Creating a Writing Style (Updated)

What Is a Writing Style?

A Writing Style in Valley Studio controls how Valley sounds when writing on your behalf. It defines your tone, voice, message approach, and rules through DOs and DON'Ts. Think of it as a brand voice guide that ensures every AI-generated message feels like it came from your team.

Writing Style is free-form text. There are no dropdowns or preset toggles - you're teaching Valley your voice through written instructions. This means you have complete control, but it also means being specific matters.

Why Writing Styles Matter

Two different people writing the same message get different results. A casual message from a startup founder lands differently than a formal message from an enterprise salesperson. Valley lets you define your voice once, then applies it consistently across every message. That consistency builds trust and response rates.

How to Create a Writing Style

1. Go to Studio > Writing Styles

2. Click "Create New Style"

3. Write your DOs and DON'Ts (see guide below)

4. Fill in the LinkedIn Sequence section (message structure for each step)

5. Complete the Advanced Questions (critical - don't skip)

6. Click SAVE

DOs and DON'Ts: Teaching Valley Your Voice

DOs and DON'Ts are the core of your Writing Style. These are direct instructions Valley follows when generating every message.

Examples of Strong DOs

• DO reference recent LinkedIn activity. Valley will search for recent posts and mention them specifically.

• DO mention specific pain points from their profile. If a prospect's activity suggests scaling challenges, connect your product to that.

• DO include a clear reason for reaching out. "We help VP Sales teams hit 15+ meetings/month" is clear. "I think we can help" is not.

• DO use industry language. If you're in SaaS, use terms like "pipeline generation," "quota attainment," "churn reduction."

• DO keep messages short. 2-3 sentences for connection requests. Longer only for warm follow-ups.

• DO ask a genuine question or give a genuine compliment. Make it specific, not "Great profile!"

• DO include booking link in follow-up messages after prospect shows interest.

Examples of Strong DON'Ts

• DON'T mention competitor names. Valley won't write "Unlike HubSpot..." or "Better than Outreach..."

• DON'T use clickbait or salesy language. No "Don't miss out," "Limited offer," "Act now."

• DON'T make claims you can't back up. Valley won't write "We're the #1 solution" unless it's in your Product proof points.

• DON'T include booking link in the first outreach message. Save it for follow-ups after interest is shown.

• DON'T mention price or discounts. That comes in later conversations.

• DON'T use corporate jargon. No "synergy," "leverage," "paradigm shift."

• DON'T use emojis. (Or DO use 1-2 emojis per message - your choice, just be explicit.)

How to Format DON'T Rules

The AI parses DON'T rules most effectively when they're simple keywords, not full sentences. Use plain terms that identify what to exclude:

✅ Correct: "emojis" | "calendar links" | "competitor names" | "pricing"

❌ Incorrect: "Do not include emojis" | "Don't use calendar links" | "Please avoid mentioning competitors"

The simpler your DON'T terms, the more reliably Valley will exclude them. If you find your DON'T rules being ignored, check your formatting first.

Tone Guidance

Since there's no dropdown for tone, communicate it through your DOs/DON'Ts and advanced questions:

For casual/friendly: "DO use contractions. DO write like you're texting a colleague. DO keep sentences under 10 words."

For professional/formal: "DO use complete sentences. DON'T use contractions. DO maintain professional distance."

For direct/conversational (recommended for most B2B): "DO be direct and conversational. DO use short, punchy sentences. DON'T sound like marketing copy."

Start with direct and conversational - it performs best across most industries. Adjust after seeing your first batch of messages.

Message Length Guidance

Communicate length preferences through your DOs:

• "DO keep connection request messages to 2-3 sentences max"

• "DO keep InMail messages under 5 sentences"

• "DO keep follow-ups shorter than initial outreach"

Shorter messages consistently outperform longer ones on LinkedIn cold outreach.

Tell Valley how to sign off:

• "DO sign off with first name only" (casual)

• "DO sign off with full name and company" (professional)

• "DON'T include title in signature" (personal feel)

Tips

Review actual messages. After Training Mode generates messages, review them. If Valley sounds too formal, loosen instructions. If messages are generic, add more specific DOs.

Iterate based on data. After 100+ messages, look at which messages got replies. What did they have in common? Update your Writing Style to emphasize those patterns.

Share your winners. If a Writing Style is performing well, share it across the workspace so all team members benefit. (Remember to toggle sharing in Studio settings.)

Common Mistakes

Too few rules. More rules - go crazy - be specific

Vague instructions. "BE CONVERSATIONAL" doesn't help. "DO use short sentences, contractions, and direct questions" does.

Skipping Advanced Questions. These 9 questions are where Valley really learns your voice. Fill them out completely.

Mismatched instructions. If your DOs say "keep it short" but your sequence says "write a 5-sentence opening," Valley gets conflicting signals. Be consistent.

Not saving. Writing Styles aren't stored until you click SAVE.