Mary Matuluko’s Post

Do you know when you're not sounding like YOU? Every single time I create a content, I read it aloud 3 to 5 times, And once it doesn't sound like me, I get back to working on it. Now everyone keeps telling you to maintain a consistent brand voice and messaging on Social Media, But do you know how to? Follow this guide and you will not have to struggle with having a consistent brand voice. (You can tell me thank you later😁) 📌 DEFINE YOUR BRAND'S VOICE. • What do you want to sound like? • How do you want to pass your message? E.g If I never get to see you, and all I get is to hear you speak, how will I describe your personality? 📌 CREATE A STYLE GUIDE • Tone of voice (Formal, casual, friendly, professional) • Identify core messages that align with your brand values and goals. • Define specific terms or phrases unique to your brand. 📌 Extend your brand voice to customer interactions, including responses to comments, messages, and reviews. Having a consistent brand voice and messaging plays a significant role in setting you apart from the rest. So don't just follow the crowd, tap into your potential and own your VOICE. Struggling in having a consistently brand voice? DM me with the word 'VOICE'! Do you sometimes know whose post you're reading without seeing their name first?

🙃 Ever felt like a brand sounds completely different in different places? It's confusing, right? You're never fully sure what they stand for and what they're about. And real talk: it can cost you customers. 💫 86% of customers value authenticity when deciding what brands they like (Qualtrics) 💫 33% of consumers say a distinct personality is the main reason a brand stands out (Sprout Social) 💫 64% of consumers who have a brand relationship cited brand values as their primary influence (Harvard Business Review) Whether you know it or not, your brand has a voice. So how can you make sure you consistently sound the same in any language? 🕵♀️ Go deep. Take some time and figure out your brand values and what matters most to your clients. This helps give you something to anchor yourself to and refer back to. 💭 Write with your dream clients in mind. One of the things I find most helpful is to picture my dream client: who are they? What do they do? How do they spend their spare time? What would they think of that joke? Am I solving their problem? Asking yourself these types of questions helps you provide helpful content with a human connection. 📣 Be authentic. Make sure your brand voice actually sounds like you! It’s exhausting to constantly switch into a different register when you write and can lead to inconsistencies when your “real” voice slips out. Clients can tell when someone is authentic: often their content is warmer and can build genuine relationships based on trust. 👀 Nail down the detail. Create a list of words you want included or excluded. Define how you want your clients to feel and the language you can use you capture that. Decide what pronouns you use. Think about sentence structure and word length. Making decisions on all these things help to create a style guide which will help you be consistent on every platform, whoever’s writing and whatever language you’re writing in. 👇 What else helps you maintain a consistent brand voice?

CONFIDENCE – what does that even mean? Especially when it comes to my service, the Identity Innovator. In a lot of my marketing I've said I help clients find clarity and confidence within their businesses but then a copywriter who is always pushing the limits asked me, "What does that even mean? I know you said clarity and confidence but it isn't really clear to me what that actually is." And you know what, she really got me thinking. I even didn't respond immediately because it stumped me in that moment. (and thats very unlike me!) So after thinking about it a bit more and exchanging a few voice notes with Emelie about it. I found some clarity (and sooo much inspiration followed). To me, and my clients, confidence is the deep understanding of their business, their why. Why they do this, who it is their service or product helps, and most importantly, how that product (and their brand) fits into these peoples lives. How does this impact them? How does it help them? Why are they buying it? Understanding these things (some could call them objections) is powerful in itself. And having the words that make sense to you AND your target audience... it's powerful. It gives clarity. And that knowing gives confidence in everything you do. Knowledge is powerful – and taking the time to dive deep into your brand before worrying about any brand visuals is empowering. What does confidence mean to you?

Everyone thinks a personal brand is just about: "Showing up daily." Spending 35+hrs/week on commenting, 17+hrs on creating content and then praying 24/7 for inbound leads. Spoiler: It doesn't work like this! But the truth is: No one has got time for guesswork, especially your target audience. So, If your message isn’t crystal clear, you’re already losing! You need to know exactly: what you stand for, what transformation you bring, and why you’re different from everyone else in your space. I’m not talking about just another catchy tagline. I mean deep clarity, knowing your audience’s pain points better than they do. They should be reading your content, thinking, "This person gets it. This person gets me." Ask yourself daily: Am I still solving my ideal client’s top problem? If not, you’re talking to the wrong crowd. (Follow Shanzay for part#2, Tomorrow at 11:30pm, GMT+5)

Here are the 6 tips to build your personal brand NOW: 1.   Identify your target audience Find the people you want to be connected with or who would relate to your content style. 2.   Pick 2-3 niches Identify the 2-3 key areas you want to target and can talk about every day. 3.   Identify your style Don’t copy others. Instead, find your own style. A style you are comfortable with or can create content for a longer time. 4.   Engage No one likes boring replies. Engage with your audience in comments, DMs or stories. Build a personal connection. 5.   Share your wins and failures Don’t just share hollow content. Add meaning, personal stories, wins and failures to it. People connect with emotions. 6.   Consistency One of the most important points. Be consistent, even on days when you don’t see results. Be disciplined and show up every damn day.

Do you know the power of *not* speaking? In a world where everyone is shouting to be heard, what if your personal brand was built through silence? 🔇 Silence to Listen:   Your brand is shaped more by what you 'hear' than by what you say. 🔇 Silence to Reflect:   You don't need to post daily to stay relevant. 🔇 Silence to Observe:   Watch how others engage. The subtleties of behavior, tone, and timing are as crucial to personal branding as the loudest content. Sometimes, the quietest voice has the strongest impact. It's not about the volume of your message—it’s about its clarity and timing. When was the last time you let silence shape your personal brand? Let’s talk about it in the comments. P.S. Sometimes, your silence could be what makes you stand out in the noisy online crowd.

This 1 thing holds your personal brand back from growing! (And makes clients ghost you): Thinking you know people’s problems without listening to them. I used to do it, and it hurted my posts’ engagement. But one simple mindset shift made my content thrive: → Listen First - Talk Later. Here’s how it can help your personal brand too: 1. You Easier Understand Your Audience’s Needs ↳ Try to understand what your audience truly care about. ↳ Scroll through comments, discussions, and posts in your niche. ↳ This way, you’re creating content that actually speaks to their needs. 2. You Can Build Real Relationships ↳ Engage genuinely with other people’s posts. ↳ Show that you’re here to build real connections. ↳ People appreciate this and are more likely to support you back. 3. You Can Find Inspiration from Others ↳ Paying attention to others’ posts can give you proven content ideas. ↳ You’ll pick up on common struggles and questions. ↳ Makes it easier creating content for your audience’s needs. Listening is the foundation for a strong personal brand. When listening with purpose, you will automatically talk with purpose. Talking with purpose gives credibility. Credibility creates a strong personal brand. Did you enjoy this post? Please: ✅Give it a like 🖊️Tell me your thoughts in the comments ♻️Share it with your network P.S. This also applies to real life. P.P.S. Try it out and discover how much you’ll learn about your surroundings.

Ever worried about sharing your brand story? You're not alone. We've all felt that paralysing fear when comparing ourselves to competitors and fellow content creators. We may ask "What if people don't like what I have to offer?" or "What if my LinkedIn profile isn't up to scratch?" Well, the good news is that you don't need gimmicks or anything flashy. All you need is you! Be unapologetically you! Sometimes we hear the word authenticity and think it's just a buzzword; but it's not—it's the heart of your brand story. Think about your favourite book or movie... Why did it resonate? Most likely, it was the story that got you hooked—not the cover art or special effects. Your brand story is no different. Speak your truth—your struggles, your triumphs, the lessons you've learned. Does it feel scary? Sure. But, does it bring value and build trust with your audience? Absolutely! Remember, your brand story is all about authenticity. So, tell me, what's one fear stopping you from sharing your brand story? And if you've overcome it, how did you do it? P.S. Looking for more guidance on how to develop your brand story? Follow here: Gavin Dell, for more insights and resources to help you refine your story and connect authentically with your audience.

If you don’t already have one, I highly recommend creating a Messaging Guide for your brand. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Having something to guide you is better than having nothing to guide you. You can start simple: ▶ Tone of voice ▶ Value proposition (a.k.a an easy-to-understand reason someone should choose your brand) ▶ Key messaging pillars  ▶ Commonly used phrases/words (and stuff you don’t say) It will help you write better copy everywhere you talk about your brand. Curious - do you have one yet?

Instead of imitating others to build your personal brand, focus on cultivating your unique expertise. Prioritize sharing your specific knowledge: • Select a topic that genuinely interests and intrigues you. • Craft and distribute content on that topic. • Listen attentively to your audience. • Foster genuine connections. • Identify their challenges. • Offer solutions. Your personal brand is your individual niche. Embrace what you’re passionate about, and you’ll discover authenticity is key. Original insights resonate far more than recycled information. ✍️ What are your reflections? ♻️ Share if you resonate with this approach.