I came across this great article on "voice" over at our good pal Anna Rydne's site this morning; it implies an important question: How do I sound? - Although the article is specifically focussed on voice talent, it begs another question; how do I sound over social?

Social is, or more importantly, should be viewed as a conversational medium; more 'story-telling' than dictating. I believe the most successful engagements are those where one can feel themselves drifting into a room with the person they are interacting with… rather than being preached to from the pamphlet. This being said, the written english language (perhaps more so than many other languages) is pretty loosey-goosey, it is fraught with pit-holes and boobie traps...

...how does one sound authoritative without out coming off as arrogant; positive withouts sounding childlike; encouraging without sounding fake or hackneyed...

I've found myself blithely adding the line "...will maintain your corporate voice." into all my proposals of late; with the full knowledge that most folks haven't once considered what they sound like when they post to their "conversations" over social.

While I cannot claim to have all the answers… let's hijack Anna's article and see how the advice on hiring voice talent for ones answering machine, corporate videos et al may apply to the place and point where one should expect to have the most significant perhaps even the most intimate interaction with one's customers:

1. Match the voice with your brand

"A voice that sounds overly energetic might not be the correct choice for a quiet professional office building. The sound of the voice should match the tone and demographics of the business."

Indeed, do you want to be humorous, carefree or sardonic when your product is say… high end stereos? Likely no more so than coming off as a know-it-all. If you've done your brand-homework, you likely know your demographic, but do you speak to them like you would in the "showroom"; OR like you would over a glass of wine, in your living room, marvelling over the fidelity of your long lost favourite jazz standards?

2. Choose a dynamic vocal range

"The vocal abilities for each person are different and many people do not have a dynamic range that could carry a very varied video production for an hour or more."

There's a "dynamic of character" at play here… perhaps this goes beyond simply voice. Are you hiring an actor? If so, is your social voice wooden and one dimensional. Is it the voice of the sales-toad who reads the pitch script line by line day after day? Does your voice have mood swings, bad days and a bias towards that "certain type" of customer that just really gets his goat up? …the trap here of course is that all conversations are being eavesdropped upon; finding a social voice with "range" yet whose banter remains attractive across a wide spectrum of buyers. I'll defer… who is your best salesman (you?), he might just be the model for this "actor" who becomes your voice. Quick, someone call Stanislavsky!

3. Look at the voice talent’s experience

"Not all voice talent is the result of professional training. Some actors have a natural ability and ear for the work." 

Maybe this person is already in your office? Perhaps it's that guy or gal whose been toiling away on your ting for ten years now; has put up with your crap but who has so thoroughly "bought in(to)" (your crap). The person most definitely must love your product/service, not be taught & sold on doing so. We're making this up as we go along here folks (at least most of us appear to be)… There is not yet a CAA agent with a tape deck and a book of head shots (that I'm aware of) (of course, I'm not aware of many things… suggestions?).

Clone yourself, or at least, that part of yourself that is the passion behind what you're doing… (Oh and, unlike some folks who shall remain un-mentioned (um, me), perhaps stick with one fewer soap box, or two… :-)

4. Check the voice talent’s availability 

"Customers will respond to that one familiar voice favorably whenever the actor is heard."

Of course, I'm available! - And, I'll work for air-fare and a plate of "the veal" most days, But I doubt you'd really want to saddle yourself with, what is does this voice of mine sound like, "sardonic jack-assed-ness" is that my tone? (Honestly, I have little clue how this voice of mine sounds most days, and that may be a 5th tip, get a 2nd opinion on your voice)…

AND, see #3 with respect to long term familiarity. This is an important (likely becoming fulltime) job... OK, hire me, and I'll hire you a voice, deal?

It's a wrap... This voice must be constantly consistent, albeit with range. This voice must love your product without being fawning and trite. It's so easy to sound fake when talking through the tippy-tapping of ones keyboard. The voice should wander into "these room" with your customer, chat, but not simply txt msg them… It's funny how something as simple as how you sound can be so incredibly un-easy, how the wrong voice can so un-easily make one cringe. You can spend millions buying copy-writing services to draft the script. The "guy", person, actor you hire to interpret and improvise this script, day in day out, on the fly, adhoc and without a net may be worth… billions. At least should be worthy of strongly considered, consideration.

At the risk of sounding melo-dramatically over the top… May the forth be with you. (Oh, and hire someone who can spell (he say's while immediately ruling himself, out.))

You know, applying for the full-time gigs on the LinkedIns really is a bit of a game. I guess it's really not that different than how it used to be, whenever that used to be, was. Truthfully though, even after well over a year, I'm not convinced there is an appropriate way to conduct a search here; playing a game while the rules are being written, a worthwhile challenge none-the-less.

I've tried four approaches which can be divided into two categories… The thoughtful, contextually relevant approach which can be subdivided into the "laboriously personal" and "insertionally relational" hardcore cover letter tactics; AND then, scatter-shot approach which takes on two easy-breezy forms… blasting out the not so cleverly crafted formulaic cover-note and the, eh, what the heck, you get NO note at all click, click send methods.

Now… Always know your market.

I do know that 90% of the applications I submit are headed directly to the assistant to the the intern whose job it is to sort through all this before passing them along to the person responsible for making sure the hiring manager has the time they need to do their job today… The HR person or… (hey there HR person, thought I'd take this moment to say, I love you; oh and you there, hiring manager, been there, I know your pain) ...I am well aware of the insta-vetting tactics required to sort through the pulp, rind and CV bombs tossed so freely by the CV tossers (such as myself). But, this is after all... social (content) and really, I make no excuses. AND… here's why.

Belabouring over a cover letter, speaking to each and every salient point in order as they appear on your three page job posting has indeed netted me some coveted traction; I've spent whole days crafting a response to describe how I understand the needs as expressed, have the experience and skill-set to contribute AND… allude to that extra special something that may be of value and up for further discussion.

Results: 3% success, 97%... in the can they go!
(obviously these results are skewed by my inability to spell and my lack of understanding of basic english grammar; two requirements they always forget to post on these damned job postings.)

Now, firing out 10, 20, 30 (I think my record is 50) one, two, three liners + my oh so cleverly canned intro to myself, in a day. You know... this gets results as well, honestly way more than 3% when the intended result is simply… a response.

And… it is this response we're after after all… response is engagement, engagement is traction and you're a lot easier to catch up to when you're sliding away from me on a sand-papered floor.

Now, I'm not talking about those responses that include "given the number of applicants we will likely…" (be pitching your application into an armageddon sized bucket of flaming red hot burning coals). I'm talking about, they "hey there now, you sound kinda interesting tell us a bit more about yourself" style responses... The response that get the preverbal foot in the door. The opportunity to reply further and seek that next response ...the opportunity to meet.

Really, all joking aside (for at least a split second). It's a tough game out here. There are thousands upon thousands of great things to be done for good people on behalf of great clients in search of good customers. There is a non-equal, over-in-abundance pile of bright and brilliantly talented folks to fill these thousand upon thousands of… jobs. So, that just makes this tough for everyone along the food chain… eh, I guess it's called work for a reason.

So I'll continue to fling my facts out in every and each of the ways I've described above; Trust me, I only apply for jobs I could envision myself doing, jobs for companies in which I could see myself contributing to in a positive fashion, but really… that I've sat and thought it through enough to spend an afternoon writing volumes proves no more or less my interest in the position I've submitted with a mere flick of the "send' button.

…and you'll never know how much I'd like to be there for you if you don't give me "traction" Furthermore, trust me, I know this traction is a precious possession, in short supply and, will you look what time it's become. TY

Inspired by a great article, CUI BONO…TO WHOSE BENEFIT? by @StaceyHood

Salient bits... "Currently, I believe that marketing is at another set of crossroads. We saw it a few years ago when social media was the darling of marketing. Now we’ve come to realize that it is just another tool to use. We also saw it recently when the talk of “content is king” was the talk of the town."

...out there and ahead, are we? 

Sadly it's almost all I'm still hearing today is that "content is (still) king" - it's just so bloody loud. Even more sadly I've been hearing and seeing these same things for, well, decades now. The ad-man grabs the shiniest "trick in the playbook" the easiest methodology and exploits it until over-exploitation renders it nearly worthless. Turns our simplicity into meaningless noise...

It seems as though and I'e gotten used to "The Ad-Man Cometh"(ing) over from time to time to over-use our craft; exploit the tools we've created incorrectly, become disillusioned, burnt out (as some say), announce our overly-precious ideas "dead" (again) and go traipsing off to find the next shiny-easy thingy we're making-over again.

But, here's the good part, of benefit (to all). These moments when they burst down our doors serve a purpose of enormously worthwhile goodness. The hype and intensity in which these tools are overused is the cauldron in which we hone our craft (and improve our tools); they force our hand and better judgement as we add ingredient after ingredient, more "spice" 'n turn up the heat 'n stir, stir... stir...

Social is not an island nor a new invention on it's own; it did not appear on the mythological vacant plains of digital a decade after the bubble bursted and last banner-ad was pushed. Social has lineage a heritage and is the direct result of the heat and the stirring of the pot we've been boiling ourselves in for... years. Oh for certain we've added new ingredients, some fresh young minds have added some fresh newish ideas but, what I'm doing right now is nothing more than a more perfected version of what I was trying to, wanting to and, well doing already... years ago.

(Your grand-daddies) Digital's ability to connect is so well documented it has become obvious. Our ability to turn connect to connection, effect behaviour... make the sale; that never has and never will come easy, AND it has been shown, if so obviously not proven that simply burying those we've connected to under a pile of message... well; you get the picture.

What works? Content, message, being connected are instrumental, and of course it's never either/or more usually both/and... but, and these are fundamental principles of mine; we ad-men, us marketing guys have never once made the sale... who has? Really, does your ad agency own the relationship with your customer? Who does? Does your customer care that you're the best or even how well you know your own shit OR does he simply want what works for him... ?

We've given you the connected, and far more than just their eye-balls... now, go out and sell your shit; you know, like you know how to... : Perhaps it's time to tell them a story rather than read them a book... perhaps.

(always evolving)

related to... ARE WE TO... SEND THEM TO THEIR DOOM… AGAIN? and loosely related to...  SPEAK TO THE SALESFORCE(.COM) TM