“How do you do that? Your posts always make me smile. I look forward to them each week and actually search them out when I have a few spare minutes in my day.”
You can’t write boring blog posts and get comments like that one. But how do you do it? How do you develop a voice that shines through every post you write?
Here are a few tricks to help your posts sound more human and personable. You’ll soon convince your audience to read more of them!
1. Speak to one person
You sit down, ready to write, yet after minutes of staring at the screen, nothing comes to mind. You search through your favorite sites, check in with your RSS reader, and pull up your social media accounts to look for ideas.
Suddenly you find a title that interests you, so you grab it, modify it and start writing. Yet when you’re finished, something is wrong: it’s just another boring post that doesn’t say anything new.
The problem with this “grab and write” approach is you are writing for concept and keywords, not to develop personality. Personality comes when you’re committed to an idea and have something to say that will deeply impact a person’s life.
Instead, think of one great customer you loved working with. Or if you’re still starting out, imagine a customer who would fall in love with what you do. Have them in mind? Now, write a post specifically for that ideal customer. Narrow it down as much as possible, and write as if they are sitting right across from you learning from you along the way. You’ll find you write differently, showcasing what this person needs to hear to become a paying client.
2. Start with a story
Stories sell. They connect us. They hold us riveted to our seats. They make us laugh and make us cry.
Imagine yourself in a lush, green forest. It’s filled with the beautiful colors and smells of bright flowers, and has a small breeze that makes a walk down a trail the perfect way to spend a day.
Can you see yourself on that trail? You can use this tactic in your posts by using words that evoke images:
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Imagine
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Visualize
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Picture this
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See this
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Focus in on this idea
When you start a post with these words, you automatically pull your reader in – and you can lead them down any trail you choose.
3. Get personal
Many of today’s most popular and well-loved blogs originated with one person, one voice. If your blog is all about you, let your personality shine through!
Talk about what you believe in. Share what you do, what makes you vulnerable and why people should trust you above all others. It’s important for people to understand why you do what you do.
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Where did you get your experience?
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How do you give back to your community?
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What are your beliefs?
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What made you choose this idea to move forward with?
While you may think of it as bragging or showcasing too much about you, your audience will beg to differ. They’ll see it as your story, and in order to build a relationship with you, they want to get to know you. Your story gives them all they need to know.
4. Go into detail
Every post you write should be a complete thought. It should have a beginning, a middle and an end. It should be able to stand alone, as it may be the only post someone ever reads.
What concept do you want to share? Can you decrease it even further and make two, three or four posts from your concept? Can you make it more complete by narrowing your focus in further?
Details matter, especially when you’re creating an entire blog theme around one concept. The more you can separate it out into truly unique concepts, the more you will touch the people reading your blog and looking to you for advice.
5. Experiment
Every day you sit down to write, there will be new ideas that are important to you. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
Video is an ever-growing medium. Why not give it a try and show your personality in a new manner? Not only will video give you a new way of connecting with your audience, it will also allow you to build your brand vertically as well. You can host it on YouTube, post it to your blog, share it on Twitter and Facebook, and send it out in an email.
Every day something new comes along. If you embrace technology, look for new ways to get your message across, you’ll be rewarded with an entirely new group of followers ready to build a deeper relationship with you.
How do you develop your voice and show your personality in your posts?