Struggling with authentic brand communication? You might want to step away from the keyboard first

"In a previous article, I talked about the importance of finding your own voice as a writer and why writing authentically is not as easy as it sounds. 

But here you are. 

You’ve done the work and discovered what makes you tick. Your pen is sharpened and ready to capture the unique individual that you are... and then a new assignment lands on your desk: writing the copy for a new product launched by a beverage company specialising in alcohol-free drinks.

Perhaps your mind is suddenly catapulted back to the horror movie you watched on the couch with your spouse the night before, and all you want to do is scream. 

Because a) you’ve never heard of the company, and b) the product’s core ingredient is beetroot – and beetroot is the one vegetable you loathe with a vengeance. Even more than broccoli or Brussels sprouts. 

Don’t hit the panic button just yet. Because hey, this is the job.  

Fine, you say, but if writing authentically as an individual is an ordeal for some, then surely making a brand sound authentic is a whole different ballgame. Indeed: when writing copy and creating content for a brand that is not you yourself, you have to adapt. And doesn’t adaptation automatically throw authenticity out of the window? How can you be authentic if you’re asked to put on someone else’s shoes? 

Error 101000101?!? Calm down for a sec and come to your senses.  

Senses here is a key word. Nobody’s asking you to start writing right away. And you shouldn’t want to. 

You need to get comfortable in those shoes first. 

And the good news is: once you are, you’ll notice it’s still your feet walking them. So how do you make those shoes fit? By getting your hands away from the keyboard and doing the research it takes to do the job properly. 

Get to know the brand much like you got to know your spouse. Be interested in their story: dig into the brand identity, core values, tone of voice, house style, etc. In other words: read up.  

Use your eyes, ears and tongue. See what’s going on, get a feel for the dynamics of the organization as much as the product and the services it provides. What can you gauge about the culture by looking around? How does that correspond to what you’ve read? 

Then, dig a little deeper: talk to people and listen what they have to say.  

• Why did the company choose the values they landed on? 
• How do employees speak about the brand, the product, the service? 
• Why do they think it’s great and how it makes a difference for customers? 
• Finally, are there any customers you can speak to? And if so, to what extent does what they have to say align with how the organization and its employees think about their offering? 

Yes, I know, if a brand’s identity and values don’t correspond to how employees and/or customers talk about it, you’ve stumbled on a much more fundamental challenge. But that’s neither the point of this article nor what you’re aiming for here. 

What you’re trying to unearth is emotion. 

As much as finding your own voice as a writer is about listening to what makes you tick, discovering what makes a brand’s world go round will help you write authentic copy that aligns with everything the brand stands for.  

Got it? Good. 

Now walk your shoes back to your keyboard and start typing away. You already know how to write. Now you know who and what you’re writing for. And who knows, maybe that beetroot-infused drink will go down more smoothly than you thought it would."