Writing for the senior executives within an organization can be a challenging yet important task. Helping the C-suite pen their thoughts and communicate their vision in their own voice, requires a firm understanding of the subject matter as well as the person for whom you are writing.
In today’s world, the words of a top CEO need to be carefully considered as the weight they carry often has huge bearing for stakeholders across all levels of their organization. The public also wants to know more about the people leading some of the biggest and most influential companies through thought leadership, opinion pieces or speeches.
As a C-suite ghostwriter, it is your job to put structure and style to these words and communicate such messages with eloquence, inspiration and sometimes, a little humor. Agencies such as WritersBlok ghostwriting agency regularly help executives in a range of industries to express their voices and communicate their ideas by creating authentic and compelling content on their behalf. This article will share some strategies for successful executive-level communications.
Understand the Key MessageÂ
Having a firm grasp on the content you are being asked to produce, and in particular, the key message is essential to producing a piece that meets the brief. Make sure you understand the purpose of the communication and the reason why it is being sent out. Does the executive want to inform their audience, inspire action or change their behavior? Knowing why you are crafting the message will ensure it has the desired impact.
Listen and Observe
For most senior executives time is a precious resource and you may be hard-pressed to get any facetime with them. This means you will need to take advantage of an opportunity to be in the same room as them or to hear them speak.
Whether it’s a conference call or a meeting you sit in on, observe your subject by actively listening for things like their choice of vocabulary, sentence length, words and phrases they use, as well as the cadence and tone of their speech. This will help you gauge your client’s communication style and provide you with a deeper understanding of their personality helping you to capture their voice with greater accuracy,
Take the time to also research their presence online such as their social media posts, interviews, podcasts and any other material which can give you an insight into the way they communicate.
Ask Questions
Conveying your client’s ideas, thoughts or vision in their own words can be a tricky task that requires excellent communication skills with the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes. If you get the chance to meet with your client beforehand, take the opportunity to understand them and the piece you will be writing about by asking them some questions.
Use open-ended questions which require a fuller answer and can provide you with true stories or anecdotes to add interest and authenticity to your piece. It can also reveal more about the way they structure their thoughts, argue points or use humor helping you to create content that has substance and blends well with your client’s voice.
By following the tips in this article, you can better meet the needs of your clients helping you to grow your ghostwriting business.
