Voice and Tone: Sounding Like Yourself

Most marketing copy sounds like it was written by the same person. ”.” “Supercharge your results.” “game.” It’s a generic marketing voice that nobody trusts because nobody talks like that in real life.

Your voice is your advantage. Nobody else has your exact experience, your exact perspective, or your exact way of explaining things. When you write like yourself, you stand out automatically — not because you’re trying to be different, but because you’re being genuine.

The One Rule: Write Like You Talk

Imagine you’re sitting across from a friend at a coffee shop. They ask you what your course is about. You answer naturally. You use contractions. You pause. You get excited about the parts that excite you. You simplify the complicated parts because you want them to understand.

That’s your voice. Write that down.

Most people write in a completely different voice than the one they speak with. They become formal. Stiff. “Professional.” They use words they’d never say out loud. “use” instead of “use.” “set up” instead of “do.” “Individuals” instead of “people.”

Your marketing copy should read like a transcript of you at your most articulate and enthusiastic. Not a formal document. A conversation.

Talk to One Person

When you write marketing copy, you’re writing for an audience of one.

Your reader is alone. They’re reading your email alone. They’re on your sales page alone. They’re alone in their living room at 11pm wondering if this course is worth it.

Write to that person. Use “you” not “you all.” Use “I” not “we” (unless you genuinely have a team). Speak directly, personally, like you know them.

Not this: “Course creators everywhere are discovering the power of email marketing.”

This: “If you’ve been putting off building your email list because you don’t know what to write, this is for you.”

The second version speaks to one person about one specific problem. The first version makes an announcement to a crowd. One feels personal. The other feels like a press release.

Speak Your Students’ Language

Listen to how your students talk about their problems. Use their exact words.

If a student says “I just can’t figure out what to charge,” use that phrase in your copy. Don’t translate it to “improving your pricing strategy.” The student’s words are more persuasive than marketing jargon because other students relate to them.

Where to find your students’ language:

• Questions you receive by email or DM
• Reddit threads in your niche
• Amazon reviews of books on your topic
• Comments on your YouTube videos or blog posts
• Negative reviews of competitor courses

Pay attention to the specific phrases people use. Write those phrases down. Use them in your copy.

How to Find Your Voice

If you’re not sure what your voice sounds like in writing, try this exercise:

1. Open a voice recorder app on your phone.
2. Explain your course out loud as if you’re talking to a friend. Don’t script it. Just talk for 2-3 minutes.
3. Transcribe what you said. You can use a free transcription tool or just type it out.
4. Read the transcript. That’s your voice.

The transcript won’t be polished. It’ll have filler words and tangents. But underneath that, you’ll find your natural cadence, your phrasing, the way you naturally build to a point.

Edit the transcript into marketing copy. Remove the filler words. Tighten the phrasing. But keep the rhythm and the personality. That’s what makes it sound like you.

Tone Changes, Voice Stays Consistent

Your voice is consistent. Your tone changes depending on the context.

• Sales page: Confident, enthusiastic, specific
• Email: Conversational, personal, direct
• Social media: Casual, punchy, shorter
• Testimonial request: Grateful, warm, appreciative
• Refund response: Understanding, quick, no-drama

The words change. The sentence length changes. But the person behind them is recognizable. That’s voice.

Your Task

Record yourself explaining your course for 2 minutes. Transcribe it. Edit the transcript into a 4-sentence paragraph that could go on your sales page. Keep your natural phrasing. Remove the filler. Don’t add marketing jargon.

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