Write Better Than Claude.ai

In the age of artificial intelligence, where algorithms can churn out content at lightning speed, mastering voice and tone has become the writer's secret weapon. Let's dive into how you can develop a writing style that's uniquely yours, peppered with examples from renowned copywriters and iconic marketing campaigns.

This video is a free session in the course: Write Better Than AI by ACE. Check out the course here.

Understanding Tone: The Mood of Your Writing

Tone is the emotional undercurrent of your writing. It's the difference between Apple's sleek "Think Different" campaign and Old Spice's boisterous "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" ads. Both are memorable, but they evoke entirely different feelings.

Consider how Innocent Drinks maintains a consistently playful tone across their packaging and social media. Their "Stop Pranking Your Nan" smoothie campaign showcases how a brand can use tone to create a distinct personality.

Exercise: Take a brand you admire. Write about their product launch in three different tones: celebratory, mysterious, and urgent. Notice how the emotional impact changes with each version.

Voice: Your Writing's Personality

If tone is the mood, voice is the personality that remains consistent across different moods. It's what makes David Ogilvy's copy instantly recognizable, whether he's selling Rolls-Royce cars or Hathaway shirts.

Finding your voice starts with writing like you talk. Record yourself telling a story, then transcribe it. This raw material is the foundation of your unique voice.

Example: Consider how Gary Vaynerchuk's direct, no-nonsense voice remains consistent whether he's giving a keynote speech or tweeting. His personality shines through, regardless of the medium.

Developing Your Voice: A Practical Approach

To refine your voice, try this exercise:

1. Write a paragraph about doing laundry.
2. Rewrite it as a noir detective, then as a valley girl, and finally as a pirate.
3. Notice how the personality changes with each version.

This flexibility is crucial when writing for different brands or audiences. It's how copywriter Ann Handley can write authoritatively for MarketingProfs and still maintain her witty, conversational style in her personal blog.

Outshining AI with Quirks and Specificity

AI can aggregate information, but it can't develop inside jokes with an audience or take creative risks. This is where you can shine.

Develop linguistic quirks for your brand voice. Maybe you always use sports metaphors, like how Nike's "Just Do It" campaign permeates all their communication. Or perhaps you sprinkle in pop culture references, like how Denny's social media team creates memes based on current trends.

Creating a Voice and Tone Guide

To maintain consistency, especially when writing for a brand, create a comprehensive voice and tone guide. Mailchimp's Style Guide is an excellent example, detailing not just their voice characteristics but also how to write for different content types and audiences.

Your guide should include:

• Frequently used words or phrases
• Words to avoid
• Stance on emojis and pop culture references
• Examples of the voice in action

The Power of Practice

Mastering voice and tone requires consistent practice. Write daily, experimenting with different styles and topics. This is how copywriting legends like Joseph Sugarman honed their craft, writing countless headlines and ads before developing their signature style.

Applying Voice and Tone Across Content Types

Once you've developed your unique voice, apply it across various content types:

1. Social Media: See how Wendy's maintains its sassy voice across Twitter, creating engaging and memorable interactions.
2. Blog Posts: Notice how Neil Patel's conversational yet authoritative voice remains consistent across his extensive blog content.
3. Email Marketing: Study how Dollar Shave Club infuses humor into their email campaigns while maintaining their brand voice.
4. Website Copy: Examine how Slack's website copy maintains a friendly, helpful tone while explaining complex features.

Remember, AI can't replicate the evolution of a voice over time or create genuine connections with an audience. That's all you.

Write Better Than Claude.ai... or ChatGPT... or Any of Them

In a world drowning in AI-generated content, your unique voice and ability to adjust your tone are your greatest assets. They allow you to create content that's not just informative, but memorable and impactful.

Your homework: Write anything – a tweet, a product description, your bio – in your newly defined voice. Make it unmistakably you. Because that's what will make your writing stand out – your humanity, your quirks, your unique perspective.

As David Ogilvy once said, "Don't address your readers as though they were gathered together in a stadium. When people read your copy, they are alone. Pretend you are writing to each of them a letter on behalf of your client."

In mastering voice and tone, you're not just writing; you're conversing, connecting, and creating lasting impressions. And that's something no AI can replicate.