Crafting and identifying your brand’s tone of voice is essential for engaging customers. It establishes who you are and why customers should choose your product or service. An engaging tone of voice compels customers to learn more about your company, while a consistent tone of voice builds trust in your offerings.
So, what exactly is a brand’s tone of voice? It is how you communicate with the world, encompassing all your written marketing materials, from flyers to websites. Just like individual personalities, brand tone of voice reflects your company’s personality. For instance, a friendly tone of voice invites, while a daring tone projects strength and confidence. Getting your company’s tone of voice right allows customers to relate to you in the desired way.
Take Apple, for example. Their tone of voice is engaging, informal, and smart – a friendly genius.
Now envision Harley-Davidson. Their voice is rebellious, bold, and fiercely independent. Look at this promotional image.
Why does a brand’s tone of voice matter?
Imagine Harley-Davidson sent an e-blast to their loyal customers with the headline, “We cordially invite you to visit our showroom.” The stiff, formal, and overly polite tone of voice would confuse you, right?
Something like, “Claim your independence. Grab a Harley by the handle bars today,” would be more in line with the tone of voice that you’d expect from Harley-Davidson.
So how do you determine the right tone of voice for your brand?
The first step is to know your origin story—basically the reason your company came into existence.
Knowing your origin story will help you find your brand’s tone of voice.
Let’s think about Nike:
Phil Knight was a track runner at the University of Oregon. He was frustrated by the lack of a running shoe that would support his feet and help him perform his best.
Together with Bill Bowerman, the track coach at the University of Oregon, they created the famous “waffle iron” sole. This sole dramatically enhanced a runner’s ability to run fast and avoid injury.
So, Nike’s origin story is about top athletic performance. No wonder the Nike tone of voice is competitive, inspiring, and confident. That’s the power of knowing your origin story.
Once you identify your origin story, think about your brand as a person. If your brand were to walk in the room, what celebrity would it be? Michael Jordan? Julia Child? George Clooney?
Now imagine your brand as a body of water. Would it be a rushing river? Or an elegant marble fountain? If your brand were a shirt, would it be a plaid flannel shirt? Or an Oxford button-down?
The more you can envision your brand, the clearer your tone of voice will become.
Once you have your brand’s tone of voice, then what?
Be consistent! If your brand’s tone of voice is nurturing, make sure all of your communications soothe and comfort your reader.
If your brand’s tone of voice is highly professional, make sure your marketing language is poised and polished.
If you need more help identifying your brand’s tone of voice, take the Brand Genie quiz. In just twelve questions, the Brand Genie will reveal what brand, including your tone of voice, you should have.
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I’m Andrew Brooks, a seasoned finance consultant from the USA and the mind behind phonenumber247.com.
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