Sound Human
Clear business writing that sounds like you
Turn a stiff AI draft into clear business writing that sounds like you.
Clear is better than clever
Customers rarely care who typed the first draft. They care whether it tells them what they need and what happens next.
Start every edit with two questions
What does this reader need to know?
What should they do next?
A message that answers both sounds more human than one stuffed with friendly filler.
The goal: a message you would be comfortable reading out loud to the customer.
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Make a small voice card
A voice card is a short note that tells AI how your business sounds. Half a page is plenty.
- Three qualities, such as direct, calm and friendly.
- Who usually reads your messages.
- Two short samples you wrote yourself (or have permission to use), with a note on what each one shows.
- Phrases you really use and a short list of things you avoid.
Six practical checks
Run these on any AI draft before it goes to a customer.
| Check | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Point first | Lead with the answer or the request. Use ordinary verbs. |
| 2. Cut the fluff | Remove empty praise, filler and claims you cannot back up. |
| 3. Natural rhythm | Mix short and longer sentences. Use contractions where they fit. Never add mistakes on purpose. |
| 4. Keep useful terms | Keep the words your trade needs and explain them. Giant banned-word lists can change your meaning. |
| 5. Protect the facts | Prices, dates, qualifications and promises stay exactly as they were. |
| 6. Nothing invented | No customer story, result or testimonial that did not happen. |
Checks 5 and 6 matter most. A clumsy sentence is easy to forgive. A wrong price is not.
Same meaning, plainer words
An invented scheduling update. No real customer data.
We are pleased to facilitate a seamless service experience. Kindly advise of your scheduling preferences.
Which day works best for your service visit? Send two options and we will check availability.
What changed
- A clear question replaces vague language.
- Asking for two options makes the reply easy.
- "We will check availability" avoids promising a booking you have not confirmed.
Read it aloud, then approve it
The last check is yours. It takes about a minute.
- Read it out loud. Would you actually say this?
- Can the customer find the next step in five seconds?
- Compare it to your source facts: dates, numbers and commitments.
- Approve it, then send or publish it yourself.
CRIT in this edit (Geoff Woods' framework)
Context: the reader and the situation
Role: the editor
Interview: fills any gaps
Task: the rewrite
Write it down: Your voice card: three qualities. There is space for this in the PDF.
Write it down: Phrases we use / things we avoid. There is space for this in the PDF.
Next step: keep your edit prompt and voice card together so you can reuse them. The Prompt Starters for Small Business give you six jobs to try them on.
CRIT (Context, Role, Interview, Task) is Geoff Woods' prompt framework. We teach it in AI Basics and build on it here.
Practical guidance reviewed November 2026. Start simple and test on your own tasks. No guaranteed results.
Keep customer data private. Use placeholders or anonymized facts in an approved AI tool. Check facts, figures, promises and tone before anything leaves the business.
Want help with this for you or your team? Book a free 20-minute call.