Your brand has a voice but how do you know it is the right voice?
Let me clarify. By brand voice, I don’t mean a jingle or the sound of your audio logo etc. While these are all important things, I am talking about the tone of your communication and the style of your writing.
Brand voice is a purposeful, meaningful and consistent expression of a brand through the words and phrases that engage and motivate your audience. It is part of a system of items like your logo, brand colors, photography style etc. that make up your brand. All of these items work in conjunction to represent and build your brand equity.
Here are 4 tips to help you build a brand voice that will help attract the right customers:
1. Define
First choose three words that capture the personality of the voice you want for your brand. Then, choose three more words to set the limits.
Examples: Bold, but not arrogant. Irrelevant, but not offensive. Loud, but not obnoxious. (Buffalo Wild Wings)
2. Differentiate.
Review the tone and voice of your competitors and see how and where you fit in as well as where you can differentiate your own message.
3. Listen.
Listen to your audience. Build that persona and decide what kind of language they would use or the type of language they are looking for. Your customer should always be your foundation and where you look for guidance.
4. Engage.
Every brand needs to engage their audience. The best way to do that is to stop trying so hard and be a little laid back. Don’t shy away from the conversational, friendly tone that expresses personality.
5. Evolve.
Never stop keeping pace with your audience. Your brand voice is not fixed, it is fluid and will be ever evolving. Your own knowledge about your brand voice should continue to grow and change as well. Continue to analyze your competitors, constantly tweak your persona and never stop learning from the leading brands.