In the green industry, everyone wears multiple hats. One day you're handling scheduling, the next you're fielding customer calls, and somewhere in between, you're supposed to post on social media. Maybe an admin, a crew leader, or even an outsourced freelancer is helping, but no matter who holds the keyboard, the content should always sound like you.
The challenge is consistency. Without a clear company voice, posts can feel scattered or, worse, fake. As artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and Claude rise in popularity, the risk of generic, cookie-cutter content only grows.
Making AI work for you instead of against you starts with defining your company's voice.
Your brand voice is your company's personality. It's how you present yourself to your audience—professional or casual, goofy or polished, consultative or salesy. A formal brand voice document is the playbook that ensures anyone writing on your behalf sounds consistent.
That document should capture things like:
When that document exists, anyone on your team, your outsourced marketer, or yes, even an AI tool, can create content that feels authentically yours.
The internet is already flooded with AI-generated content. And people can tell when it hasn't been edited.
Dead giveaways include:
When your audience spots these, trust erodes. Instead of building your reputation, the post reminds people you're phoning it in. In fact, bad AI is worse than silence.
The secret is flipping the script. Don't start with AI. Start with your voice.
In my consulting work, we spend hours onboarding new clients, interviewing leaders, and building a brand voice document. That doc becomes the foundation for all content. Once it's in place, AI can act as a powerful assistant, but never the driver.
Think of it like this:
Not all AI platforms are created equal. I often use both, but for different reasons.
ChatGPT is fantastic for brainstorming. Need 10 fresh ideas for spring landscaping posts? It'll give you a list in seconds.
Claude is stronger at writing and humanizing. If you want a draft that sounds warmer and less robotic, Claude often has the edge.
Using them together provides the best of both worlds: fast ideas plus authentic-sounding drafts.
If you're going to use AI in your marketing, keep these guidelines in mind:
AI isn't going anywhere. In fact, it will only become more powerful and accessible. But here's the truth: Technology can never replace authenticity.
Your brand's voice (the way you communicate values, culture, and personality) is what makes you different. AI can amplify that voice, but only if you've taken the time to define it.
In a world of generic, mass-produced content, the companies that win will be the ones that sound unmistakably like themselves. Whether it's the owner, the admin, the crew leader, or a smart AI tool hitting "post," the voice will remain the same.
And that consistency is what builds trust, loyalty, and long-term growth.
Learn More: Kelly Dowell, Founder
onlawn
kelly@onlawn.io
www.onlawn.io
Read the article in the digital issue here.