A couple of months ago I was asked to look at some web copy.

The company was launching an online directory for local

businesses. The copy ticked nearly all the boxes… except one.
The tone of voice would have been perfect for large
companies or professionals.
Unfortunately, the target audience was made up of roofers,
hairdressers, plumbers and so on. While the CONTENT was fine,
it didn’t speak the way THEY speak. It didn’t ‘get inside THEIR
shoes’.

It’s surprisingly easy to drift away from the right tone of voice.
And that’s why we should use a marvellous trick that marketing
people call a ‘persona’. Some people call it an ‘avatar’.

We try to create a picture of our audience. It might be something

like…
It might be…

We capture their goals, their challenges, their ‘pain points’ – and

the emotions that accompany them. What benefits are
important to them, and what objections might they have?

Once we’ve built a description, we give him or her a name.

Decide what car they drive, where they live, what newspapers
they read. That way they stop being a ‘demographic’ and
become a real individual. A human!
Finally, we search the web for a photo of someone (anyone) who
looks just as you imagine your persona to look.

Stick their photo on the

wall - with their name
UNDerneath – next to
YOUr SCREEn SO that,
whenever yOU write,
YOU can write to YOUr
new friend, not to an
AUdience.

That way, your tone of voice will remain consistent. Will always be on
target.