Stop Hiding Behind Polished. Start Showing Up Real.

Cat Markel
4 minutes ago
3 min read

How sounding like yourself builds trust, connection, and actual clients

Text Reads: "Stop Hiding Behind polished. Start Showing up for real." Photo of Cat Markel with a meh look on her face

I used to think I had to sound a certain way to be “taken seriously.” Professional, polished. Buzzwords everywhere. Buttoned-up bios that made me sound like someone who wore heels to check her email.

And I tried. I really did.

For a while, my website copy looked like it came straight from a corporate branding textbook. My About page was full of phrases like “leveraging holistic strategies” and “empowering entrepreneurs through dynamic design.” (I mean… what?) It wasn’t wrong, exactly. But it didn’t sound like me. And deep down, I knew it.

The worst part? It felt exhausting to keep up. Writing content became a chore. Messaging felt disconnected. Showing up online started to feel like pretending.

So I stopped.

I let go of the voice I thought I should have, and I started writing the way I actually talk. I made space for pauses. I threw in a little sass. I told stories. I stopped using ten-dollar words when a normal one would do just fine.

And you know what happened?

Clients started saying, “It feels like you’re talking to me.” And that? That was the moment everything clicked.

Your Voice Is Your Brand

There’s this idea floating around that to be taken seriously, you have to sound serious.

But here’s the thing: seriousness doesn’t build connection—authenticity does.

If you’re a coach, a creative, a service-based pro—your clients aren’t hiring a brand. They’re hiring you. Your perspective, your energy, your weird little sayings. That’s what sets you apart. That’s what makes people trust you.

So when your messaging sounds like a marketing robot… When your About page reads like a resume… When your captions could’ve been written by ChatGPT 1.0 in a suit…

You lose that connection. You sound like everyone else.

And in trying to impress people, you accidentally push them away.

The Shift Is Simple… But Not Always Easy

Here’s the truth no one tells you: writing like yourself takes guts.

It’s way more vulnerable to say “I’ve been there too” than to list your credentials. It’s easier to share a template than a story. It feels safer to hide behind “professional” than to say what you really mean.

But the more real I got, the more aligned my business became.

My website started bringing in the right kind of leads—the ones who already felt connected before we ever hopped on a call. My newsletter replies weren’t just “thanks”—they were “you put into words exactly what I was feeling.” And marketing stopped feeling like a game of guess-what-to-post and started feeling like a conversation.

This Isn’t About Being Casual for the Sake of It

Let me be clear: being real doesn’t mean being messy. There’s a difference between relaxed and sloppy.

Your voice should still be clear. Your message should still guide people toward what you offer. But it should do that in a way that feels like you.

So if you’re warm and encouraging? Write that way. If you’re bold and direct? Show it. If you’re a little sarcastic but deeply passionate? Let both of those things come through.

Don’t let a template tone water down your work.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Let’s say you’re writing your About page.

Instead of:

“I’m a transformational life coach focused on empowering high-performing women to achieve clarity, balance, and purpose through proven frameworks…”

Try:

“I work with high-achieving women who are tired of holding it all together on the outside while feeling stuck on the inside. We get real about what you want, what’s holding you back, and how to build a life that actually fits. No fluff. Just honest support.”

Which one feels more human?

And it’s not just your copy. This tone should carry through your whole brand. Your website. Your content. Your emails. Your sales pages. It’s how you show up consistently—so people recognize you, trust you, and feel like you’re already in conversation before they even book a call.

You’re Allowed to Show Up as You

The biggest compliment I’ve ever gotten?

“Your site feels like sitting down for coffee with you.”

That’s what I want for you too.

Because when your brand sounds like you, your marketing gets easier. Your message becomes clearer. You attract people who are aligned with how you work—and you repel the ones who aren’t a fit.

You get to stop performing and start connecting.

And that? That’s the kind of business that lasts.

Till next time.....