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“Write like you talk.”

As I sit to write this newsletter - I’m already feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“Writing like I talk” doesn’t come natural.

I think back to all the years in school:

• Learning grammar
• Reading literature
• Writing essays

And suddenly, I’m finding myself trying to unlearn most of it.

Why?

Because for online writing, it feels too stiff. Too much like a lecture. Not enough like me.

Turns out, I’m not alone.

The data (and everyday life interaction with marketing) tells us that people are getting bored with corporate brand standards and formal brand speak. The internet is drowning in it.

The brands and creators I look up to today (marketers, founders, etc.) have a way with their words - a way of making you feel like you’re the only one they’re talking to.

• It’s easy to read
• It’s easy to digest
• And it accomplishes the, “I feel like I know you…” line

…even though, I’m often one of hundreds of thousands of their followers…

The magic behind it: a little technique called Conversational Copy.

Here's a quick example from Harry Dry's Conversational Copy Guide.​

It throws out the corporate speak many of us in marketing cling to for safety - and instead, invites the reader into a conversation.

It makes the messaging feel more personal and direct.

As a result: the words land softer and hit closer to home.

Their engagement alone proves it.

(Ok… I’m more than halfway through attempting to write more “conversationally” - but this still feels like new territory. Bear with me as I stop overthinking, over-editing, re-phrasing, etc.)

So, I did a little reading up on Conversational Copy and studied creators and marketers who write in this tone.

4+ hours later, here’s what I’ve come to find:

→ Conversational copy LOVES first-person (I, we, you)
​
→ Conversational copy LOVES personality (don’t be boring)
​
→ Conversational copy LOVES stories (because we can relate!)
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→ Conversational copy LOVES simple, easy language (no fluff or jargon)
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→ Conversational copy LOVES talking with, not at (think, chatting over coffee)

I’m not the expert in Conversational Copy - but I’m on board with adopting, learning, and experimenting.

So, if your copy (ads, emails, captions, newsletters, website, etc.) is starting to feel stale, boring, uninteresting, too “formal” - consider joining me in testing out a more conversational approach.

There are plenty of creators I could list here, but here are two I’ve found most interesting to study when it comes to writing in a conversational tone:

• ​Dave Gerhardt of ExitFive​
• ​Harry Dry of MarketingExamples.com​

And that’s a wrap. Curious to hear your take on this!

Dani

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