This featured article is brought to you by: Zafira Rajan, Sensory Storyteller, Brand Strategist & Seasoned Copywriter

Have you ever paused to stop and really think about all the ways your personality shows up online?

It’s splashed all over your…

• Website
• Social media
• Newsletters
• Blog
• Podcast appearances

Know what that means? 

You’ve got to bring it every single time because our personality is the number one thing that sets us apart from the crowd in the online world.

Before you tell yourself “I’m too boring!” or “I don’t even know how to describe my personality”, let me stop you right there.

You don’t have to be the most “exciting” person in the world to show up with personality.

You just have to be the most consistent — and the easiest way to do that is by staying true to yourself.

When you write copy, people should immediately recognize that it was written by you.

But how do you infuse all the weird and wonderful parts of yourself into so many different places, and keep on doing it?

Think about your favorite celebrity, online marketer, or influencer.

What springs to mind?

Perhaps it’s the name of their pet…

Perhaps it’s their go-to coffee order every morning…

Perhaps it’s their favorite workout gear…

It’s likely something small, but highly personalized — an element that shows up again and again.

That’s what it means to stay grounded in your content and create staying power.

To fully tap into your personality, write like a human, and attract your ideal clients — allow me to introduce you to the concept of Personality Pillars.

These five Personality Pillars include:

1. Your Core Values
2. Your Stamp Of Weird
3. Your Intentional Impact
4. Your Unapologetic Opinion
5. Your Z-Factor

Let’s dive in!

1. Your Core Values

At the core of who you are, we all have personal and business values: the things we stand for unapologetically over time. Trust me, your audience wants to know about them! And it doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy.

For example: if you value transparency — perhaps you become known for consistently sharing what’s working/not working for your business, or doing public launch debriefs. If you value community, perhaps you regularly shout out other businesses on social media. If you value freedom, you might take your audience behind the scenes on how you structure your days and time off.

Either way, you’re drawing them into a new facet of your world… That already exists. Win-win!

2. Your Stamp of Weird

We’ve *all* got something weird or quirky about us. The stuff that’s “so you”! The easiest way to think about this is to ask yourself this question:

If you were to put your personality on a stamp, what images would you choose?

For me, they’d probably be mermaids (I love the ocean), cookies (my not-so-guilty pleasure), or heck, even buffalo chicken wings.

If you’re having trouble racking your brain for your stamps, consider…

• Think about the posts you get tagged in by friends, or the links and emails people send you that say: “This made me think about you.” 
• What do people find weird, funny, natural, or interesting about you? 
• Reflect on the stuff your childhood or teenage self loved to do.

I can guarantee that somewhere along the way, the weird pieces will click into place! 

Once you know what they are, it becomes so easy to weave them into all your copy — whether you’re learning relevant lessons from these experiences that can be applied to businesses (I love a fun analogy) or how they’re simply things you can’t live without. Either way, they’ll slowly start to become the things your audience associates with YOU: keeping you top of mind and so relatable.

3. Your Intentional Impact

Know what has the biggest impact in your business? The programs, offers, and services that you sell. Which oftentimes, are the hardest things to write about and still sound… Like you. (Raise your hand if you’ve ever said to yourself, “I don’t wanna sound salesy!”)

Take a step back and think about your micro-impacts in ways that can help you write about them effortlessly (while still showing that you are someone people should 100% work with). 

For example…

• Share customer feedback. Instead of trying to describe how amazing your work is, share a recent screenshot of warm words a client sent your way on your social media, an email, or in the testimonial section of your website. Why is your personalized approach producing results? Talk about THAT impact and link to your offer.
• Tell us your origin story. What inspired you to start a business to begin with? Share vivid details through a sensory lens: what you were eating, wearing, and listening to when you made a pivotal decision. When we know why you’re in the game, we are all for it.

Remember that your impact doesn’t have to mean huge charitable donations or splashy case studies, it’s actually unfolding around you everyday. And your audience wants to know about it!

4. Your Unapologetic Opinions

Whether you believe it or not, you’ve got a polarizing opinion about *something*. You’re bound to have shared something with someone that they disagreed with, or even sent an email that received a ton of unsubscribes.

If you want to write like a human, these are all good things. Over the last couple of years, many people have either turned up the volume on what they share or turned it allll the way down, for fear of backlash.

The truth is, we need more content that zigs when everybody zags (especially now that Chat GPT is around).

To infuse more unapologetic opinions into your copy, ask yourself…

• What point of view do I have that I’m scared to share? 
• Who have I safely shared this with and received it warmly?
• Who didn’t, and why?

Then, factor all of the above into the lens of your business:

• Why is it important for my audience to know this? 
• Is it connected to how I show up in my work?
• Should I save it for the group chat with my besties instead?

Bottom line? Share polarizing content if it’s purposeful, and not just for the sake of saying something or wanting to “speak up”. Be mindful of the direct connection to your work and your community, and it’ll make it a whole lot easier!

5. Your Z-Factor

Ooooh, this is my favorite one. Your Z-Factor — AKA your “Zest” Factor are the little things you sprinkle on top of everything to make it uniquely yours.

This is the sweet spot between what you do and why people care about it — the parts of your approach, personality, and demeanor that make your audience choose YOU over your competition.

If you’re wondering where to find your Z-Factor, think about these questions…

• How are you onboarding and off-boarding community members?
• What do you put in extra effort to make them feel special?
• When do your customers praise you?
• Are there any recurring themes in testimonials you receive?

And if you want to look for more?

• Go through past testimonials and start identifying unexpected but welcome feedback that speaks to your unique personality and/or approach.
• Edit your testimonial or feedback forms to include the question: “Compared to other programs/contractors you’ve worked with in the past, what stood out to you about working with me, if anything?”

Finally, narrow down at least three Z-factors and keep them handy for your next email, sales page, or use them to optimize how you communicate your process to clients on your services page or in your proposals! You’ll be using real data and words from real people who adore you… And there’s nothing more human than that.

Using Your Pillars

Well, there you have it! These five key Personality Pillars were designed to help you identify and emphasize the parts of your personality that make you even more relatable and memorable in your audience’s eyes.

If you’re a visual learner, consider adding your pillars to your office wall in sticky notes, or organizing them in boards in your project management software.

Whenever you’re feeling stumped for content or starting to feel saturated by what others share, revisiting these will serve to keep you grounded and inspired for years to come!

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This featured article is brought to you by: Zafira Rajan, Sensory Storyteller, Brand Strategist & Seasoned Copywriter

Zafira Rajan is a copywriter and brand strategist who has helped online entrepreneurs for almost a decade to unblock their voice, harness their creative energy, and write sensory stories that connect with their audience. Zafira was always known as the shy, quiet kid with her nose stuck in a book as a kid… Now, she helps folks unlock *their* writing voice and embrace their creativity fearlessly! She works with online coaches and course creators — whether it’s inside her writing membership and programs or her private VIP “Spa Week” — Zafira’s goal is always to help them walk away feeling comfortable and expressed in their copy.

>>>>>> Not sure what your brand’s core essence is? Take Zafira’s FREE Quiz here to learn how to diffuse the top, middle and base notes of your unique blend of strengths into a new marketing ritual that helps you stand out powerfully and consistently.

>>>>>> Ready to strengthen your copy, little by little? Download Zafira’s FREE 30-Day Writing Challenge here to access a selection of curated writing prompts to turn to when you’re ready to journal or pen your next piece of content.

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