With personal writing, you’re not only sharing your voice with the world, you're writing to the inner psychology that most people connect with.
I want to explain this new paradigm of personal writing and how it can be beneficial for your business.
The Dos and Don'ts
As you know, I recently sat down to write conceptual marketing tips and ultimately decided to write about a personal situation. I had feelings about my my father’s passing that wanted to come out, and it felt like the right time to share them. I’ve found that personal, vulnerable emails often get the most engagement and even lead to business. Imagine that!
You might be wondering how to bridge the personal and business in your marketing.
I asked a mentor - Dwaine Canova, CEO of Zynity Leadership - about this because I was torn between the two styles of conceptual marketing tips and personal shares. “How do I bridge them?” I asked. The wisdom he shared with me made it so clear. His advice was so insightful that I wanted to share it with you so you can have a fresh perspective for your marketing, too.
OK, here we go. The personal element is who you are and how you connect. The business element is how you contribute to the world. When I heard that, I immediately realized that you need both elements. From my recent experience, I have learned that integrating your personal life into your business - if done right - can be powerful. It’s powerful because people really appreciate it when you share your human side. If you’re always teaching rote concepts, how are you truly connecting with others?
You can learn to write personally in a powerful way. Writing personal articles is a skill in itself. If it isn’t done right, it can become a risk. I’ve outlined a few of my best tips below. I hope they will help you if you decide to try this approach in your own marketing.
Write from your sensory brain first. Allow your audience to feel the emotions in your words. Later, you can go back and edit with your logical brain.
Show, don’t tell. Showing is proven to be more captivating than telling and it keeps your audience engaged. Showing (a.k.a. experiential writing) also creates an emotional connection for your reader.
It can turn risky if you come across as a victim. Write from your positive place.
Avoid venting for the sake of venting. Always share an insight you gained from the personal experience. Remember, it still needs to add value.
Personalization is the NEW marketing paradigm.
Amidst all of the noise, traditional methods just don’t work as well as they once did. Today, we’re living in a different landscape and to really get noticed amidst your competitors, you'll want to come across as human, too. You'll want to be original and human - to be your true self - because no one can copy YOU.
The Bottom Line
If you find yourself stifled and unsure of how to write personally while staying on target with your business goals, remember that the personal element is who you are and the how you connect. The business element is how you contribute to the world. To stay competitive in this new landscape, you’ll want to integrate both.
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