Using Authenticity To Amplify Copywriting
Creating Genuine Connection With Your Customers
Hello, freelance HSP Copywriters! ✍️
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of today’s post, I want to thank those of you who are “founding subscribers” & provide heartfelt greetings to new followers and subscribers. I’m so happy you’ve found us!
I also want to apologize for the gap in posts here. I’m finding it tricky to balance full-time work, freelance work, parenting, and keeping up with two Substack channels. 🙃 My plan is to post more regularly.
Let’s Be Real
A core theme (and struggle) of being a Highly Sensitive Person is a yearning to be authentic and to present authentically whenever possible - even when it may be detrimental to us. HSPs strive to promote fairness and truthfulness at all times including at work, in social situations, and in public. As an example, we may “stick up for the little guy” at work even though it may not benefit us.
We’ve also able to quickly assess people and communications and spot anything that seems out of place, insincere or inaccurate.
However, in the context of authenticity in copywriting, this sensibility is utilized a little differently and requires more nuance.
According to Oxford Languages, “authentic” is defined as:
“Based on facts; accurate or reliable.”
“(In existentialist philosophy) relating to or denoting an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life.”
For our purposes today, I’m referring to both of the above definitions - As HSPs, we want to be reliable, accurate, and purposeful - both in how we live our lives and how we write and present our work.
First - An Important Disclaimer
On that note, here’s a disclaimer: In full transparency, I used Chat GPT to draft this post. I fully see the irony here. However, please know that I spent hours thinking about, researching, refining, and editing this post and used AI to create the inital draft only.
Substack readers, how do you feel about this? Do you use Chat GPT/AI in your work? Do you feel that using AI completely negates or dilutes authenticity? I’ll delve into the topic of AI in writing in a future post.
Incorporating Authenticity in Our Copy & Content
Similar to incorporating emotion into copywriting, creating authentic marketing-communications that truly resonates with an intended audience can almost always be achieved - even when it appears to be counter-intuitive such as in the creation of ads & promotions.
In fact, if done well, authentic communications not only “sits right” with us as HSPs, it can also reap huge rewards for our clients. And, let’s be clear: The aim of marketing copy is to capture attention and convert.
To wit, according to this useful Forbes article on the subject:
In a 2019 study, researchers found that brand authenticity is connected to self-reinforcing assets, meaning that it can progressively strengthen and increase a company's competitive advantage with customers. Brand authenticity enables companies to build better customer relationships, promoting brand closeness and encouraging them to make a purchase. The trusting customer relationship formed is iterative and regenerative, so companies reap exponential benefits over time.This is great news - we can authentically communicate AND convert audiences. However, if we are to create genuinely authentic content, we need to align the message with the client’s organizational mission & values - otherwise the copy and ad as a whole will ring hollow. Further, organizations need to stay true to their REAL core values - not create new ones just to sell a particular product or service. Because, again, that is NOT authentic - it’s just fakery.
What Does Success Look Like?
For a fantastic example of how authenticity in marketing can be successfully executed, take Patagonia as illustrated in the Forbes article mentioned above.
At its core, Patagonia lives and breathes ethics, trust, and sustainability. Their tagline seen above “business unusual” walks the talk because Patagonia’s marketing exemplifies their core business practices of staying true to their social justice roots.
People don’t mind paying $169 for a fleece sweater because they know it’s made from recycled fibres and manufactured in a Fair Trade Certified factory. People believe the product copy because they’ve proven over and over again that they are trustworthy. Patagonia is also a Certified B Corp which further helps boost their authenticity and transparency.
Building Trust and Relatability Across the Board
As we well know, authenticity breeds trust. When people sense that a company or brand is genuine (like Patagonia), they’re more likely to trust the message being conveyed. Conversely, when a marketer attempts to fool their audience — especially a Highly Sensitive Person - it will fall flat. Worse yet, we may be so offended by the fakery that we blacklist the company forever.
As you hone your own craft and client relation skills, please ensure that you use your expertise to warn clients not to stray from their core values in order to “sell more” or “expand their reach.” This will not work. As creative profressionals who also understand and value authentic connection, it’s our job to teach others how authenticity in marketing works.
Cultivating Authenticity
If you’re not already doing this (and you may be doing so unknowingly), how can you start to cultivate authenticity into your writing?
When crafting content for clients, start by fully understanding the brand’s core values and vision as well as their intended audience(s).
Begin creating copy that engages emotionally and fuels connection. You can always refine it to better fit the client brief later but start by brainstorming copy that’s powerful, clever, poetic, and dramatic.
Write from a place of passion - whether the intended tone is funny, heartfelt, silly, serious, angry, etc. find an authentic nugget of emotion and connection that makes sense for that particular brand, topic, product or service.
I’m a visual person so I’ll often use an image or video to help me get started. Whether it’s the actual image that will be used in the ad or campaign that’s provided by my client or a photo or graphic that I’ve found, having a visual helps to fuel my creativity — it may help you too.
Keep writing and refining while keeping your target message and audience in mind. Try new phrasing or grammar - or unique styles of writing so that you can deliver your content in a fresh, creative and targeted fashion.
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Fortunately, Highly Sensitive People and “creatives” as a whole have authenticity at our core. However, it takes skill & practice to infuse this inate trait into writing - especially into ad or copy writing.
If you can consistently incorporate authenticity into your work — whether it’s for a blog post, article, ad, web site copy, social media post, or white paper - and be equally authentic in your relationships with clients - you’ll attain a certain type of magic that will be forever desired.
I hope this topic resonates with you. Please interact by liking, sharing, and commenting. 📝
P.S. Sorry, no “opps and pops” this time — this post took a very long time to create — but I promise to include freelance opportunities next time.
Until next time, HSP copywriter, stay real.
Lisa