If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard someone say:

“I want to add to the conversation, but I don’t have anything to contribute that someone else hasn’t already said.”

…OR…

“I know I need to say something, but I don’t know how to say it.”

…I’d be richer than a squirrel sittin’ on a mountain of acorns before winter’s first snow storm hits. 

Some folks think they don’t have a unique voice — I fundamentally disagree with every single one of ‘em. 

If I asked you about your latest project over a cup of hot chocolate, you’d share passionately about the challenges you are facing but why the end goal is so incredibly important. I’d ask you questions and you’d know the answers, or would think out loud about various perspectives or ideas. 

But the second your fingers are hovering over a keyboard, ready to put those spoken words into written words…EEK. Ya freeze up. Writer’s block. Imposter Syndrome. All the things hit ya like a sack of potatoes and you can’t seem to do a darn thing about it.

Welp, Steve Morgan and I have an experiment for ya to try.

Steve, a fellow copywriter and storyteller, and I met through LinkedIn and instantly bonded over our similar backgrounds: mainly our Appalachian roots and love for writing. So, we scheduled a virtual meet n’ greet and decided to hit record. I’m SO glad we did, because the conversation hit everything from AI, Kentucky vices, balancing family and work, business ownership, and so much more. 

You can watch or listen to the entire conversation here.

In this issue however, I want to focus on finger printing your voice, a phrase that Steve used to describe my process for helping my clients define their unique brand voice. 

The problem is: Many people feel they aren’t good writers, or struggle to put clear, captivating words onto a page because they listen to the world around them whispering in their ear: you gotta say the right thing, in the right way, or else it’s no good. No one’s gonna listen. You have nothing helpful to say, anyway. Someone has a better idea. Someone else can say it better. 

So, you edit yourself mid-sentence, censor your natural speech, and filter out all the personality that makes your writing worth reading.

This matters because: You DO have something valuable to say and you CAN say it in a way that is clear and resonates. There are so many cultural and environmental expectations put on us, which muddies the waters of our own thinking, making it darned near impossible to find the right words. You gotta tune them all out and just focus on what’s in your head and what’s in your heart. 

In our conversation, I told Steve about the brand voice sessions, where there is no agenda. Instead, I just say, "just talk to me."

Steve called this "fingerprinting somebody with their voice." I loved that phrasing! Fingerprinting a finger works because the raised ridges on our fingertips are completely unique to every individual, form before birth, and never change throughout a lifetime. (Isn't that cool!?!) Our way of speaking is also like a unique fingerprint, although it does admittedly change over time. 

Steve shared that he’s a verbal processor — he uses a dictation app to just talk and talk until he arrives at his point, and then goes back to hack and slash through the verbal fluff. It helps him derive a clear message.

So here’s the micro-lesson: speaking your words before you put them on the page can help you identify your natural, and unique voice, while also helping you to arrive at the main point you want to make without the pressure that comes from writing. 

If you're stuck staring at a screen, stop typing and talk your copy into existence! Your natural, spoken voice carries a unique rhythm, cadence, and warmth — your voice fingerprint.

When you speak your ideas out loud before you type them, you bypass your tendency to edit in the moment, and say “get outta here” to those pesky expectations that limit you. 

You’ll be more confident in unblanking the page. You’ll hear the passion in your words and know what needs emphasis. You’ll feel the parts of your thoughts that struggle to get out, so that’s your sign to focus on editing certain sections when the time comes. But most importantly, you’ll find the words to say what you want to say in your unique way.

Put it into practice:

The next time you have an email, memo, or post to write, try this voice fingerprinting experiment:

Find an app to record voice memos (most computers and phones have built in voice memo apps).

Take a deep breath and hit record.

Spend 2 minutes talking through whatever it is you need to type. Some questions that might help you get started:

Hack and slash like Steve: Read the transcript and start editing. First, strip out the obvious blunders — "ums" and verbal tangents — but keep the natural phrasing, and put a hard period on the key points. Second, read it through from beginning to end and clarify any remaining areas that need some work. And then — Wooo doggy! You’ve got yourself a you-certified, voice fingerprinted written piece of work that is ready to publish.

How’d it go? Did talking your draft out loud break through the fog? Did you catch yourself using warmer, more natural words than usual? Hit reply and let me know…I read and reply to every single note!

And if you want a strategic thinking partner to sit down with you, capture your voice fingerprint, and turn your expertise into high-impact copy, schedule a virtual chat with me here. I’d be honored to help you tell your story!

(These are not sponsors or affiliate links… just things I genuinely enjoy and want to share with you!)