If you’re trying too hard to sound “professional” in writing your marketing message, it can backfire.

Why?

It’s likely that your idea of professional writing is linked to the kind of academic, literary, "good" writing that we all learned in school. What we often don't think of is that a highly professional tone can come across as formal, cold or distant. It may be more suitable when you want to convey information or to educate, although even then it can be too formal. And it’s more likely to distance people from you and your business than to connect with them and engage them.

But in marketing you want people to relate to you.

Don’t hide who you are behind formality.

Let your audience get a sense of YOU so they want to get to know you better. At the end of your piece, you want them to say “I like this person. She has what I want” rather than “What a piece of beautiful writing”!

And of course, you have to be professional in how you show up, how you speak and present yourself and the image you’re projecting. At the same time, your message can be presented in a casual conversational style that connects with your audience.

Connect AND be professional.

If you have a different take on this, I’ll be glad to hear from you.

You can hit "reply" or get in touch with me here.