Stare at a blank document and write a blog about brand voice. It’s what you do, so this shouldn’t be an issue, right? Wrong.
I have been a full-time Social Media freelancer for more than three years. I advise people and companies on the importance of content creation and help them craft a consistent brand voice across different platforms. Yet, when it comes to writing in my own voice, I hit a wall. In this case, it’s been six months of trying to write a blog about the importance of knowing your brand and your voice.
The first step to finding a solution is
admitting there’s a problem.
This exercise to write longer-form content of my own turned to be alienating. I’ve chalked it up to distraction, prioritization of tasks, holidays, disorganization, you name it. Finally, it hit me, I had plenty to say but didn’t know how to say it. The irony was clear, a person who can write, tweet, talk, and even think in multiple voices (for clients) in the span of one day can’t do any of the above in their own voice.
Turns out, this isn’t as uncommon as you or I may think. Many people struggle to land new jobs or clients, not because they aren’t good at what they do but because they aren’t good at talking about it. The good news, there are resources and tricks which can help.
- Don’t be afraid, face the issue. The first step to finding a solution is admitting there’s a problem.
- Say it out loud! If you’re like me, the issue came out when you have to put a hand to the keyboard. Open the voice memo application on your phone and start talking about the subject. If you still have trouble writing that out, ask a friend or hire a freelancer to help.
- Ask for help. There’s no shame in admitting you struggle with content creation. I shared this with a client and after an appropriate number of laughs and “see, it’s hard!,” they turned the conversation around to help me.
- Continue writing. Pick a schedule that works for you and force yourself to create content. Maybe, videos are more your style—keep those creative juices flowing and continue to push yourself. Every so often, compare your most recent work to your first piece and appreciate how far you’ve come.
The journey to rediscover my voice is ongoing. I will continue to create content both to share my insights and learnings and to better position myself to help clients who are struggling with crafting their message.
