.
Remember this time, it’s not about you - it’s about that ideal client you dream of magnetising, your Internet Cinderella. We’re after the delicate union of the authentic voice you located in round one (your flavour profile), with the version of that voice that is crafted in a way your ideal client can connect and relate to (tweaked for their palette). You might consider things like your brand vision, purpose, and perceptions and how they tie in with what you’ve discovered.
THE SECRET ROUND THREE
Emphasis on : Connection is keyIf you completed my Unveiling Your Ideal Client Workbook, you’ll have already answered these next couple of questions, but just for a moment we are going to take a third angle.
IF YOU MISSED THE FREE UNVEILING YOUR IDEAL CLIENT GUIDE YOU CAN ACCESS IT HERE
This time we’re looking specifically at the voice of your Ideal Client and testing its resonance with your brand voice, hunting for any gems we might be able to use along the way.
IN THEIR WORDS : Get clear on what they’d actually say
CONNECTION : Identify how you’ll super charge your copy and content to make them feel right at home
JOIN THE DOTS : Synthesise how all the nitty gritty literal details you’ve uncovered will feed into how they speak connect and communicate
POP CULTURE : Go deeper still, find where you can connect with them in pop culture and real life references they’ll really resonate with.
Groovy. You’re away laughing now!
Congratulations on unearthing your Brand Voice and discovering your literary flavour profile! I’m proud of you. May it prove infinitely valuable for your brand and business moving forward!
Ballantyne x.
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you’re curious about accessing my unique creative scope, depth, & skills to help get you luminous & unstoppable with branding & design that truly serves you. I can’t wait to show you exactly what I mean!
Let’s unleash the power of your authentic essence in your branding and make your business irresistible.
Together we’ll create the abundance magnet you’re proud to welcome your dream clients to - a site that really represents the heart of you and your business. Curious to know more?
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