If you've ever stared at a blank page wondering why your copy feels flat — even when you know your work is good — it's not because you can't write. It's because no one taught you how to write copy that sounds like your client. The secret to copy that truly connects isn't copywriter school or a bunch of complicated templates. It's using the actual language your clients already use to describe their own struggles and desires. That's what voice of customer research gives you — and it's simpler than it sounds.

Something I noticed early in my career was that clients always started their marketing with their products. They thought that if they could get crystal clear on how to describe their product, if they could describe it better than Joe their competitor, it would sell. But they were missing the crucial first step: their customer. It didn't matter how eloquently they could describe the features and bonuses they'd added, if they didn't understand their customer, they couldn't show that customer how the product would help them.

The principle is the same for huge corporations in high tech all the way to a self-published writer who works for themself. Marketing is about relationship, and if you don't understand your audience, you can't build a relationship.

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What is Voice of Customer research and why does it help you write copy that sounds like your client?

Voice of Customer Research is gathering, understanding, and using the actual language your audience uses.

When I say 'actual language' I literally mean verbatim phrases your real customers use. More broadly, it can include gathering the themes, topics, pain points, desires etc. of your audience, but true 'voice of customer' stuff is literal gold when it comes to your copy. Why? Because if someone who doesn't know you uses the exact phrases you use, you take notice. Because they're talking about things that matter to you, in a tone and style you're familiar with.

Now, before you say this sounds creepy, hear me out. I'm not talking about being weird or disingenuous and trying to sound like someone else. I'm talking about taking the time to listen to your audience. And then take their concerns and needs and see where your service or product meets that need. But at a language level. So instead of writing something generic like:

When you don't know how to write your website, I can help.

You write something like:

When you feel like all your ideas and words are dammed up in your head, I'll help you get clear on what really matters so the words flow.

Do you see the difference? It's visual and specific, not generic.

The water metaphor? I didn't make that up; it comes straight from a client. This is how you write copy that sounds like your client.

Why do small business owners skip voice of customer research?

I'll never forget one of the first workshops I ran for writers called Marketing 101. Most of the room was filled with kind, curious people—the large majority of whom were women—eagerly listening. But there was one gruff man at the front of the room who fixed me with a stony look all through my presentation. He was vocally cynical when I suggested that an author's biography should begin with their reader. "Surely my bio is about me, not my reader," he protested. But I explained that if he can put himself in the shoes of his reader and start his bio with something that might interest his reader, rather than starting with "I was born in Ottawa," then his reader would be more likely to keep reading.

Mr. Gruff remained cynical, but by the end of the workshop, after everyone had completed the exercise of practising their new reader-focused bios with each other, he confessed, "I see what you mean. I was just talking about myself and not thinking about my reader. Why would anyone be interested? I see now that if I start with my reader, I'm much more likely to draw them into my world." It was a formative moment for me at a time when I was fighting the imposter syndrome of launching a new business—a scene I write about in my memoir.

So, if voice of customer research is so powerful, why do we avoid doing it?

  1. You're not sure how it's relevant to your business. Mr. Gruff's reaction points to a large reason we avoid it: We just don't see how it's relevant, especially if we're creating art that someone will just like or not. Surely our marketing is about the product, not the audience.
  2. No one told you. Not everyone has been to business or marketing school, so don't be too hard on yourself. It's courageous enough that you've launched your own business, cut yourself some slack. Many of us, especially the more creative among us, go into business because we want to spend our time creating the things, not selling them. If you want a simple framework for creating your brand messaging, read more here.
  3. It takes courage. It can be nerve-wracking to ask someone to spend their precious time answering your questions. However, most people, when asked if they can help, love to. Plus, if you're running your own business, the chances are high that you're the one responsible for putting yourself out there. If you can't do that by asking a customer to do a survey, you're going to struggle to build your business.
  4. It takes time. If you're ever on social media these days, you constantly feel behind as a business owner. Our knee-jerk reaction is a compulsion to get everything done quickly. To launch our new group coaching program in 30 days. To write our book at the speed of light because can't AI do that these days? To remain competitive, we feel like we have to be fast, but fast doesn't necessarily equal good. Some of the tastiest meals take hours (even days) to prepare, and the same is true of good marketing, messaging, and copywriting. The best work normally takes time and effort.
  5. Fear of creating just for the market. People worry that being too focused on your audience's needs or likes will influence what you create. This is true of many creatives, for example fiction writers. "I want to write what I want to write. I don't want to write only what the market wants." And you should. You get to pick the books or services you create, the industry you work in, the target audience you serve. Nobody is stopping you from choosing what you create. However, if you don't have customers, then you have a hobby, not a business. So, when it comes to your public-facing work—your marketing or messaging—you do need to consider your audience.

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How voice of customer research helps you write copy that sounds like your client

As I said, gathering the real (not imagined) themes and language of your audience is how you write copy that sounds like your client. Here's what you'll find as you gather your client's language:

  1. Copy that resonates with your audience. Because you're referencing the actual problems, hopes, and phrases of the people you want to be doing business with. This is what happens when I write websites for my clients. One client emailed me a few days after launching the website I'd rewritten for her. A new client, on a discovery questionnaire, had said that the reason she was booking a call was because "that phrase you use is exactly how I feel." And that's because I'd started the rewrite by analyzing my client's testimonials.
  2. Better understanding of your audience. This means you can build a connection with them, which makes you much more likely to be someone they will trust and return to.
  3. New service or product ideas. Clients will share about their current challenges and it'll spark ideas of things you could offer.
  4. New business. Even in the age of AI, people still like to do business with humans. Humans they have a relationship with and humans they can trust. So, if you take the time to listen to potential or past clients, the chances are much higher that a) they'll remember you when they have a need you can meet, and b) they'll pick you rather than someone else.
  5. Connection. This one is particularly for the solopreneurs: it'll help you feel less alone. I've been conducting client surveys as part of my own rebranding, and one of the biggest positives for me is that it's helped me feel more connected.

How to get started with voice of customer research

Whether you sell services or books, whether you lead a team or work solo, you need to be able to connect with your audience in order to keep your business running. That starts with knowing how they talk. Only a handful of small business owners take the time to listen to their audience, but if you do, you'll see the time returned to you in more compelling copy, more trust from your audience, and more loyal customers.

If you'd like help learning how to write in the voice of your customer, set up a free, 30-minute Clarity Session. No hard sell, just my attention for 30 minutes on a problem that has you stuck. You'll come away with at least one action to help you move forward.

FAQs

Voice of customer research is when you explore and capture language your customers use, by interviewing them, by analysing customer testimonials, or by researching sources like social media platforms.

 

 

You can do voice of customer research for your small business by inviting your customers to have a short conversation with you, or by creating a survey for your email subscribers. Ask what they were struggling with before they found you, what they were hoping for, and what changed after they bought your service or product.

 

No, voice of customer research does not mean writing what the market wants. There’s an important distinction between creating and marketing. You get to choose what you write or create, but if you want to sell your art, you need to find out what language to use to connect with your market.

 

You can find out what language your ideal clients use by asking them a few thoughtful questions in a call or via email. You can incentivise them by offering something for free if they complete a survey. If you’re starting out and don’t have any clients yet, start by asking peers or friends you trust. Bit by bit, as you build your business, you can ask real clients.