Finding Your Brand Voice

Finding a distinct and recognizable brand voice can be difficult, but it is an essential part of creating an impactful message and brand. Your brand voice is a part of your online identity, and how you communicate with your customers. Having a distinct voice that resonates with others will help foster stronger relationships. Without one, it’s all too easy to get lost in the noise online. 

To create a strong brand voice, there are a few steps you need to take.

 

Know your Audience

Take some time to reflect on your audience. Who are they? What are their lives like? What are their interests? What is the challenge they face that your company can solve?

Who your audience is will determine what type of tone you should use in your writing. The way a skateboard company talks to their audience (skateboarders) is MUCH different from how a textbook company would speak to theirs (educators and decision makers), right? Here is a great guide to get you started on defining your target audience.

 

Reflect on how you speak naturally

Think about how you talk to your friends, family, and colleagues. Do you tend to add humor to conversations? Are you usually direct and serious? Take some time to reflect on the way you naturally communicate. This will help inform what words and tone of voice come naturally to you.  It’s best if you use at least some of your instinctive components in your brand voice. Writing in a way that is far from your natural voice is more difficult, likely to be awkward, and unless you are a skilled writer, will not sound authentic.

 

Create a Brand Voice Guide

Being consistent with your brand voice can be challenging. Take the time to really consider your word choice, tone of voice, and even the punctuation you will use for your business. Then, put those guidelines on paper.

There are a lot of different ways to say the same thing! Here are some examples to get you started.

1.) Here at [company], we care about our environmental impact.  

2.) We’re aware of our environmental impact here at ____, so we do what we can. Kinda. Sorta. But hey, it’s something. Better than nothing, right? 

3.) At [company], we are passionate about being mindful of what we leave behind for the next generation. 

4.) At our place, we love Mother Nature and never leave a mess behind! 

See the difference? Each has the same message: We care about the environment. However, each one is distinctly different and gives the reader a hint at who the company is. So whether you’re serious, funny, or sarcastic, writing down your brand voice and having it accessible to all team members will make adhering to a consistent tone much easier.

Communicating with your customers through a strong brand voice can help you create more meaningful relationships and foster trust. Don’t underestimate the power of words! Put in some time up front to craft your brand voice, and it will save you time in the long run…you’ll always have a ready template.

Done! 🎉 🤩 💯 😊  I hope this helps as you journey to find a distinct and recognizable brand voice for your business. Let me know if you have any questions or need more guidance. I’m here for you!