How to Adapt a Client's Brand Voice/Style In Your Writing

04 May, 2025

Think of learning to write in someone else's voice like learning to drive different vehicles. You might know the basics of driving (writing), but hopping from a small, zippy car (maybe a fast-talking tech founder) to a big, steady truck (perhaps a more formal corporate leader) requires you to adapt your feel for the controls, the speed, the way it handles turns.

It's the same skill – driving – but applied differently.

Right now, with AI throwing generic text around like leaflets in the wind, your ability to truly drive like your client, to capture their specific way of handling the road, isn't just a nice-to-have.

It's how you stay essential. It’s the difference between being a replaceable set of hands on the wheel and being the trusted driver they rely on for important journeys.

Why Your Voice-Mimicking Skill is Your Best Defense Against AI

Let's cut to the chase. Why should you pour energy into mastering someone else's voice when AI can spit out text so quickly? Because your clients, whether they run a business or lead a team, aren't just buying words.

They're paying for connection, trust, and an identity that resonates with their audience. You know, that feeling you get when you read something and think, "Yeah, that sounds like them."

Consistency builds that trust. When a leader's message always feels authentic, people believe it more. If the tone swings wildly, it feels off, like someone else has grabbed the microphone. That's where you come in.

When you nail their voice, you allow them to be everywhere – more blog posts, more emails, more reach – without losing that essential "them-ness". You become their amplifier.

Get it wrong, and the message falls flat, or worse, sounds fake. In my experience, clients might not always be able to pinpoint why a piece feels off, but they know when it does. Getting the voice right prevents that disconnect.

How to Actually Capture Their Voice: A No-Nonsense Guide

This isn't some mystical art. It's a practical process. Like fixing something around the house, you need the right tools and a clear head.

Step 1: Listen Like You Mean It (More Than Just Words)

You need to tune your ears beyond what they say to how they say it. When you're on calls or in meetings:

• Sentence Flow: Do they talk in short, punchy sentences or longer, more winding ones? Active or passive?
• Word Habits: What words do they repeat? Any favourite adjectives, buzzwords (even if you plan to tone them down later)? Any slang or unique phrases? Jot these down.
• Emotion & Tone: When do they sound excited? Serious? Joking? How does the topic change their energy?
• Rhythm: Fast talker? Slow and deliberate? Lots of pauses? Think of it like the rhythm of their speech.

I find recording calls (always ask permission!) incredibly helpful. You can replay bits and really catch those patterns you miss in the moment.

Don't just listen when they talk about the project; listen to how they talk about their weekend or anything else. It all provides clues.

Step 2: Map Out Their Style (Using What's Already There)

You need a map. Look at their existing stuff – blogs, emails, videos, talks. Analyze it systematically:

• Word Choices: Simple or complex words? Formal ("utilize") or informal ("use")? Any go-to metaphors or analogies? Make a list of their common terms.
• Sentence Structure: Short? Long? Varied? Do they ask questions? Use fragments?
• Overall Tone: Where do they sit on scales like Formal vs. Casual, Funny vs. Serious, Confident vs. Cautious?
• Their Angle: What's their default perspective? Data-driven? Story-focused? Optimistic? What seems important to them underneath it all?

I recommend creating a simple 'Voice Cheat Sheet' for each client. Nothing fancy. Just bullet points: Key Words, Sentence Style, Tone (e.g., "Confident but friendly"), Common Analogies, Stuff to Avoid.

This becomes your reference guide, especially when you're juggling multiple clients. It keeps you honest.

Step 3: Put on the Mask (Practical Tricks to Sound Like Them)

Okay, you've listened, you've analyzed. Now, how do you write like them?

• Sweat the Small Stuff: Tiny word choices matter hugely. Did they say the results were 'good' or 'strong'? Was the change 'sudden' or 'abrupt'? Using their preferred adjectives and adverbs makes a big difference.

• Method Acting for Writers: Seriously. Before writing, take a second. Ask yourself: "How would Client X explain this? What story would they tell?" Try to get into their headspace. It requires deliberately stepping outside your own habits.

• Use Their World: This is powerful. If your client constantly uses sports analogies ('hit a home run', 'dropped the ball'), weave those in. If they relate everything back to gardening or cooking, use that! Leverage the examples and stories they use.

  Even if you create new ones, make sure they feel like something they'd come up with. These aren't just quirks; they're the key to making the writing genuinely theirs.

Handling the Rulebook (Brand Guidelines)

Sometimes, especially with bigger companies, you'll get a formal 'Brand Voice Guide'. Read it. Understand it. It's your map for that specific territory.

But here's the thing: sometimes the guide is a bit generic, or it clashes slightly with the individual leader's natural style. Your job isn't just to follow rules blindly; it's to understand the intent.

Why does the guide say 'be authoritative'? Who is it trying to reach?

You might need to blend the person's real voice with the brand rules. This takes judgment. Sometimes I point out potential clashes to the client or suggest ways to make it sound like them while staying within bounds.

If there's no guide, I ask direct questions to create a mini-guide: "Scale of 1-5, how formal?" "Contractions okay?" Get clarity upfront.

Juggling Different Voices (Keeping Your Hats Straight)

Working with multiple clients means switching voices. How do you stop Client A's chatty style from leaking into Client B's formal report? Discipline and process.

• Reset Button: Take breaks between clients. Clear your head. Look at your 'Voice Cheat Sheet' for the client you're about to work on before you start writing. Create mental separation.
• Flex Your Process: One client might need brainstorming calls; another might prefer detailed outlines. Adapt how you work to fit them and their voice. Don't force everyone into your preferred workflow.
• Keep Good Notes: Those Voice Cheat Sheets? Keep them updated and use them often. They're your guardrails.

The Ghostwriting Cycle: It's a Process, Not a Single Shot

Nailing the voice usually doesn't happen perfectly on the first try. It’s part of the whole process:

• First Meeting: Listen more than you talk. Ask open questions to get them talking naturally ("What's your take on...?"). Hear their voice.
• Research: Go beyond the topic. Re-listen to calls, re-read their stuff, focusing only on voice patterns.
• Drafting & Feedback: Your first draft is a starting point. Ask specifically about the voice: "Does this sound like you?" "Any parts feel off?" Use their feedback, even vague feelings, to tune it. Be prepared to revise. It gets closer each time.

Quick Recap: Making It Sound Like Them

Wrapping Up: This is Your Craft, Your Value

Look, mastering different voices isn't magic. It's a skill you build through careful listening, deliberate practice, and being willing to set your own style aside.

It demands you pay attention, analyze systematically, and use practical tricks like mirroring language and using their analogies.

In a world getting flooded with generic AI text, your ability to be a chameleon, to genuinely capture and amplify another human's unique voice, is what makes you valuable. It's how you deliver real results for clients, build trust, and keep yourself relevant and frankly, employed.

It's not about losing your voice; it's about mastering the craft of using yours to give power to theirs. That’s a responsibility, and mastering it is how you thrive.

#Technique