“Words are the most powerful drug used by mankind”, said Rudyard Kipling.
Your customer’s opinion of your brand is shaped by every interaction you have with them. The more consistent you are with your communications, the more likely it is that people will understand what sets you apart from your competitors.
That’s why it’s vital that you infuse every customer interaction with a tone that matches your brand values, as they are what makes your brand distinctive.
Read on to discover why tone of voice is the secret ingredient to brand success and some top tips on how to define your brand’s personality.
Why is it important to have a brand tone of voice?
Adding tone of voice to your communication can make the difference between dull content and content with character. How you use words define your brand’s personality. And, the simplest way to convey brand personality is through a consistent, defined tone of voice.
A distinct tone of voice will:
- Help distinguish you from your competitors
- Ensure you produce coherent communications
- Reinforce your position in the marketplace
So, when it comes to tone of voice, it’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it.
People pick brands they trust and they buy into brand personalities. If a customer likes your personality and can identify with it, you’ll become the right brand choice for them.
Creating and implementing a tone of voice will also provide your employees with guidelines for producing consistent communications in line with your company’s brand values.
How to define your brand’s personality
All of your communications should convey your brand values as they define who you are, how you want to be seen, and help you stand out from competitors.
To help bring your values to life in your communications, imagine a person with those qualities and consider how they would speak to someone. For example, here is how you could convey the following brand values:
- ‘We are experts’: write with a confident, informative tone
- ‘We are passionate’: use words infused with excitement and energy
- ‘We are inspiring’: use positive language with messaging that adds value
A good brand tone of voice guide will include examples of how each brand value sounds, and list the keywords, phrases, and straplines that define your business.
On a similar note, it can also be useful to include what you’re not, such as: ‘We’re not loud, patronising, or preaching’.
Some tone of voice tips
No matter what your brand values may be, considering the following tips when writing for your brand will help to infuse your messaging with a conversational, easy-to-read tone:
- Imagine you’re speaking to one person so the messaging feels like it’s addressing them, not a crowd
- Make this one person the focus of your message by using the word ‘you’ more than ‘we’, and highlight how your brand benefits them
- Remember that people buy from people so it’s better to sound like a person rather than a company
- Try to grab their attention by making them an offer, describing a benefit, or posing a question
- Keep things simple and use everyday words to easily communicate your message. As Winston Churchill said, “Short words are best”
- Include a call to action that summarises the one thing you want them to do after reading your communication
If you’d like us to help you define your brand tone of voice or marketing strategy, get in touch today.
