Someone told me recently that they appreciated my writing because it struck them as a reflection of me as a person. The voice and tone of my article was authentic and vulnerable in a way that made them see me. Needless to say, I was flattered… but, I was also intrigued.
You see, a solid brand voice and tone in content is vital. With online content, you aren’t given the luxury of a face-to-face interaction, so you really need to rely on how you say things to get your message across. With the revolving door of attention spans, you need as many hooks as you can get to keep your reader interested.
But how do you do that? How do you capture a brand voice that holds your readers’ attention? Evokes a feeling? Keeps people coming back?
Well… there’s a lot of planning and strategizing.
It starts with your brand foundations. Building a brand is complicated. Perfecting your voice and tone, building that confidence and authority in your words – it’s all part of a larger process.
I’m here to help simplify it.
Brand Basics
Business aspect aside, (which let’s face it, there is a tonne you need to know!), creating a brand involves a deep dive into so many different layers. You almost need a degree in psychology to identify who you’re targeting, how you want to show up, and what it is going to take to get there. Let’s not even get into value propositions, and brand positioning (YET! like I said, layers).
You need to choose the colours that evoke the right emotion, create a brand story that strikes the right chords, and define a brand personality, voice, and tone that speaks to the people you’re looking to work with, and design a logo that encapsulates your vibe.
And while you’re building this brand (which can be a personal brand), you need to maintain a certain degree of detachment because even though the brand is your creation, it’s not for you.
You don’t need to sell yourself to yourself, right? No.
But you do need to sell to your audience.
What Is A Brand Voice?
Assuming you’ve been through the bulk of your branding process, (if not, let’s chat!) – and now you’re working on your messaging. We should start with a simple question: what do I mean by brand voice and brand tone?
Good question.
Have you ever walked into a store and the music is loud and abrasive? The bass is thumping like a nightclub but it’s only ten in the morning and you definitely haven’t had enough coffee to feel confident your eardrums can take the abuse? (don’t deny it, we’ve all been there) It’s that moment when you look around, and despite having a reason for the visit, you high-tail it out of there because the store ‘just isn’t for you?”
That’s an example (albeit a little extreme) of brand voice and tone. It’s the personality and the vibe that you give to your brand to attract your dream clients.
A brand voice is a reflection of your brand’s mission, values and identity and serves the purpose to help you stand out from your competition. It’s what you say and how you say it.
Tone on the other hand is the emotion that propels your message forward, and the mood you build with your words.
Though often used interchangeably, your brand voice and tone are two different elements of your brand presence. When put together you create a storytelling powerhouse that can leave a lasting impression with your audience.
What Does a Brand Voice Do?
Brand voice is not just buried in the words you use. It’s in how you craft your message, how you share your information, and the impression that you leave behind. It’s the influx of personality that you give your brand.
A successful brand voice:
- is clear
- is consistent
- adds character
For your business this is great!
Knowing the voice of your content will help you streamline the ins and outs of your messaging and make it easier for you to create in within the framework you have set out for your communications.
Your voice will be the same throughout all your content, which takes a lot of the guess work in finding the right words.
For your audience, a strong brand voice is essential.
Remember that I said it adds personality?
A consistent voice helps your business stand out, it allows you to be creative and put your own unique twist in your content that sets you apart from others. It’s that personality that drives the emotional connection with your dream clients. They will feel something when they interact with your content because you crafted that personality with them in mind.
Next time…
Now that you have the foundation for what a brand voice is and how it can play into your overall brand and business we need to dig into your brand message.
Stay tuned for the next installment of brand basics where we discuss brand message and discuss how your message and brand voice work together.
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