Brand Voice and You
There are those brands…
You know how they look, how they sound, how they feel. They evoke a reaction. Something resonates. It stays with you. When you have gained that recognition as a brand, you’ve made it. But how did you get there? How do you achieve that meaningful connection?
It’s a bit of alchemy, strategic thinking, creativity and planning. And it’s a firm sense of who you are and who you want to be. That’s the stuff relationships are built on. It builds affinity in which you can work to forge conversions and transactions.
That is brand voice; it dwells under the umbrella of the performance branding ecosystem. And, if you haven’t guessed, it’s important.
First Impressions Matter
Your brand voice is the utterance of your brand purpose. It is your first impression for your would-be customer, your introduction, and first impressions matter. It’s your chance to express who you are, the path you are travelling and a bit of the destination. The journey is key, so don’t force it. People see right through disingenuousness. Hence, your voice should be firm, but not pushy, assertive and confident, but not high-pressure.
Your brand voice can also change with the times — no stale, stagnant or stodgy voices here — while remaining constant and consistent to who you are and your brand purpose.
So, what is your brand purpose and voice? Your purpose is who are and how you want to exist in this world. Your brand voice is how you say it, and that statement can be as simple as a few lines to a few paragraphs. It can even be an entire brand book, depending on your needs. Your brand voice will communicate to your intended audience what they can expect from you and sometimes what you expect from them as your ultimate customer. It’s not called a relationship for nothing.
Your brand voice is also your opportunity to set the tone for your message. People respond in different ways to how they’re approached, to content and to the tone in which they’re spoken to. Brand voice and tone are interconnected in that your voice is your consistent message across all forms of communication and tone is the message directed to the channel you want to reach.
For example, if your main goal is to reach a technical audience or a team of experts, you won’t want to use an insouciant, casual or jocular tone. That isn’t to say you can’t be lighthearted or funny, but your knowledge should be apparent and clearly communicated.
In “The Importance of Brand Voice and Tone” from Forbes.com, they note that “voice and tone can shape the end user’s experience and how the company is remembered.” Think about it: your voice and tone can be a turn off; it’s business you’ve lost before you had it. On the other hand, and we love the other hand, a well-communicated brand voice in the right tone can strengthen the appeal of your brand, start the conversation and maybe lead to that conversion and transaction.
Building Your Voice
So, now that we know this is all vital to you and your business, how do we build it? Define your purpose. You cannot have a voice without a purpose. Who are you? Who do you aspire to be? How do you want the world to see you? How do you want to change the world in your own small way?
From there, you can start building your voice.
1. Visuals:
From the logo to fonts to color schemes, your brand should be identifiable and consistent across all mediums. Monroe’s signature black and yellow colors and wing pattern are highly identifiable. The wings are deep in their purpose; Monroe is your angel on the road, keeping you safe with shocks and strut assemblies. Chances are you can identify brands based on their color, logo or font. What examples come to your mind?
2. Personality:
Yes, your brand voice has a personality, yours, and you should think about it in those terms. We all have personality traits that we love and loathe. What traits do you want to highlight? Which would you rather hide? OPTIMA Batteries wants you to know that they are the battery experts who love to have loads of fun. Yes, it's their battery that allows everyone from the drift champion, off-road enthusiast, professional angler (and everything in between) to do their thing. Need to know which battery or charge fits your vehicle? They have that answer, too. The personality of their brand conveys their purpose to provide you with the right product and the right power for your vehicle.
3. Overarching:
Here you’ll set the standard for your brand across mediums. From an eblast to video to social, the elements should be consistent and seamless across creatives. You’ll to conduct an audit yearly to ensure this is happening, that you’re keeping on track with your purpose and to keep your voice fresh. A brand guide or style guide can help you keep track of any changes you make.
4. Audience:
Broadly, who is your audience? You’ll identify the separate channels once you know who your audience is.
5. Channel:
Here’s where you can specifically address a strategic target. Say you’re a door manufacturer like Masonite, with the profound purpose of transforming the humble door. You have multiple audiences for your products, such as the homeowner looking to replace a door or builders. Your message and tone won’t be the same when talking to each of them. What are your strategic target channels?
6. Communication:
It’s a relationship, and responsiveness is beyond important with everyone competing for someone’s eyes. How do you stand apart? For customer service concerns and particularly social media posts, like your customers’ comments, listen to their concerns and appropriately respond. You can’t underestimate how good it makes your customer feel when they know you have seen and value them.
You, your brand, your brand voice and your purpose are one. Remember, nothing is set in stone. Ecosystems shift and adapt to the environment and so should you. Monitor your performance and make changes where necessary. You can stay current and on trend without chasing the latest fad and diluting your true self. You’re also not an automaton. Your brand is authentically you, so show it.
So, what’s your brand voice? It’s just one part of your Performance Branding Ecosystem, and we’re here to help you build it. Let’s walk!
About Lisa Kortebein
Lisa Kortebein (she/they), Proofreading Editor, has over 15 years of advertising experience ranging from retail to media to agency. As a writer, she brings her love of language and words into pieces to drive customer traffic and SEO content. That same passion drives her proofreading and editing. She wants you to put your best foot forward, so she strives to know you and your brand, so we can make the work better. Her Morning Walk is a morning bike ride (and evening, too!) and thinks it's a wonderful way to start and end a day. She loves reading, cooking, writing poetry, watching old movies, gardening and volunteering with The Gathering. You might see her out on her bike. Wave hi, be kind, patient and give her, and all other cyclists, three feet (or more) when passing.