Beyond 'Act As': How to Get AI to Actually Capture Your Brand's Voice

In my experience, this is the single biggest unlock for businesses trying to integrate AI into their content workflow.

I was on a Zoom call last week with a new consulting client, the founder of a pretty cool medium-sized business that sells sustainable outdoor gear. We were looking at the blog posts their team was trying to create with ChatGPT. He slumped in his chair, sighed, and said, "James, I don't get it. We told the AI to 'act as an expert in sustainable hiking,' but everything it writes sounds... so bland. It sounds like a textbook from 2013. It has no soul. It doesn't sound like us."

I'll be honest, I smiled. Not because he was frustrated, but because this is one of the most common and fixable problems I see. I learned this one the hard way myself. When I was first experimenting with large language models back in 2022, I thought the Act as a... prompt was the key to everything. It felt like magic! But after a few weeks, I realized all my "magical" outputs had the same generic, slightly too helpful, corporate friendly sheen. It was like putting a different hat on the same mannequin.

Look, here's the thing: The Act as a... prompt is a fantastic starting point. It’s Prompt Engineering 101. But it’s just that, a starting point. To get an AI to truly capture the unique, quirky, and specific voice of your brand, you have to go deeper. You need to give it more than a role; you need to give it a soul.

In my experience, this is the single biggest unlock for businesses trying to integrate AI into their content workflow. It’s the difference between using AI as a clumsy intern and using it as a skilled assistant who already knows your brand inside and out.

Today, I’m going to show you the exact method I use with my consulting clients to get past the generic outputs. We're going beyond "Act As" to build a comprehensive, multi-layered prompt that forces the AI to adopt your actual brand voice.

The Inevitable Letdown: Why "Act As..." Is Not Enough

Let's first diagnose the problem properly. When you tell an AI like ChatGPT to Act as a friendly marketing expert, what are you really asking it to do?

You're asking it to scan the trillions of data points it was trained on, all the blog posts, books, websites, and articles from across the internet, and create an average of what a "friendly marketing expert" sounds like. The result is predictably vanilla. It's friendly, yes. It's about marketing, sure. But it has no personality. It has no edge. It doesn't know that your brand’s version of “friendly” is witty and sarcastic, not bubbly and cheerful.

Here’s what that looks like in practice.

The Simple Prompt

Act as a knowledgeable and passionate coffee expert and write a short Instagram caption about a new coffee blend.

The Likely AI Output:

"☕️✨ Introducing our newest creation: The 'Morning Star' blend! This expertly crafted coffee features a harmonious balance of flavors, with notes of chocolate and citrus. Sourced from the finest beans, it’s the perfect way to start your day. Elevate your coffee experience and grab a bag today! #Coffee #NewBlend #CoffeeLover #ArtisanCoffee"

Is this terrible? No. It's fine. It uses the right hashtags. It describes the coffee. But it's completely devoid of personality. It could be from any of a thousand different coffee brands anywhere in the world. It has no point of view. From what I've seen working with clients, this is the exact kind of "meh" content that makes them want to give up on AI entirely.

The AI doesn't know if you're a high end, minimalist brand in Seattle or a cozy, rustic roaster in Vermont. It doesn't know you hate the word "utilize" or that you love making bad puns. The Act as a... command gives it a job title, but it doesn't give it a company culture.

The Solution: Create a "Brand Voice Bible" for Your AI

To get the rich, authentic voice you want, you need to give the AI a much more detailed set of instructions. I call this the "Brand Voice Bible." This isn't just one instruction; it's a collection of clear, concise rules and examples that define your brand's entire communication style.

This might not be the most elegant solution, but here's what actually works: You build this Bible right into your prompt. Every single time.

Your Brand Voice Bible should have a few key components.

Core Identity & Persona: Who are you, really? Go beyond the job title. Are you a "scrappy startup founder," a "wise mentor," a "rebellious artist," a "helpful older sibling"? Give the persona a name and a backstory.

Audience: Who are you talking to? Be specific. "New homeowners in their 30s who are overwhelmed by DIY projects" is much better than "customers." This context dictates vocabulary, tone, and the level of detail you should use.

Tone & Attitude: This is the heart of the voice. Use a list of descriptive words. Is your tone "witty, irreverent, and slightly sarcastic" or "calm, reassuring, and empathetic"? Is it "techy and futuristic" or "down-to-earth and rustic"?

Values: What does your brand stand for? Explicitly stating your values helps the AI make better choices. For example: "We value transparency over perfection. We value practical solutions over theoretical hype."

Vocabulary & Phrasing (The "Do's and Don'ts"): This is where you get granular. This is one of the most powerful sections.

DO: Use contractions (I'm, you're, it's). Use simple, direct language. Tell personal stories. Ask questions.

DON'T: Use corporate jargon (leverage, synergize, paradigm shift). Don't use passive voice. Don't use overly academic language. Don't use exclamation points unless you really mean it.

Let me give you a real example. I ran into this exact issue with a client last year, a financial tech company. Their content was accurate but so dry it was unreadable. We spent an afternoon building their Brand Voice Bible, and it completely transformed their output.

Putting It All Together: The Multi-Layered Prompt in Action

Okay, let's stop talking theory and build one of these prompts from scratch. Let's revisit our coffee company example. But this time, we’ll give it a real identity.

Let's imagine "Cascade Coffee Roasters," a fictional brand based here in Seattle. Their whole vibe is about making specialty coffee accessible and fun for regular people, not just for coffee snobs. They're located in Fremont, they love the rain, and they have a dog-friendly cafe.

Here’s how we build a prompt to capture that specific voice.

The Prompt Template

I use a four-part structure for this.

Part 1: The Persona (The "Act As" Upgrade)

Instead of a generic role, we create a character.

You are "Kai," the head roaster and lead copywriter for Cascade Coffee Roasters. You've lived in Seattle for 15 years, you love hiking in the Cascades, and you think coffee should be delicious, not intimidating. You're passionate and knowledgeable, but you explain things in a simple, friendly way, like you're talking to a friend over the counter at your Fremont cafe.

Part 2: The Brand Voice Bible

Here, we lay down the law.

Brand Voice Bible for Cascade Coffee Roasters

Core Identity: We are coffee nerds who love sharing our passion with everyone. We are the opposite of coffee snobs. We're warm, local, and a little bit quirky.

Audience: We're talking to people in the Pacific Northwest (ages 25-45) who appreciate quality, craft products but are tired of pretentious marketing. They love their city, the outdoors, and their dogs.

Tone & Attitude: Casual but knowledgeable. Warm, inviting, and enthusiastic. Use contractions freely (I'm, don't, here's). Be self-deprecating sometimes. It's okay to make a bad pun about coffee or the Seattle rain.

Values: Community, sustainability, accessibility, and the simple joy of a perfect morning cup.

Vocabulary & Phrasing:

DO: Mention specific Seattle neighborhoods or landmarks (Fremont, Ballard, I-5 traffic, the rain). Use sensory words ('rich,' 'bright,' 'aromatic,' 'cozy'). Talk about coffee like a friend. Ask questions to the reader.

DON'T: Never use stuffy corporate jargon ('leverage,' 'utilize,' 'synergy'). Don't be overly technical with coffee terms without explaining them simply. Never sound exclusive or snobby. Avoid generic marketing phrases like 'Elevate your experience.'

Part 3: The Exemplars (Show, Don't Just Tell)

This is the most critical step that most people miss. You have to give the AI positive examples of what you're looking for. Show, don't just tell. I usually include 2-3 short snippets of copy that are pitch-perfect for the brand.

Writing Samples (Exemplars)

Example 1 (Instagram Post): "Another gray Seattle morning? We've got the liquid sunshine. Our new Ethiopian single-origin is so bright and fruity, it'll make you forget all about the drizzle. ☕️ #SeattleCoffee #PNWlife #Fremont"

Example 2 (Product Description): Meet our 'Commuter Blend.' It's a robust, full-bodied roast that's bold enough to get you through the morning gridlock on I-5, but smooth enough that you'll actually enjoy the ride. No judgment if you drink it all day."

Example 3 (Email Snippet): "I'll be honest, we roasted this batch a little differently, and wow. We stumbled onto something special. It's got this amazing caramel note that's perfect for a weekend pour-over."

Part 4: The Task

Finally, after all that context-setting, you give the AI its assignment.

Your Task

Now, following all of the rules and examples above, write a short Instagram caption announcing our brand new coffee blend, the 'Summer Solstice' blend. It's a light, citrusy roast perfect for iced coffee.

The New and Improved AI Output:

Let's see what the AI produces with our super-prompt.

"Is that the sun or is it just our new 'Summer Solstice' blend? ☀️ We've been tinkering in the roastery and created something special for these long Seattle days. It's a super light and bright roast with a zesty, citrusy kick that tastes amazing over ice. Seriously, it’s like a glass of iced tea and a great coffee had a baby. Perfect for sipping by Green Lake or just pretending it's not cloudy. Want to try some? #SummerInSeattle #PNWcoffee #IcedCoffee #CascadeCoffee"

Now that sounds like a real brand. It references Seattle. It has a casual, slightly quirky tone ("had a baby"). It avoids generic phrases. It's knowledgeable but accessible. It's the difference between a stock photo and a candid snapshot of your best friend.

Iteration is Key: What to Do When It's Still Not Perfect

I need to be crystal clear about this: even with a prompt this detailed, the AI might not nail it on the very first try. I learned this one the hard way when I spent a whole day trying to get an AI to write like me for my "Smart Prompts For AI" newsletter, and it kept making me sound way too formal.

The key is to treat it like a conversation. Look at the output, see what's wrong, and adjust your prompt.

If the output is too formal: Add a rule to your Bible: "Write at an 8th-grade reading level. Use short sentences. Use more contractions."

If it's using words you hate: Add them to the "DON'T" list in your vocabulary section. "DON'T use the word 'delicious' or 'tasty'."

If the tone is off: Your exemplars might be the problem. Find better examples that truly capture the voice, or write new ones from scratch. You can also add more descriptive words to your "Tone & Attitude" section.

If it's ignoring an instruction: Make the instruction more prominent. I sometimes add a final sentence to my prompt like, "Pay special attention to the 'DON'T' list in the vocabulary section."

Quick tip from my own experience: Once you've perfected your Brand Voice Bible prompt, save it in a text document or a tool like Notion or TextExpander. It's your new secret weapon. You can use it as the preamble for almost any content creation task, from writing emails and social media posts to drafting product descriptions and even brainstorming video scripts. It’s the foundational work that makes everything else easier.

I do this with all my consulting clients. We build their core prompt, and it becomes the starting point for every single AI-related task in their business. It's a bit like setting up my home automation system; the initial configuration takes thought and effort, but once it's dialed in, I can just ask for what I want, and my house (or the AI) knows exactly how to deliver it. Whether it's dimming the lights for a movie or generating a blog post, the groundwork is what makes the magic happen.

This method takes more effort than a simple Act as a... prompt. But the ten minutes you spend building a proper Brand Voice Bible will save you hours of editing generic, soulless content on the back end. It’s how you move from using AI as a novelty to truly integrating it as a powerful, brand-aligned tool in your workflow.

Hope this helps!

James