Dear Reader, Ask someone to describe their brand voice, and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll hear some combination of: Warm. Professional. Approachable. Well, sure. You’re surely not going to say you want to sound cold, unapproachable, and meaner than bull briar. Those words tell me how you want people to experience you. They don’t tell me what it sounds like to be in a room with you. That’s what I’m listening for. The phrase you keep coming back to. The story you tell when you’re trying...

Hi Reader, One of the challenges of running a business for a long time is that you stop noticing things. The language you use every day feels ordinary because you've been saying it for years. The problems you solve seem obvious because you've solved them hundreds of times. The questions clients ask over and over again begin to feel so familiar that it's hard to imagine someone not understanding the answer. I've come to think of that as living inside the bottle. You can't read the label from...

Hi Reader, Years ago, an insurance agency that offered both personal and commercial insurance hired me to write a client newsletter. The goal was simple. They wanted to stay in touch throughout the year so clients didn't feel like the only time they heard from their insurance agent was when it was time to renew a policy. That made perfect sense. We didn't spend much time reminding people that accidents happen or that they should review their policies. Instead, we showed what good insurance...