Sounding Real Doesn’t Mean Our Message Is Real
Is a computer-generated voice the best way to sell your brand?
I have to chuckle at the paradox of computers asking humans to prove we are real people and not machines. Due to my decades of working in audio, I also find it confusing how some folks have difficulty discerning whether a voice narration is actual or artificial. I’m sure there will come a time, however, when I won’t be able to tell the difference.
So, which would you rather have representing your brand, a real human voice, or one manufactured from AI? This is what I’ve observed;
There is something very intimate about the human voice. It allows people to form powerful and soulful connections. A professional voice talent sounds real. Key on the word “talent.” Not some posturing disc jockey with a bellowing voice we hear rambling on air. Radio consultants love recruiting these generic-sounding “guys & gals” because they easily fit into a designed pattern of safety. The result of their contrived method of reading an ad sounds exactly that, like an announcer reading an ad — a bunch of words lacking substance and worth. The best imaginative writing has needlessly been whitewashed by unrealistic deliveries from some walking set of slick vocal cords. (They’re probably the reason why AI voices were invented in the first place — to protect insecure managers and save money for the higher-ups.)
Quality messages weren’t written just to be read, they were written to be absorbed and experienced. Is your mission statement a bunch of strung-together phrases void of substance? I hope not. Your brand is your life’s blood. So your marketing message should make me feel something.
When we conduct business with others, there is interaction — a relationship is created. Imagine shaking hands with a robot. Would this exchange initiate a soul connection? That’s like eating cardboard.
Audiences relate better to realism and authenticity. Your ads are being heard through discerning ears. This is why a tangible actor who recognizes and reveres the art of the audio industry is vital to represent your core beliefs.
There’s a reason why we enjoy movies starring certain actors. Their ability to enhance a storyline makes them believable and relatable — we like them.
In this modern age, it’s remarkable how we can record an inexpensive representation of our organization in record time. But marketing isn’t a fifty-yard dash. It should be a well-thought-out resonating message that involves planning.
You can’t stroll into marketing and advertising with a presumptuous attitude that you’ll be widely accepted. Cocksure business owners boasting that “My product sells itself! ” are setting themselves up for disappointment and failure.
Don’t be naive. Your product does not sell itself. Media does not sell your product. Only a pragmatic, attentive marketing strategy combined with a strengthening relationship with your targeted potential customer through effective messaging will sell your product.
Take the time to locate the right voice actor who best represents your organizational image.
