What tone of voice is important? How to use it.
Please speak to me in the tone of voice.
A strong brand language is the foundation of every successful business. It describes the tone, words, and phrases that a company uses to market its products and marketing services in Miami. As important as brand identity is brand language. It has the same impact as visual signals on how consumers perceive a company – it builds awareness, establishes trust, and differentiates it from its competitors.
The tone of voice plays a key role in how a brand uses language. It is the brand’s intrinsic character that is brought to life through words. It’s not about what you say, but how you say them. This includes the language you use, the structure of sentences, and the sound and rhythm of your words. The term “tone of voice” is a common phrase in business meetings. Let’s dive deeper into the meaning of tone of voice, how it can be used, and when it is most useful.
Please indicate your position
Your brand positioning and core values are the first step in developing a tone of voice. What do you believe in as a brand? Are you empowering and dynamic? Are you caring and compassionate? Are you funny or mischievous? Is it smart and a skilled expert in its field? How might these positions affect the tone of voice?
Once you have established your core positioning you can use your brand values as tone of voice principles or rules of thumb to guide the content you write. MailChimp, a dynamic brand, might use bold statements and lots of positive-trigger verbs to grab attention. To show customers they care, a trusted brand like SSE might use warm language, lots of personal pronouns, and use warm language. PaddyPower might be more playful and make jokes.
The where what and when
You can stay true to your brand’s values and core position in all written communications, including packaging, press ads, web copy newsletters, press releases, social posts, UX copy, press releases, and press releases. Depending on the channel you are communicating through, some elements of your tone can be adjusted up or down. Your humanity, for example, might be more evident in your UX copy or your Instagram posts. Or your knowledge and experience may shine through on your website.
Being who you are. Attaining their potential.
Let’s look at how two brands might use their tone to communicate who they are and reach different audiences. For example, a prestige brand might use words like “exquisite” to describe its products to appeal to an older audience. However, a brand that is more casual and speaks to a younger audience might simply say “our lovely things”. For consumers who value simplicity and clarity, the traditional brand might say “Please click here” on its website. However, a more informal brand might say “let’s get this!” so that a Gen-Z customer can relate.
There are a million ways to differentiate between two brands by changing your tone of voice. This allows brands to show their true selves, from the professional, neutral, or expert to the chatty to the exuberant or courageous to the quirky, curious, excitable, or enthusiastic.
From identification to belief
Expressions and words are the primary way that humans express themselves. Why should it be any other for a business? The tone of voice is a key aspect of your brand’s identity. What your brand believes. What it believes. I am passionate about it. It’s striving towards. It is a reflection of our deepest personalities. It is our personality, not the products that allow us to identify with a company and believe in it wholeheartedly.
It’s not enough to have a catchy logo and a visually appealing identity in today’s brand market. Every brand needs a voice. Every brand should have one.
Consistency is key
Consistent voice tone is key to building consumer trust. As we have already mentioned, identifying with a voice is like identifying with someone. Consumers who feel connected to a brand’s personality are more likely to stick with it. While it is possible to use a different tone of voice to suit different situations and audiences, you shouldn’t go too far.
You don’t want to sound like a zealous Gen Z on social media or a stiff-upper-lip bank manager in CRM emails. You need to strike a balance. Keep your core brand values at the forefront of everything you write. Even if you use different words or phrases in different situations, your customers will still know who you are.
Bring your voice to life
Once you have nailed down your brand positioning, brand values, and tone of voice principles, you can start to bring your voice to life. The best way to achieve this is to write. To show how your tone and values can be adjusted, create a messaging exploration document. Next, create a messaging exploration document to show how your tone of voice values and principles can be dialed up or down. Then, create your website, Instagram feed, and newsletters, and have some fun with headlines.
Your brand’s most powerful version
Remember to show, not tell. While many brands have guidelines for the tone of voice, not all have memorable voices. They get so caught up in the rules that they forget how to have fun and not be too serious about them. While your values and principles will help you voice your opinion consistently, they should not be sacrificed for creativity. It’s not necessary to write it because it is right. Or because your guidelines dictate it. It is what you feel. You believe it. You believe it is the best way to reach that person at that moment. Your tone of voice can be a powerful, brilliant expression of your brand.
