By Sheena McKinney, Business Operations & Marketing Assistant at Heinz Marketing
In this world of AI and automation, it can be hard to know how to use these powerful tools without sacrificing the human touch.
Turns out, it IS the human touch that allows ChatGPT and AI tools to give you the very best results.
As a copywriter, I’m loving the explosion of AI tools.
It wasn’t too long ago the love was lost on some of my copywriting friends. But now, most of us are in a full embrace.
Here’s what a few great copywriters I know said recently:
I’ve always held the belief that AI will NEVER replace human being copywriters because, well, WE have spirits and souls. And WE (humans, at least) are the ones who program the AI. The future is BRIGHT for copywriters who learn how to leverage AI as a TOOL and it will NOT replace you. Actually, the opposite. It can help you write faster and more effectively and make you even more in-demand. The way to get the best results is to learn how to THINK about what you’ll need so that YOU can create the best prompts vs. following a swipe file of prompts, so to speak. From my mentor, Sara Anna Powers, Conversion Copywriter and Online Business Mentor
Many “copywriters and marketers” will use it as a shortcut to create mediocre content. But if you know what you’re doing, it can become a tool that improves your copy and research techniques. I’ve never been more excited about writing copy and using prompts to help my clients and myself get even better results. This is a win-win for me for sure. Jodi Blank, Conversion Copywriter & Marketing Strategist
I am excited about AI and believe that much like any tool, it’s in the knowledge and experience and creativity of the user that will make it shine or fail. I can see people try to replace “copywriters” with this and realize that this is NOT a replacement, but a great tool to leverage. Elena Lipson, Conversion Copywriter and owner of Word Magic™
On with my 3 Tips to nail your voice in your copy using AI…
Have you tried AI writing tools and abandoned them because they didn’t sound anything like you? If so, please don’t give up.
The key is to train and tell the AI what you want, what you really, really want.
Here are three quick tips to create on-brand copy that sounds like you. They also apply to work you’re doing on behalf of your clients as well!
Use Natural Language
In order to make your AI copy sound natural, be sure to use natural language. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to remember. This means avoiding jargon and using language that is easy to understand. It’s amazing how changing the prompt can change the output. Play with it and see how your own genius grows along with the AI.
Use Existing Work to Train AI
This can be as simple as copy and pasting examples of your work (or your client’s work) into the prompt and asking it to write something specific based on that copy. You can even include a URL in the prompt for an even faster option.
Better yet, ask AI to analyze and describe your copy so you can use that output to further refine your prompt and use it on future projects.
The are many different aspects of copy that can be analyzed. I asked A about this as it relates to TOV and brand:
PROMPT: In what ways can AI analyze an example of copy to determine tone of voice and the feel of the brand?
RESULT: One way AI can analyze copy is by looking at the overall tone of the writing. Is the writing positive or negative? lighthearted or serious? By analyzing the tone, AI can get a feel for the brand and what the company is trying to communicate.
Another way AI can analyze copy is by looking at the choice of words. Are the words simple or complex? Formal or informal? By looking at the word choice, AI can get a feel for the brand’s voice and how they want to be perceived by their audience.
Finally, AI can also look at the overall structure of the writing. Is it concise and to the point? Or is it long-winded and rambling? The structure of the writing can give AI a feel for the brand’s personality and how they approach their audience.
Here’s how AI described my writing style using a URL from a popular blog post I wrote:
PROMPT: Analyze the tone of voice and way of speaking in this blog post: https://www.heinzmarketing.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=19980&action=edit
RESULT: The way of speaking in this blog post is direct and to the point. The author is not afraid to say what they mean and they make sure that their message is clear. This is a no-nonsense approach to writing and it is effective in getting the point across.
This no-nonsense approach can be seen in the way that the author speaks about difficult subjects. They are not afraid to tackle tough topics and they do so in a way that is respectful and informative. This is a blog post that is meant to educate and it does so in a way that is both relatable and easy to understand.
The tone of voice in this blog post is confident and assured. The author knows what they are talking about and they are not afraid to share their opinion. This is a blog post that is meant to engage the reader and it does so in a way that is both thought-provoking and interesting.
Once you have the copy analyzed, use that information in your prompt like this (I’m using a simplified version of my writing analysis style in this example):
PROMPT: “Write an email in a style that is direct and to the point and shows confidence. Make it engaging, thought provoking and interesting. My audience is CMO’s in the manufacturing industry. Invite them to a webinar using the details in this link [insert landing page link]. Bold the key words and use bullet points for the main points. Use “Register Now” as the CTA and let them know the deadline is coming quickly.
For the sake of brevity, I won’t include the results here.
Here’s a great time saving prompt courtesy of Ken Droz who is doing some incredible things with AI prompts.
PROMPT: In this session, I gave you a series of commands. Compile them all into a single command that would generate a similar output.
This will let you get the result from a long conversation in a single prompt you can use later, so you don’t need to use a whole sequence to arrive there.
DON’T FORGET TO SAVE THE LEARNING:
Some AI platforms include ways to store and use your brand and tone of voice information using profiles and custom prompts. If yours doesn’t or you’re using open source ChatGPT, make sure to save brand asset snippets in a shareable spreadsheet or doc to have on the ready to paste into the prompt. Make it available to your team for easy collaboration and to keep your copy consistent to your voice and brand. Ideas for some things to create and save:
- Bios of various word counts
- Boiler Plate
- Tagline
- Mission Statement
- Tone of Voice
- Benefits & Features of product/services
- ICP’s
- Target Audience
- Personas
- What problem you solve
- Brand guidelines
By using AI to analyze existing copy, you can save a lot of time and effort and better ensure your copy sounds like you (or again, the clients you’re serving).
Use Your Voice (Literally)
To really get your AI copy to sound like you, create what Amy Yamada calls your “Heart Speech”. Amy, along with her partner, Ken Droz (mentioned above) recently released something truly incredible and it’s free: The Ultimate Guide to ChatGPT for Online C
oaches. It’s also great for service providers … and really anybody using AI for copy.
Here’s how to create your “Heart Speech”
- Open any doc or tool that has a voice to text feature (most phones and apps do this, have you noticed it?). Microsoft products have a “Dictate” button on the ribbon. On an iPhone, open a new note or email and use the voice option and start talking and it will transcribe the words you dictate (say out loud). But first…. get alone,
- Close your eyes
- Get really present (I learned from voice coach, Tracy Goodwin, sitting on your hands can help with this).
- Speak from the heart (Tracy would say to not think about your word choice at all or the audience or what they will think )
- Start with “What I really want to say is….”
- Talk about whom you serve and why it’s important
- Copy the text (if using your phone, simply send it to yourself through email, Messenger or anywhere you can get it on your desktop)
- Paste it into your AI prompt and ask it to analyze it
- Tweak the words a bit if needed until the result fully resonate (warning: big smiles and/or tears may come)
- Save this result and use it as a style guide for your copy in your AI prompts and everywhere
Your “Heart Speech” may not be appropriate for all your content and projects, but it will do wonders for bringing your copy to life where you want your voice and heart to shine through.
To recap– To make AI generated copy sound like you, remember to use natural language. Spend some time up front using AI to match your voice and brand by analyzing existing work and by using your own voice to create a “Heart Speech”. Then save and use these results and outputs to craft authentic messages throughout all your content and your brand’s ecosystem.
AI can truly help make your copy resonate with both you and your ideal customer and target audience. AI copy that sounds like you will help you get your right message to the right people at the right time for greater impact and income.
