Most people don’t have a grammar problem. They have a personality problem.
In real life they’re funny, smart, sarcastic, magnetic.
On paper they sound like Brenda from accounting, sending “per my last email.”
Why?? Because somewhere along the way they got told “professional” = strip out your voice, replace it with buzzwords, try to sound like you swallowed a LinkedIn handbook.
You don’t need that. You don’t need to sound like ChatGPT circa 2019. You don’t need to sound like a Hallmark card either.
You just need to sound like… you.
And here’s the kicker…. writing like you talk doesn’t mean throwing in “lol” or “umm” every other line.
It means capturing your rhythm, your side comments, your actual thought process so people hear you in their head when they read.
Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Know Your Cadence
Voice isn’t just words. It’s rhythm.
You already have one:
- Short, punchy sentences? 👉 Keep it.
- Long streams of thought (lots of commas, parentheses)? 👉 Fine, just break it up so people don’t suffocate.
- Side comments mid-sentence? 👉 Yes. Keep those too. (like this. always like this.)
Goal isn’t perfect grammar. Goal is: do they recognize you?
Step 2: Keep the Weird Stuff
This is where most people go wrong. They cut the parts that make them sound human.
Example 👉
Real life: “spoiler, it wasn’t glamorous.”
Edited blog voice: “it was an unfortunate challenge we overcame with perseverance.”
🤮
The throwaway lines, the little sarcastic notes, the bribes you make with yourself (cookie dough, Diet Coke, whatever) – those are the sticky bits people actually remember.
Don’t cut them out.
Step 3: Kill the Fake “Professional” Filter
Newsflash: nobody says “leverage synergies” out loud unless they’re stuck in a meeting they don’t want to be in.
Cut it!!!
Examples 👉
- Instead of “maximize impact,” say: “make it actually work.”
- Instead of “at the end of the day,” say: “let’s be real.”
Rule: if the words wouldn’t leave your mouth, they don’t belong in your content.
Step 4: Read It Out Loud
This is the laziest, fastest, best hack.
Read it out loud.
- If you trip over it 👉 it’s wrong.
- If it sounds like a TED Talk robot 👉 delete.
- If you nod, laugh, or roll your eyes in a “ugh that IS me” way 👉 keep.
Your voice should feel alive. Not like an essay your high school English teacher graded.
Step 5: Build a Voice Bank
Don’t trust your memory.
Keep a running doc of things you actually say – in trainings, calls, rants, even random texts. That’s the raw stuff. That’s your real voice.
I do this constantly. Because the best lines aren’t ones I “craft” – they’re the ones that fall out of my mouth when I’m not trying.
Pro tip: record yourself teaching for 5 minutes. Transcribe. Highlight the phrases that sound like you. That’s your voice bank.
Resource Break (grab these, you’ll thank me later)
- Hook Bank Freebie 👉 100+ proven hooks
https://rachelpedersen.clickfunnels.com/squeeze-page1649350385522 - Pricing Power Guide 👉 how to set (and say) your rates without flinching
https://rachelpedersen.clickfunnels.com/pricing-guide - The Social Clique 👉 my coaching + community for entrepreneurs who want systems, strategy, + sanity
https://www.cliqueforlife.com
Step 6: The Good 👉 Better 👉 Best Test
Here’s how to test if you sound like you or like Brenda:
| Style | Example | Why |
| Good (basic) | “At the end of the day, you need consistency to grow.” | True but flat. Blend right in with every LinkedIn bro. |
| Better (closer) | “If you want growth, you’ve gotta show up consistently.” | Feels human. Could come out of your mouth. |
| Best (you) | “Let’s be real: the algorithm isn’t ghosting you – you’re ghosting it. Consistency wins.” | Punchy. Quirky. Sticky. People screenshot this one. |
That’s the ladder. Always climb to “best.”
Step 7: Show, Don’t Lecture
Nobody remembers generic.
- Boring: “Posting daily will help you grow.”
- Better: “Daily posting builds momentum.”
- Best: “Think of content like brushing your teeth. Do it daily or it gets gross fast.”
“Best” makes them smirk and remember.
Stop lecturing. Start showing.
Step 8: The Dinner Table Rule
Last test: would you actually say this out loud at dinner?
If yes – keep.
If no – delete.
I’ve scrapped entire paragraphs because they sounded like a term paper. If I wouldn’t tell Poul “let’s optimize synergies” while eating tacos, why on earth would I post it on Instagram?
This rule saves you from sounding fake.
Final Word
Your voice is your fingerprint.
Strip it out to sound “professional” 👉 you blend in.
Lean into it 👉 you stand out.
People don’t follow you because you sound polished. They follow you because they feel like they know you.
So stop writing like Brenda from accounting. Stop sanitizing every sentence until it’s dead on arrival. Write the way you actually talk.
Because if they can hear your voice in their head while reading your words? You’ve already won.
Resource Recap
- Hook Bank Freebie 👉 proven hooks
https://rachelpedersen.clickfunnels.com/squeeze-page1649350385522 - Pricing Power Guide 👉 how to set (and say) your rates without flinching
https://rachelpedersen.clickfunnels.com/pricing-guide - The Social Clique 👉 my coaching + community for entrepreneurs who want systems, strategy, + sanity
https://www.cliqueforlife.com
