My alarm went off as normal. The light strip eased its progression from dim to bright like a kid peeking through their fingers playing hide and seek. With sleep hanging in my eyes, I made my way out of bed and to the kitchen. Coffee, I thought. I need some coffee.
But as I opened my mouth to ask Alexa to turn on the coffee pot, a strange thing happened, my mouth was open but words couldn’t come out. Puzzled, I tried again but attempting to speak felt like scratches on my throat.
I lost my voice.
I’m sure you have experienced this before, out of nowhere you can’t speak and your voice just doesn’t want to work. Your voice is a method of communication, a medium for you to share your thoughts and ideas with the world. Just as you use your physical voice to speak, so too does your business have a voice, one that is used to communicate your brand with your audience.
But what does a voice for your business mean and how can you find it?
Get ready for an adventure into the world of words to find out!
Words = Personality
I’d like to start off with an example. I will provide two sentences each using the adjective, nice. Read these sentences and identify the tone and connotation of each.
- It was so nice of you to stay late and help me clean up.
- The decorations were nice enough but too idiosyncratic for the space.
The first sentence used the word nice as a compliment whereas the second sentence used it as a critique. You can use the same word but convey many different meanings. Words have an inherent nuance, they aren’t always straightforward or clear, depending on how they are used they can live many lives and can express many emotions.
This fluidity reminds us that what we say matters. Since words can take on so many different meanings, it is even more important that the words you use to describe and promote your business embody the values you hold true.
Your Business, Your Story
Now you know how words can change based on the context we give them. So how can you apply that knowledge to your business? Tell your story.
Stories are the heart of content marketing, flooding the system with personality, values, and connections. Your business should reflect the story you wish to tell, to yourself, your staff, and your clients.
Your voice comes from the combination and consistency in all of these fronts, from the way you word your ‘about me’ page to the topics you blog about to the way you email clients to the way you treat your staff. All of these things work together to become your voice. Now that you see all of the areas your voice comes from, your story becomes more powerful than you may have initially thought.
A big part of your business’s story and your voice is being in tune with your company values. Your values need to be specific to your business, ones that will capture the character of your work. Values are the core of your business’ foundation— without them, it can be difficult to implement a brand strategy.
Once you know your company values you can begin to ask yourself specific questions about how to infuse them throughout your business.
- How are my values represented through my content?
- This includes your website copy, blogs, resources
- Are my values being reflected on social media?
- Am I engaging my audience in the right way that best represents my company and values?
When you get down to the core of your business, you allow yourself the opportunity to strategize in creative, authentic ways.
Stay Authentic
I know we talk about this a lot at Perfectly Planned Content, but one of the most important aspects of content marketing is authenticity. Being genuine is a key ingredient to developing lasting, trusting relationships, and as you know business is all about relationships.
Your audience wants to connect with you in a meaningful way. By honing in on your words, your values, and your story you are giving them the opportunity to find their trust in you. We love working with clients to help them find their voice. Are you ready to get started? Come chat with us about how to implement these ideas into your unique content strategy.
