Have you got your business voice right?

Have you got your business voice right?

Here are my top five tips for creating a clear business voice:

Keep it short and sweet

Short sentences are better than long ones. Really, they are. For example, if you’re reading this hoping to discover the reasoning behind my implication that the length of both word and sentence impacts upon the readability of said article, or web page, then by this point you might be becoming a little weary of it, wondering aloud to yourself, maybe quietly, maybe not, when, oh when, will it ever reach a conclusion, and I might say to you, maybe quietly too, or I might shout it, or even sing it as an operatic soprano might, in top C, that it’s not going to.

So, short and sweet is better. Cut sentences down. Be ruthless. Don’t be frightened of full stops, they’re your friends, so use them.

Use simple language

And it’s the same with words. Don’t say “facilitate” when you mean “help”.

I’m not saying limit your vocabulary, English is full of beautiful words, but if there’s a simpler way to say it, then use it. Your aim is to be clear and easily understood. Get potential clients from A to B without losing them on the way in a maze of confusing words and meandering sentences.

Twitter is great for getting you to cut down on the waffle, and it’s good to keep that discipline in mind when writing other copy too.

Create a team

Your voice should reflect your brand. If you’re more than a one-man band use “we” when you’re talking about what you do. We help our customers like this. We is inclusive and engaging, and can put you on a level with your potential client. But… read on…

Look lively

Get some energy into that copy to engage potential clients. A good trick for creating a compelling business voice is to look at the first words in each of your sentences and make sure they’re different. Long lines starting with “we…” are dull; “we do this”, “we do that”, yawn, yawn. Throw in some new ones. Shake it up a bit.

Let your expertise speak for itself

Don’t blind customers with science. Even if what you do is highly technical and specialised, avoid using too much jargon. Potential customers need to see how you solve problems for people like them. Expertise can be a stumbling block if you just dump it in somebody’s path. Take a step back and get some perspective on what you do. Ask your clients what they like about you, and I guarantee it won’t just be your technical know-how. If you’re good, it will be your problem-solving abilities, the fact you keep your promises, the way you use your skills to make their businesses run more smoothly. A powerful business voice communicates these qualities first, and let the expertise speak for itself.

Sharon Tanton is an expert contributor to Marketing Donut, a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant and a Valuable Content associate.

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