Does the brand already have a clear tone of voice established? If it’s simply that you ‘know,’ communication effectiveness may not be as easy as we think. So, what exactly is a brand’s tone of voice?
A brand’s voice is not what is said, but how it is said. The voice needs to be consistent; the tone can vary depending on the format, channel, or audience. Don’t assume that tone consistency is not a major issue or inherently believe that customers will find your brand friendly and trustworthy.
Old Spice, in a marketing campaign collaborated with Terry Crews, demonstrates how the scents of Old Spice body spray can transform a regular smelling man into a man who smells like power. Thus, “smell is power”. To obtain great power is to wear a good scent.
Why is a consistent brand tone important?
When the brand voice is strategic and aligned, the content produced is better. The audience receives a clear message without confusion. The more consistent the voice, the more likely the message will be retained.
Consistency in voice can also make the audience more likely to perceive the brand as friendly. Inconsistency can dilute the brand image and damage its reputation or brand equity.
Consistency always pays off. Businesses can increase revenue by up to 23% if they deliver a consistent message. Moreover, customers want to see authenticity in content, and 80% say that this is a key factor in deciding whether to follow a brand on social media or not.
This is another important part of a business’s brand identity, serving as a compass for everything the brand needs to express.
Establishing Standards for Brand Tone of Voice
Each interaction you have with your audience, regardless of the channel or medium where it occurs, is a golden opportunity to make—or build upon—a connection with them. According to Alexander van den Berg, Founder of Atelier ATTN, “a distinct voice makes your brand’s abstract identity more concrete and helps you connect with your audience. It’s an expression of your company’s values and point of view, and it should differentiate you from competitors.”
So whether you’re a small online retailer, a large B2B company, or anything in between, the words you use and emotions you invoke when talking to your customers are important.
To develop a tone of voice for the brand, we need to follow these 7 steps:
Step 1: Determine your target audience
Identifying your target audience—the specific group of people you want to reach with your products, services, and marketing—is crucial to every aspect of your brand, so it’s no wonder that it plays a key role in developing your voice and tone, too.
Once you know who your audience is, it’ll be easier to figure out how to communicate with them and what type of messaging will resonate most. Ask yourself questions like:
- What are their demographics?
- Where do they live?
- What are their interests?
- How do they communicate with each other?
- How do we want to position ourselves?
The more information you have about your target audience, the more successful you’ll be in creating a brand voice that speaks to them in a relevant, effective way.
Step 2: Determine your goals
Before you can determine what to say or how to say it, it’s important to take a step back and clearly outline the purpose—the goals—behind your messaging. If you’re a retailer, for example, your overarching goals might be to sell your stuff and communicate its quality, effectiveness, or value. If you’re a software or app developer, you might want to establish yourself as an authority on a particular subject and teach folks how to do a specific thing.
Once you’ve got a general idea of the goals that should drive your messaging, it’ll be easier to make sure that your voice and tone guidelines are aligned with those goals and all of your content is created with them in mind.
Nike’s brand voice is built around the idea of empowering athletes to push their limits and achieve their goals. The tone is motivational and inspirational, using phrases like “just do it” to connect with a wide range of people and make them feel part of the Nike community.
Step 3: Define the core values you want to communicate
Your goals aren’t the only factor shaping your voice and tone and driving your messaging. Your brand’s core values play a significant role in every aspect of your communication, too. As you’re creating your guidelines, identify the traits and principles that are true to your brand or culture, and then use them to build a brand voice that feels natural and authentic.
Not quite sure what your core values are? Answering these questions might help push you in the right direction:
– What does your brand stand for?
– What sets you apart from the crowd?
– How do you want people to perceive you?
– How do you want to make people feel?
Coca-Cola’s brand voice is built around the idea of happiness and joy.
Step 4: Create a list of standards
As you’re developing your guidelines, it’s a good idea to lay out some specifics about what to do—and what not to do—when communicating on behalf of your brand. For example, maybe there are certain words you want to avoid when talking about yourself, your brand, or your customers. Or, perhaps you want to be quirky without coming across as weird, and casual without an emphasis on slang terms or forced humor.
By including these types of details in your voice and tone guidelines, you’ll always have a helpful resource you can refer back to if you’re not sure how to handle a particular content situation.
Step 5: Share them with your team
If your team isn’t familiar with your voice and tone guidelines, there’s a good chance they won’t be followed at all. Take the time to explain the new guidelines to your current staff and incorporate them into the onboarding and training process for new hires, too. Provide real-world examples of the voice and tone in action, and take time to answer everyone’s questions about how to implement them. You might even consider publishing the guidelines somewhere—on your website or in your employee handbook, for instance—so they’re easily accessible to the folks who need them.
Step 6: Be consistent
“The way your team executes on your voice and tone guidelines has a measurable impact on people’s trust in your brand,” says Erin, so consistency is key. It’s crucial that you (and the other people who write or communicate on behalf of your brand) incorporate your brand’s updated voice and tone guidelines into everything you do. Every element of your messaging, across all touchpoints and channels, should fit within that framework.
Apple’s brand voice is built around the idea of simplicity, elegance and innovation. They are sleek, aspirational, and highly effective at creating a sense of exclusivity and desirability around its products.
Step 7: Keep them updated
As your brand grows, there’s a good chance your voice and tone will need to evolve a bit, too. And that’s okay! These guidelines are your own; if something isn’t working as you hoped or you need to adjust your communication style, don’t be afraid to switch things up.
