Find Your Copywriting Voice

There’s a lot of great information out there that will walk you through the nitty gritty details of copywriting. Things like how long to make your sales page, and what elements do the most to drive sales. Think of these things as the scaffolding of your copywriting. Whether or not you choose to use all or just some of them, they provide a general framework around which to write your copy.

So what about the rest? Nuts and bolts do not by themselves a great copywriter make. You are going to also need a great and compelling copywriting voice, and this is the element that is a little harder to teach, because in order to be authentic (and therefore successful), it has to come from you. Don’t despair though if your copywriting currently has about as much personality as a goldfish. This is a skill that definitely can be learned and developed, and if you plan on writing your own copy, it will most definitely be worth your while to do so.

Here are some tips for finding a copywriting voice that will work for you:

Be Yourself

You’ve probably heard this before, and you may even be sick of hearing it, but it’s true. You cannot expect to copy someone else’s voice in writing and be successful. You need to find a style that works for you, that is all your own. How do you do this? Finding writing styles that appeal to you is one way. If and when you find yourself completely drawn in by someone’s writing style, take the time to ask yourself why. Does the person tell a great story? How do they structure it? Are they disarming and upfront about spilling a few key personal details? Can you tell what kind of person they are based on their writing? Often we are drawn in by writing because we feel like we know, like, and trust the person after reading what they wrote. This is your goal in your own copywriting.

Test It

Once you feel you have a strong copywriting voice going, make sure to test various aspects of it on your sales pages. After all, even if you are “being yourself,” chances are there are different versions of yourself and some might sell better than others. Is the confidential, chatty version of yourself more appealing to your audience than the expert you? Write up different versions of your copy and test them against each other to find out.

Know Your Audience and How to Find Them

So let’s say you are writing in a style all your own, testing the results, and finding that you’re still not reaching people. The next step is to better figure out who your audience is, and – even more importantly – where to find them. What are they interested in (besides, hopefully, what you have to sell)? Where do they hang out? Who knows people like them? Answering these questions will help keep you from throwing your copywriting pearls before the proverbial swine, and ensure that you find the right audience for you, your writing, and your products.