Here's the deal: People crave connection, not corporate-speak. When your brand sounds like a bot, your audience tunes out faster than you can say 'synergy.'
The Problem with Corporate-Speak
You know the voice: formal, vague, about as exciting as a voicemail from your dentist. It's the language of "solutions," "synergies," and "paradigm shifts" that makes your audience's eyes glaze over faster than a donut shop window.
"Your brand voice should sound like your smartest friend explaining something complex over coffee, not like a robot reading a manual."
What Makes a Brand Voice Human?
A human brand voice has personality. It has quirks. It makes mistakes and owns them. It laughs at itself. It speaks like actual humans speak, not like it was written by a committee of lawyers.
Here's what we mean:
- Bot voice: "We leverage cutting-edge solutions to optimize your customer journey."
- Human voice: "We help people actually want to buy from you."
The Fix: 5 Steps to a More Human Brand Voice
1. Write Like You Talk
Seriously. Read your copy out loud. If you sound like you're giving a presentation to aliens, rewrite it. Your brand voice should pass the "would I actually say this?" test.
2. Show, Don't Tell
Instead of saying you're "innovative," show it. Instead of claiming you "care about customers," prove it with stories, not buzzwords.
3. Embrace Your Personality
Are you the witty friend? The reliable one? The straight shooter? Whatever your brand personality is, lean into it. Consistency beats vanilla every time.
4. Use Actual Words
If your 12-year-old cousin wouldn't understand your copy, it's too complicated. Simple doesn't mean stupid-it means accessible.
5. Have an Opinion
Brands that stand for everything stand for nothing. Have a point of view. Some people won't like it, and that's perfectly fine. The ones who do will love you for it.
The Bottom Line
Your brand voice isn't about sounding "professional"-it's about sounding human. Because at the end of the day, humans buy from humans, not from bots.
So ditch the corporate-speak, embrace your personality, and start talking like the humans you're trying to reach. Your audience (and your sales) will thank you.
