How to get AI to write copy in your brand voice — from picking the right platform to training your GPT

When generative AI first got here out, I used to be skeptical. Whereas it got here up with some good concepts, I noticed it extra as a novelty than an actual copywriting software. Actually, I didn’t consider “nice” and “on-brand AI copywriting” would ever belong in the identical sentence.

To be clear, I nonetheless see my very own mind and method as a aggressive benefit. That hasn’t modified, however two issues have shifted:

• First, AI algorithms have develop into extra superior and intuitive, making it simpler to get higher output.
• Second, I’ve discovered tips on how to practice AI instruments in my voice and perspective constantly sufficient that they’ll now produce robust first drafts that really sound like me.

And, I’ve discovered the largest shift by pondering of myself as a replica chief and AI as a junior author. It has incredible concepts however wants robust guardrails, fixed suggestions, and clear route. And, I’m going to point out you the way.

Desk of Contents

Selecting the Proper AI Platform

In case you’re already utilizing HubSpot, Breeze AI and AI Content Assistant now contains model voice capabilities too. The software might help your staff keep constant throughout emails, blogs, and touchdown pages immediately inside your advertising and marketing workflows.

Personally, I want ChatGPT. It’s the place I’ve spent essentially the most time, I’m comfy with the platform, and most significantly, I understand how to engineer prompts and provides suggestions that will get good outcomes. Plus, since I’m already paying for it, it is sensible to focus there.

In case you haven’t performed round with AI a lot but, I extremely suggest experimenting. Take just a few totally different platforms, feed every the identical prompts, and see what comes again.

Take note of:

• How intuitive the platform feels to you.
• How simply it “hears” and adapts to your suggestions.
• How properly the output matches your expectations.

Based mostly on the responses, the person expertise, and the way properly each suits as your copywriting assistant, you’ll be able to decide your go-to.

And keep in mind, you don’t should decide to only one. A number of copywriters and strategists I spoke with use totally different platforms relying on the challenge.

Coaching an AI Platform

HubSpot’s Amy Marino shares that AI has executed a great job capturing the staff’s customer-centric, value-focused method to repeat, whether or not for an inside or exterior challenge.

“That mentioned, the place we have had essentially the most rounds of forwards and backwards has been in my pushes to be extra inventive, much less by-product or jargon-y, and to make use of concrete examples for example summary ideas,” Marino says.

She goes on to say that sharing earlier scripts, briefs, and language she liked as examples helped AI perceive what she preferred and wished … and helped get to the end line sooner.

Step 1: Inform AI who you’re and what issues to you.

I’ve discovered that the most effective place to start out is to inform AI that you simply’re coaching it on a brand new model voice and title it. That method, if I say “write like Erin Pennings,” the AI I educated will know to make use of my voice.

Extra importantly, with out this basis, AI will default to generic copy that doesn’t mirror your voice, values, or perspective.

I caught up with Justin Blackman, a model voice strategist who has labored with tons of manufacturers to nail their voice, beliefs, and messaging, to seek out out what he’s seeing is working properly.

“Anybody I‘m doing voice finder classes with is discovering that it’s not a lot the copy as it’s the perception that is improved,” Blackman says. “With clarification in your method, views, and opinion, it gravitates towards the precise model with fleshed-out concepts which might be about 83% publishable as is.”

Blackman says he’s been by way of the identical course of he places purchasers by way of and that he’s been impressed with the output when AI is correctly educated on perception in addition to tone and vocabulary.

Professional tip: As a part of this step, take into consideration spelling out the massive image:

• Why you do what you do.
• The kind of viewers you are chatting with.
• The sentiments or outcomes you need to create along with your writing.

Step 2: Immediate AI to research your examples.

When you’ve given AI the massive image, the subsequent step is getting it to see your voice in motion.

That is the place your real-world examples are available in.

I prefer to feed AI a batch of robust samples — emails, social posts, gross sales pages, no matter suits. Then, ask it to research patterns and ask it to characterize the tone, cadence, model, and strategic selections you make with out even pondering.

Once I received in contact with my colleague and buddy Chris Collins, a strategist who was an early adopter of AI-assisted writing, he shared that he takes an identical method.

“I’ve a challenge in Claude with a bunch of my most consultant posts, in addition to a voice information I created from them,” says Collins. “In actual fact, I feel you’ll be able to feed posts into Claude and ask it to create an in depth and particular information anybody may use, and it’ll do a reasonably good job.”

Professional tip: When gathering examples, don’t simply dump them in. As a substitute, attempt the next.

• Decide your finest work, items that actually really feel like you.
• Clarify what you want about each, whether or not it’s the tone, the pacing, the phrase selection, or the angle.
• Feed each the writing and the context into AI. The extra you assist AI perceive why one thing works, the sooner it may well study to recreate the identical feeling in new items.

Step 3: Provide suggestions and reiterate.

As soon as AI has reviewed your examples, it’s time to overview its understanding of your voice, not simply the copy it produces. At this stage, you’re taking a look at how properly it may well describe your tone, model, construction, and perspective.

• Did it decide up on the precise themes?
• Is it lacking something necessary?
• Is it overemphasizing one thing that’s not likely a precedence?

I’d encourage you to consider this step like reviewing a junior copywriter’s notes earlier than they ever write a draft to make sure they honestly perceive your voice earlier than you hand them a challenge.

Once I was engaged on the consumer messaging challenge, the AI’s first voice evaluation was surprisingly robust. It nailed the general tone, construction, and product focus. However, it missed one vital piece: the customer-first ethos that runs by way of each communication.

That may sound small, however in an business that’s not precisely recognized for buyer obsession, it was the most necessary differentiator we wanted to spotlight. By offering this suggestions to ChatGPT and providing some qualifying questions to make use of as a lens, it took the comms tips from okay to nice.

The significance of robust setup and considerate prompting got here up once more after I spoke with Ana Mendes, advertising and marketing coordinator at MeetEdgar.

“Our largest takeaway? AI may be extremely useful, particularly for small or busy groups, however solely when it’s educated correctly and paired with considerate prompts,” Mendes shares.

Professional tip: When reviewing AI’s voice evaluation, focus not simply on what sounds good however on what actually issues to your model. The higher you articulate what’s lacking or what wants emphasis, the sooner AI will begin pondering the best way you do.

Step 4: Develop tips.

As soon as you’ve got reviewed and refined AI’s understanding of your voice, it’s time to get it on paper — or a minimum of into your AI software.

For this step, I need you to take the evaluation of your examples, use them to doc the tone, construction, themes, and key rules that outline the way you write and suppose, and the frequent traps to keep away from.

This doesn’t should be lengthy or fancy; it is simply clear sufficient that if somebody new (or your AI) picked it up, they may instantly “hear” you.

For instance, after refining the voice evaluation for my consumer with a number of sub-brands, I constructed a easy set of tips that features the next.

• Key themes: Buyer-first pondering and solution-driven messaging.
• Tone: Direct, strategic, supportive — not overly formal or overly informal, however applicable for B2B audiences.
• Pacing and construction: Quick punchy intros, clear CTAs, skimmable layouts, and even examples of formatting for every kind of communication we do (emails, one-pagers, net copy, and many others.).
• Language to keep away from: Overly technical jargon with out plain-language explanations (except chatting with a extremely technical subset).

There’s, in fact, a fantastic deal extra info that I made certain to incorporate, however this could offer you an thought of the place to start out. From there, you’ll be able to at all times develop some “say this, not that” choices as properly.

Collins explains that documenting his voice for AI modified all the things: “I created an in depth, particular voice information based mostly on my strongest posts — and it made an enormous distinction in how properly AI may recreate my model constantly.”

Professional tip: Save your tips someplace you (and AI) can simply reference them each time you kick off a brand new challenge. I’ve discovered AI to be forgetful, so it’s a good suggestion to maintain these useful.

Step 5: Put it into motion and iterate.

Coaching your AI isn’t a one-and-done challenge. I feel the junior copywriter analogy is actually robust right here as a result of it requires fixed tweaking and coaching to get your AI to jot down extra such as you.

Meaning, when you construct your tips, begin utilizing them. Immediate AI utilizing your framework, overview the outputs, and preserve providing micro-feedback as you go.

You’ll most likely discover that the extra you’re employed along with your AI, the higher it will get at anticipating your wants and catching your voice.

However you’ll additionally discover moments the place you continue to have to tweak, tighten, or reframe the rules to maintain evolving as you do. In actual fact, I don’t suppose it will ever change — regardless of how properly you practice the AI, there are many occasions that it nonetheless … feels like AI.

My buddy Lindsay Hope is an AI and e mail strategist, and she or he places this so properly.

“AI copy performs finest when it’s tweaked with the human contact. You continue to should tie any writing again to a human, and that’s what I see folks miss on a regular basis,” she says.

The overwhelming majority of individuals I spoke with agreed that AI hardly ever will get it proper from the get-go and nonetheless wants a human editor.

Professional tip: The most effective items of recommendation I discovered on this got here from Phillip DeRenzo, head of selling at iAsk.ai. He writes, “Learn your output out loud. If it makes you cringe, rework it.”

Prompts to Use

Once you’re first coaching AI to seize your model voice, it’s simple to get caught pondering it’s a must to have an ideal voice information prepared. That may have been true at one level, however I not consider it’s essential, a minimum of as you get began. As a substitute, I’d suggest setting the stage and refining from there.

These prompts ought to work throughout most main AI platforms, together with ChatGPT, Claude, and HubSpot’s content material assistant. Irrespective of which software you favor, you’ll be able to observe this course of to start out coaching your AI extra successfully.

Immediate 1: Introduce the model and context.

Begin by giving AI a brief, clear intro to the model and viewers:

• We’re coaching a model voice for a [type of business — e.g., consulting agency, home goods brand, SaaS platform].
• The viewers contains [basic audience description — e.g., small business owners, busy parents, engineers, etc.].
• I’ll be importing examples of the most effective work shortly. Don’t do something but — I’ll have extra directions.

Observe: When you’ve got executed some model voice work both by yourself or with an professional like Blackman, then be at liberty to share extra info, however don’t let not having this cease you.

Immediate 2: Add the examples and clarify the context.

Moderately than simply dumping samples in, assist AI perceive why you’re sharing every bit. Right here’s what which may seem like:

• I’m importing a number of examples, together with:

• Our web site homepage to point out you the general tone and positioning.
• Our providers web page, so you’ll be able to perceive what we do.
• Our top-performing welcome e mail as a robust instance of voice and pacing.
• LinkedIn posts that captured viewers engagement.
• I’ll have extra instructions shortly, so don’t begin analyzing but.

Immediate 3: Ask for clarifying questions earlier than evaluation.

Earlier than dashing into evaluation, encourage AI to ask if it has any questions concerning the targets or requested end result (after which reply them):

• Earlier than you proceed with evaluation, what questions do you’ve got concerning the examples, the model voice, or the targets for future content material?

Immediate 4: Ask for preliminary evaluation (and pattern constructions if related).

Now, that is the place I ask AI to establish patterns — and if relevant, pull out pattern constructions it sees throughout totally different content material varieties.

• Please analyze the examples and establish key patterns for tone, model, construction, emotional tone, and messaging method. (Sure, I at all times say please and thanks.)
• If related, recommend frequent structural outlines for items like emails, weblog posts, or social posts based mostly on the samples.

Right here’s what ChatGPT got here up with after I requested it to research a few of my content material:

Immediate 5: Provide suggestions on the evaluation.

That is the place you get to sharpen your copy chief abilities and deal with AI like a junior author you’re teaching. What did AI get proper? What did it miss? What wants tweaking?

• Good begin. Nevertheless, [add corrections: e.g., ‘the voice is more playful than formal,’ or ‘make sure to emphasize customer-first thinking’].
• You’ve missed layering on this necessary worth, which ought to come first: [name the value or pillar]. You should utilize it as a intestine examine by asking questions like: [list questions to use to make sure that the copy lands].
• Now revise your evaluation and add any lacking components.

Immediate 6: Flip it right into a information.

Lastly, as soon as the evaluation feels strong, ask AI to show it right into a usable set of tips that it or a junior copywriter may use to start out writing for this model. Be sure you let AI know to call this as “Your Model Identify Voice Pointers” so to ask for a recall anytime you begin a challenge.

• Take that evaluation and switch it into model tips any author (together with you) can use to jot down content material for this model.
• Let’s name it [name] in order that after I ask you to recollect it, you are able to do so.
• At a minimal it ought to embrace: Model abstract, viewers overview, core themes and values, tone, and any constructions.
• If there’s anything you discover related, please embrace.

Right here’s a screenshot of the pattern information it developed:

Professional tip: In case you’re utilizing HubSpot’s AI Content Assistant, their model voice options might help reinforce consistency throughout weblog posts, emails, touchdown pages, and extra. It’s one other nice option to layer in your voice as you scale content material creation.

Immediate 7: Recall and use the information.

Now, you’re able to go! Right here’s how I immediate after I’m prepared to select up a brand new challenge:

• We’re beginning a brand new challenge for [Brand Name]. Do you keep in mind the voice information we created? Please pull it up.
• We are actually writing a [type of project] for [audience].
• Our targets are [list goals], and the angle we’re after is [angle].
• Please give me three choices.

Professional tip: Create a devoted challenge for every model voice you practice. In ChatGPT, you can even create customized GPTs to make use of, the place you save your examples, tips, updates, and clarifications multi functional place for straightforward entry later.

Listed here are some examples of LinkedIn hooks GPT created utilizing that voice (which, ahem, is mine):

I requested it to proceed with the primary choice, and that is what it cranked out.

I liked it. You possibly can count on to see it quickly on my LinkedIn (or one thing VERY shut).

Paperwork to Share

I’ve discovered that the examples you share matter simply as a lot because the prompts you employ.

Bear in mind, AI can solely study what you really give it. So if you need it to select up your finest tone, construction, and emotional resonance, it’s a must to feed it robust examples from the beginning.

Right here’s what I sometimes add (and what you need to think about too):

1. Web site Pages

• Homepage: Exhibits general tone, positioning, and first-impression language.
• About Web page: Exhibits values of the corporate to determine the way you suppose.
• Key Companies/Product Pages: Helps AI perceive the way you speak about your gives and worth prop (with out sounding overly salesy except you propose it).

2. Emails

• Prime-Performing Emails: Share emails that received excessive open charges, click-throughs, or plenty of constructive replies.
• Welcome, Nurture & Gross sales Sequences: These often really feel particularly on-brand and are nice for AI copywriting evaluation.

3. Social Media Posts

• LinkedIn Posts, Instagram Captions, Tweets, and many others.:

• Decide just a few posts that received robust engagement—not essentially viral numbers, however real feedback, saves, or shares.
• Social posts have a tendency to point out off extra persona and pure cadence, which helps AI hear your rhythm.

4. Lengthy-Type Writing Examples

• Weblog Posts or Thought Management Items: These sometimes sound such as you and supply a robust sense of the way you need to talk and suppose shifting ahead. AI can decide up the way you clarify concepts and converse to your viewers.
• Whitepapers and Ebooks: Not everybody has these, however in case you do, they assist set up the way you current your self in additional formal varieties of writing

5. Model Paperwork (If You Have Them)

• Voice/Tone Guides: In case you’ve labored with a voice strategist (like Justin Blackman) or constructed a tough model information your self, share it—even when it’s imperfect.
• Core Messaging Frameworks: Something like model pillars, positioning statements, manifesto snippets, or buyer personas might help AI decide up your strategic priorities.

6. FAQs or Inner Coaching Docs

• Buyer-Dealing with FAQs: When you’ve got a Assist Middle or FAQ web page that displays the way you clarify issues to clients, it’s pure gold for coaching tone and ease.
• Inner Playbooks/Coaching Supplies: Generally inside docs seize model tone higher than polished advertising and marketing copy. If it feels actual and consultant, share it.

Professional tip: Don’t overload the AI with junk. Selecting 5 to 10 nice items that present your finest work will aid you get your finest outcomes.

Limitations of AI Copywriting

Riley Westbrook, co-founder of Valor Coffee, summed it up superbly when he shared his method to AI. Westbrook says, “The most important mistake I see is when folks count on AI to seek out their voice. It received’t. You must hand it your rhythm. In case you do this, it’s a strong software. If not, you find yourself rewriting the entire thing anyway.”

Your model’s cadence — how the phrases really feel when spoken aloud — is one thing solely you’ll be able to train.

Skip this, and also you’ll spend extra time fixing drafts than really shifting initiatives ahead.

AI is a folks pleaser (and never at all times a reality teller).

AI desires to make you content. It’s educated to be agreeable, which might really feel nice to your ego, however not at all times nice in case you’re on the lookout for robust, strategic suggestions. In actual fact, I’ve discovered it may be a bit like an echo chamber and supreme hype machine all rolled into one.

If you need trustworthy critiques, it’s a must to explicitly immediate AI to “be vital” or “push again” in your work. Even then, take its evaluation with a grain of salt.

AI is the common of the web.

By default, AI regurgitates the collective information (and mediocrity) of what it’s been educated on. That’s why in case you don’t actively infuse your distinctive pondering, tone, and perspective into your prompts and edits, your copy dangers sounding like … all the things else on the market.

Your voice, your beliefs, and your nuance are what pull your copy out of the mushy center.

Generally, AI simply … feels like AI.

Irrespective of what number of reminders you give it about your model voice, generally the output simply feels “off” — flat, robotic, or plain bizarre. Or it fully ignores your suggestions.

If you end up saying issues like:

• “No, that is horrible.”
• “No, you are not listening.”
• “No, no, no — how else can I let you know this?”

It’s an indication to cease combating. I’ve discovered that one of the simplest ways to maneuver ahead is to surrender. By that, I imply shut the chat, begin a brand new one, briefly reframe the context, and see if a recent thread resets its reminiscence and will get you again on observe.

Nice Examples of AI-Copywriting

Source

Right here’s how he approached it:

• He prompted Claude to generate a number of submit concepts based mostly on his voice and physique of labor.
• He selected one thought and requested AI to increase it utilizing deeper philosophical ideas: “Give a proof of the brain-bound versus prolonged thoughts speculation as defined by Andy Clark with a view to elucidate the concept that know-how like AI or different exterior applied sciences increase our cognitive capacities.”
• He prompted Claude once more to make the examples particular to messaging technique, web site copy, and consulting companies.
• Lastly, he revised by asking Claude to create a tough, contradictory hook (e.g., “ChatGPT isn’t making you dumber”).

The outcome: A completed submit that felt not simply on-brand, however intellectually deeper and extra differentiated than what most AI outputs ship.

Collins notes, “For context, that is in a challenge that has a LOT of my posts + a mode information, so it has actually internalized how I write — that’s why it may well do that so properly.”

Read Collins’ full post here ➔

Stacey Kalamaras: Turning AI Brainstorms Into Well timed LinkedIn Posts

What she did: When trademark legal professional Stacey Kalamaras wished to submit about Rory McIlroy’s profession grand slam win, she used ChatGPT to brainstorm methods to hyperlink golf and trademark regulation.

Right here’s how she approached it:

• Requested AI to recommend thematic connections between golf achievements and trademark safety.
• Chosen and edited one concept that aligned finest together with her voice and viewers.
• Refined the copy to really feel academic however nonetheless mild and well timed.

End result: A wise, brand-aligned LinkedIn submit created sooner — with AI serving to form the preliminary thought, not the ultimate voice.

See Stacey’s post here ➔

Brandon Hardiman: Testing E-mail Tones to Have interaction Distressed Owners

What he did: Because the proprietor of Yellowhammer Home Buyers, Brandon has been integrating AI instruments into his copywriting and advertising and marketing workflow for better effectivity. He shared that probably the greatest AI-generated copies he has created was for an e mail marketing campaign. Right here’s how he approached it:

• Prompted AI to draft three totally different e mail variations (heat, direct, pleasant).
• Reviewed and tweaked every model to make sure tone alignment with Yellowhammer Dwelling Patrons’ compassionate model model.
• Deployed and examined which model resonated most.

End result: AI got here up with the next choices:

Variation 1: Heat & Supportive

“We all know how overwhelming all the things is correct now. In case you’re battling tough selections about your house, you are not alone. Yellowhammer Dwelling Patrons is right here to help you in contemplating your choices with empathy and no stress.”

Variation 2: Direct & Reassuring

“Struggling along with your mortgage or dealing with foreclosures? We assist owners such as you get quick, handy options. Let’s focus on how we are able to help you right this moment.”

Variation 3: Pleasant & Informative

“Life tends to get in the best way, and generally homeownership is extra annoying than it is value. In case you’re serious about promoting, we make it easy — no charges, no repairs, and in your schedule.”

The “Heat and Supportive” variation drove the very best engagement, displaying how slight tone shifts can massively impression viewers belief and response.

Erik Wright: Turning AI Analysis Right into a Excessive-Performing Lead Magnet

What he did: Erik Wright, a self-described serial entrepreneur and Founding father of New Horizon Home Buyers, described how he used AI to draft a lead magnet: “7 Hidden Prices That Slash Your Dwelling Sale Income.”

Right here’s how he approached it:

• Prompted AI to create a factual first draft outlining typical hidden prices.
• Layered in actual consumer tales, regional insights (particular to Tennessee), and emotional hooks.
• Human-edited intros, transitions, and conclusions to spice up narrative stream and relatability.
• Verified high quality by way of Originality.ai to make sure it reads as human-written.
• Examined content material with a small section of the e-mail listing.
• Tracked efficiency metrics to refine future method.

End result: The human-enhanced piece elevated e mail open charges by 31% and lead magnet conversion charges by 22%—outperforming earlier downloads considerably.

Riley Westbrook: Modifying AI to Preserve It Actual

What he did: Riley Westbrook, who runs Valor Coffee with two buddies, used AI to assist draft promotional copy for his or her Friday workplace supply service.

Right here’s how he approached it:

• Prompted AI for brief, informal blurbs — 4 strains max — about espresso and pastries.
• Edited the drafts aloud to chop any stiff or formal phrasing.
• Ensures every draft feels like one thing they’d really say—no large, fake-sounding adjectives/

Instance AI Draft: “Gas your Friday with domestically roasted espresso and scrumptious pastries delivered proper to your workplace.”

Remaining Human-Edited Model: “We convey scorching espresso and recent pastries to your workplace each Friday. No prep. No stress. Only a strong option to begin the day.”

End result: Copy that felt actual, informal, and true to Valor Espresso’s voice, with out falling into stiff, brochure-style traps.

On-brand AI copywriting is a course of.