What is a Brand Voice?: Unleash the Power of Your Brand’s Personality
Pop quiz– How well do you really know your brand voice? Could you tell me:
What adjectives describe your brand’s tone on different platforms (IG vs. email vs. website)?
What actually makes your brand unique (your USP)?
How long your sentences are on average?
What words or phrases you would NEVER use in your copy?
If you looked at those questions and went, “oh shit, I’ve got no clue,” stick around. In this blog, I’m explaining exactly what a brand voice really is and how to establish yours. Oh, and I’ve got a brand-spanking-new freebie to give ya. More on that in a sec.
First, let’s address what your brand voice IS NOT. Here’s why your coffee order isn’t cutting it.
Listen, we all have our go-to drink order.
But that doesn’t mean anyone is going to care about yours. Why? Because it tells them NOTHING about what it’s like working with you.
9 times out of 10, couples aren’t looking to become best friends. They want to know who they’re working with and why you’re a good fit for them.
In copy, everything is about the client, even the stuff that’s about you.
This means your About page needs to tell visitors strategic information that will help them make a decision.
So what should you put on there? I’ve got a brand-new FREE resource that will help you decide.
It’s got 25 prompts you can use to add bite-sized bursts of personality on your website.
So what is a brand voice, then?
It all comes down to this: your brand voice is your business’ personality. If your brand were a person, it’s what they’d say and how they’d say it.
Your voice is the heart of your brand. It’s what people connect with when they read your words, and it helps make you sound human and relatable instead of just another internet entity.
A brand voice has many components, including tone, word choice, imagery, sentence length, and stylistic decisions, that all shape how your copy sounds. Just like every time you speak or show up live on socials, every piece of copy for your brand should sound consistent.
Why it matters
Your brand’s voice is a powerful communication tool. It’s important to have a unique and consistent brand voice so you can stand apart from your competition.
I’m sure you’ve heard this before: “In such a saturated market, you HAVE to stand out.”
It’s true– but it’s also not helpful. How do you stand out? What can you do to figure out what makes you unique?
When everyone’s saying the same thing, it’s not what you say that really matters. It’s HOW you say it.
Elements of a Brand Voice
Voice vs. Tone
First, let’s define these two things. Your brand voice is what you say, and your brand’s tone is how you say it. You need both of these things to create brand messaging.
Here’s an example of different tones with the same message.
Message: “Your day, your way”
Example #1: “This is your freaking wedding day– no one’s opinion matters but yours.”
Example #2: “You’ve worked hard to get to this special day, and you deserve everything you’ve always dreamed of.”
Example 1 has a bold, no-nonsense tone. Example 2 is a more soft, comforting tone. Can you see how 2 wedding planners serving the same audience can sound different by the way their tone conveys their brand voice?
Your brand voice’s “big three”
There are 3 things you need to understand well to create your brand voice: your audience, your market, and your brand.
Your audience is your ideal clients, not necessarily the people who follow you or subscribe to your email list. You need to know their fears, desires, struggles, and buying decisions.
Your market includes your industry and local and front-runner competitors. There is a lot of data included here, like pricing, service information, and trends.
Your brand includes your values, USP (unique selling point), brand stories, common themes and imagery, and your goals.
Don’t get overwhelmed just yet– I’ve got more blogs and resources in the pipeline to help you figure out all of this.
How to get started defining your brand voice
Sometimes, the best place to start is with a list of adjectives. You can start with what your brand voice is or what it isn’t.
For example, “my brand voice is confident, not pretentious.”
Remember: you’re defining your brand’s voice, not your brand itself. If your brand is bright, inviting, and bubbly, your brand’s voice might be cheerful, kind, and friendly.
See the difference?
Here’s a list of adjectives to get you started:
Your homework: Make a list of 3-5 adjectives that describe your brand’s voice. Then, download my new resource to help you decide how to showcase your brand on your website. You’ve got this!
