Beyond Generic Messaging: Vanessa Green on AI, Brand Voice, and Standing Out

In this exclusive feature, Vanessa Green, Owner of Greenlight Content, shares how distinctive brand messaging, strategic content, and authentic storytelling help B2B businesses stand out in competitive markets. A Hamilton-based copywriter and content strategist with over 20 years of writing experience, Vanessa was recognized with the 2023 Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Through Greenlight Content, Vanessa helps businesses across Canada and the United States strengthen their brand voice through website copy, email campaigns, case studies, and content strategy. With a focus on balancing AI-powered marketing with human creativity, Vanessa empowers businesses in healthcare, SaaS, technology, manufacturing, and professional services to communicate clearly and connect with their audiences.

How did your journalism background and your father’s entrepreneurial journey shape the way you built Greenlight Content

My dad successfully ran his own financial planning business for 30 years before handing the reins to my brother. Growing up with that entrepreneurial energy in my family really inspired me to think about going out on my own. My dad had always pushed me to start my own business and said that the Greens weren’t cut out for corporate life, which is definitely true. I never felt ready when I was younger, but it was always something that was in the back of my mind.

After I graduated from journalism school, I went into editorial roles in newsrooms, and I really enjoyed it. But I started out at a time when the news industry was struggling (and continues to). I wanted to find a more stable line of work where I could put that journalism background to use, and I ended up moving into marketing. That’s when I realized that this storytelling skill, this writing ability, is something you can sell as a service to clients. Learning how to package up my skill set into something sellable, and watching my dad do it successfully for so long, motivated me to start Greenlight Content.

Where can AI genuinely help small-business marketing, and where should human judgment and creativity lead

I know it’s been said ad nauseam, but AI really is just a tool. Where AI can help is in streamlining low-stakes or internal jobs, like outlines, brainstorming, research, and analyzing lots of data.

But it’s not good for customer-facing writing. When the messaging is meant to capture your brand voice, positioning, or customer stories, it should be written by a human because that is where the sameness problem creeps in. When everyone is using AI and the same generic prompts, they end up with the same generic copy. 

The writing itself is often the last thing I do. Research and analysis come first, before you even put words on a page. And the output is always stronger when you take a strategy-first approach. 

That’s why I try to start every project with a brand messaging strategy that covers brand story, unique selling proposition, tone of voice, audience challenges and objectives, and brand values. We build a cohesive foundational document that creates messaging consistency across all their marketing touchpoints. It takes research into the business, their competitors, and the marketing landscape, plus interviews with my clients, their team, and their customers. I don’t think AI can replace that process.

What are the clearest signs that a company’s messaging sounds just like its competitors’

The biggest giveaway is messaging that isn’t defensible. Could your competitors say the same thing? 

Often, they can, which makes the writing pretty ineffective.  

In saturated markets, it’s very hard to stand out. Businesses often rely on generic phrases and overused buzzwords. “Innovative solutions provider” is one that comes to mind in the B2B space because everyone uses it and it means nothing. You have to look inward and really think about what makes your specific offering different. 

Every business owner has something that sets their approach, products, or services apart. Getting customer feedback is one of the best ways to define your unique selling proposition. Ask for reviews and testimonials, conduct interviews, write case studies, and see what clients say about working with you and the value you bring. That external perspective and social proof can help you understand your differentiator in the market. It’s also a great way to have someone else do your marketing for you. 

Business owners often spend so much time working in the business that brand positioning takes a back seat. But they already have the answers in their head. They usually just need someone to draw them out. 

How can a B2B business develop a distinctive brand voice without sacrificing clarity or credibility

At a broad level, it comes down to market expectations. If you’re a law firm, you’re not going to have a fun, irreverent brand voice. If you run a craft brewery, you don’t want to be conservative and formal in your messaging.

At a granular level, creating a distinctive brand voice is about knowing what your specific audience needs from the business. I worked with a fertility company whose patients said they valued how empathetic the clinical team were and that they really listened and were never dismissive (which is common in women’s healthcare). They used that feedback to create a brand voice that was compassionate, approachable, and grounded, which showed that they understood how overwhelming infertility can be for individuals and couples. 

The right voice for your brand will come about organically through research into your audience. And clarity and credibility naturally follow when your messaging reflects what matters to them. 

A distinctive voice is a must for creating a consistent brand experience. Without one, tone shifts from one place to the next and that erodes brand trust. A unified, well-researched, and well-defined brand voice will help you stand out in a sea of sameness. 

What is one messaging change a business owner can make today to communicate their value more clearly

This one’s an oldie but a goodie: WIIFM, which stands for What’s In It For Me? It’s a psychological principle that says people pay attention to or act on information when there’s a direct benefit to them. 

I ask clients to use that lens when they create any type of messaging for their brand. Picture yourself in your audience’s shoes and ask: Why should I care? 

So today, take a look at your homepage headline and ask yourself: does it answer WIIFM?

Because prospects don’t care about your products or services. They only care about what those products and services can do for them. That’s a difficult pill to swallow when you run your own business, because you care about your products and services very much, as you should. But you’re not writing for you. You’re writing for your audience, so you have to understand what motivates them. That’s how you write effective benefit-led messaging that persuades them to take action.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Our platform is dedicated to fostering dialogue and sharing insights that inspire and empower small and medium-sized businesses across Canada.