The Benefits of Writing with a Co-Author: Building a Consistent Brand Voice

Introduction

In this insightful episode of the MarTech Podcast, host Benjamin Shapiro interviews Nataly Kelly, CMO of Zappi and co-author of "Brand Global, Adapt Local." As an experienced marketing leader and author of four books, Kelly shares valuable perspectives on the collaborative writing process and how marketers can effectively blend different writing styles to create a consistent brand voice—skills that translate directly to marketing communications and content strategy.

The Advantages of Co-Authorship in Content Creation

Collaborative writing offers significant benefits that solo projects ca ot match. Kelly describes her experience working with co-author Katherine as "so much fun" and highlights how their partnership created a stronger final product. The collaboration allowed each writer to contribute their unique strengths—Katherine's vivid, consumer-focused writing style complemented Kelly's business expertise. This partnership demonstrates how marketing teams can leverage diverse skill sets to create more engaging, well-rounded content that resonates with different audience segments.

Contrasting Writing Styles as a Strength

One of the most valuable insights from Kelly's experience is how different writing approaches can enhance rather than detract from content quality. She describes her co-author's style as one that "sings off the page" with descriptive language that "pops and it's vivid and it's fun," contrasting with what she self-deprecatingly calls her own "boring business writer" approach. This diversity of styles created a richer text that could appeal to both B2C and B2B audiences—a strategy that marketing teams can apply when developing content for different cha els or customer segments.

Adapting Your Voice for Brand Consistency

Creating a consistent voice across multiple contributors is a challenge that both co-authors and marketing teams face regularly. Kelly explains her approach to maintaining consistency: "I tried to adapt as much as I could because the majority of the book was Katherine's concepts, her ideas and came mostly from her." Rather than imposing her own style, Kelly flexed toward her co-author's voice, making her sections more narrative-driven and personal to match the overall tone. This adaptability demonstrates a key skill for marketers who need to maintain brand consistency across multiple content creators and cha els.

Techniques for Voice Adaptation

Kelly shares specific techniques she used to align her writing with her co-author's style, including incorporating more first-person narratives and personal anecdotes from her professional experiences, such as "launching the HubSpot office in Japan." She notes that her experience writing for different publications prepared her for this adaptation: "I write for a lot of different outlets, I've had to adapt my style to each of those because editors have their preferences." This flexibility is essential for marketing teams working across multiple platforms and audience segments while maintaining a coherent brand identity.

Conclusion

The conversation between Shapiro and Kelly reveals valuable lessons for marketers about collaborative content creation and voice consistency. Whether working on a book with a co-author or developing marketing materials across a team, the principles remain the same: recognize the value of diverse perspectives, adapt your style to serve the overall brand voice, and leverage personal experiences to create authentic co ections. These strategies help marketers create more engaging, consistent content that resonates with their target audiences while maintaining the distinctive personality that makes their brand recognizable.