We often talk about the concept of having a "voice" when writing, but sometimes it can be hard to grasp what this really means. Yet it's really quite simple: it's about letting your humanity shine through your words. It's easy to think that this is an impossible task in the B2B world, where much content is dismissed as "boring" and jargon-filled - but that's not the case.
In this blog post for Copyblogger, Sonia Simone talks about the importance of voice in relation to the many great voices we lost in 2016: "Bowie, Prince, Ali, Cohen, Fisher, and so many more. People who went far beyond entertaining us." For me, it was the loss of George Michael that stung the most - his music has long been part of the soundtrack that we all create for our individual lives.
But the point is that all of these artists made such an impact not just because they excelled in their fields, but because they did so without hiding their humanity - they weren't afraid to be vulnerable and "real".
As B2B content writers, we may not be crafting words that speak to the world, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from the greats. We can still be authentic. We can still speak to our readers on a human level, even if what we're writing about is highly technical. We can still connect with our audience.
As Sonia says: "I know there are plenty of people who will think I'm nuts for saying that the content we craft for our businesses can be art.
"I don't care.
"Business matters. Making a living matters. Supporting your family matters. And I am never going to tell you to be complacent about those things.
"But don't do it at the expense of your human voice. It doesn't work, and it's not what the world needs from you. Sing the song only you can sing."
If you run a business, you're changing the world.
If you write content for a business, you're changing the world.
Not by selling more "best-of-breed solutions for disruptive excellence."
But by making art that builds the connections between human beings who want things and human beings who make things.
I know there are plenty of people who will think I'm nuts for saying that the content we craft for our businesses can be art.
I don't care.
Business matters. Making a living matters. Supporting your family matters. And I am never going to tell you to be complacent about those things.
But don’t do it at the expense of your human voice. It doesn't work, and it’s not what the world needs from you. Sing the song only you can sing.
