By: Greta Perel, PhD, Educator and Creator of the Mindful Copywriter Method

Why do we like, follow, and share? More to the point, what do you need to turn someone out there into your follower, fan, and brand advocate? You might say, “content”…maybe so, but a whole lot of content out there is doing a whole lot of nothing.

So what separates content that’s click-worthy from mere word-matter? Voice! Voice is the person a reader imagines behind the words. Voice is what connects someone out there to you and your brand. Voice turns basic content into something laughable (in a good way), shareable, and useful for your audience.

And I’ll tell you what voice isn’t—it isn’t a je ne sais quoi that some people have and others don’t. If you’re writing to attract fans, followers, and loyal customers, you can make your message rise above the noise with a clear voice—and you can do it by baking three elements into your writing.

1. Humor. Everyone wants to be funny, right? There’s a good reason for that—a smile, a laugh, and you’ve got instant connection between two people. And when you can prompt a chuckle, grin, or guffaw with your content, you’re on the fast track to gaining an audience that wants to hear what you have to say.

Give yourself some room to be silly in that first draft, and keep the best bits in the final one. Sure, humor can be tricky, and if you’re raising awareness about childhood leukemia…well, let’s just say discretion isn’t such a bad idea. But for (most) everything else, take a light-hearted approach to what you have to say, and see what shakes out.

2. Likeability. OK, so maybe you didn’t get that gig writing for the Tonight Show, but can you write content that’s warm, friendly, and open? Absolutely!

A likeable voice can kick content up from “boring” to “BAM!” What’s more, it’s super easy to give your voice an inviting air. How? Cut those long sentences down to size. Switch out big words for small ones. And an emoji here and there isn’t such a bad idea, either. ;)

3. Curiosity. Curiosity may have been bad news for the proverbial cat, but it’s catnip for your readers.[eyebrow waggle, sneaky grin]

How can you cultivate curiosity in your content? It’s all about the mindset—don’t tell your readers, educate them. Take what you have to say, and frame it in terms of why they should care. Tease them (but always deliver…click bait is a no-no). Arouse a reader’s interest first, and you’ll have likes, follows, and fans later.

Want to find out what #4 is? (Yep, there’s a #4!) Ready for some super fresh tips and tricks to spruce up your content? Come to the SMCKC February Breakfast on February 2 for “Unmistakable Voice and Irresistible Writing: A Practical Approach.” Can’t wait to see you there!

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