What does your Tone of Voice say about your brand?

Wednesday 5 April 2023

We’ve all said these things when we’re shopping; “Oh, I wouldn’t wear that. No, that’s not very me. I do like that, but I’d pair it with this instead…”

When a brand knows who it is, who its audience is, and what it stands for, it’s able to apply this level of detail to its Tone of Voice.

Let me explain…

What is Tone of Voice?

Tone of Voice is the personality of your brand through the written word. It’s how your brand speaks and sounds on websites, packaging, social media, radio ads etc. A strong Tone of Voice creates a coherent experience across all brand touchpoints, which work together to create a distinct or recognisable brand personality or character.

Why is Tone of Voice important?

Tone of Voice plays a large role in branding. It’s all about how a brand communicates with its audience and therefore influences how your brand is perceived. If it’s done well, it can build real brand trust and customer loyalty. It’s about being authentic with your words and building a real connection with your audience.

What’s this got to do with my fashion choices?

A very good question. The most important thing about Tone of Voice is making sure it’s for your brand. Every brand is unique. And therefore every Tone of Voice should be unique. As unique as your personal wardrobe. As unique as the outfit you’re wearing today. As unique as the clothes you don’t even know you’ll put on tomorrow.

Clothing is a visual expression of us

Every day when we get up and get dressed, what we choose to put on is a visual expression of us – whether we like it or not. At a quick glance, people can see if we are put together or sloppy. They can see if we’re smart, casual or a bit of both. They can see if we’re more likely to be going to a wedding or heading off for a run. This concept is easy to understand.

Our fashion choices are a superpower

Through the clothes we choose to wear, we can influence and impact how we would like to be seen. A good example of this is from the BBC TV show, Dragons Den. Looking at the successful entrepreneur, Deborah Meaden, she often chooses to wear a power suit with high heels. For her, this outfit exudes the quality of being professional. Where this becomes interesting is if we look at another Dragon on the show, Stephen Bartlett. He also wants to be seen as professional, however, he often chooses to wear jeans, a t-shirt and trainers.

Two very different outfits. One a little more formal. One a little more casual. Both professional. How does this work? Individual branding. Both dragons are choosing to wear what’s right for them. They are both being professional, in the same setting, but likely attracting different audiences. And that’s the same approach that needs to be applied with Tone of Voice.

The power of branding

With brand Tone of Voice, there is no single way of being ‘professional’. There is no single way of sounding ‘authoritative’. You need to find the right way of doing it for your brand. It’s about making the right choices for the right reasons.

How do I know what’s right for my brand?

I got ya. Back to my fashion metaphor.

Shopping for clothes

When you’re shopping for clothes, you don’t just pick any item, there is a mental process that happens, whether you’re aware of it or not.

You think of these four things:

1. You as an individual

You take into account your personal size or shape, your height, the colour of your hair, your skin. You think about what clothing works for you.

2. Your personal style

You consider your personal style. Your own taste. The things do you and do not like. Colours, patterns, trends. Whether you want to stand out or blend in. This adds to the process of elimination.

3. The social situation

You might consider the social setting for the outfit. Who will you be with? What will they be wearing? Where are you going? What are you doing? Is it appropriate for a night out or a business meeting?

4. Being practical

And finally, you might take into account any practicalities; will it be warm or cold? Is it comfortable? Is it for indoors or outdoors etc?

All of these questions and considerations help you decide what is the right outfit for you. The best outfit for this day, at this time, for this occasion. And the same thinking can be applied when finding the right Tone of Voice for your brand.

Finding your unique brand Tone of Voice

When you’re finding the right tone of voice for your brand, you don’t just guess or make it up, or copy what any other brand is doing. There is a strategic process to follow.

Consider these four things:

1. Your business

Start with the business type. What’s the nature of your business? What’s the industry context? Is it serious or fun? What products or services are you providing?

2. Brand values

Define your brand values. What does your brand stand for? What does it represent? Is it motivational and empowering or helpful and empathetic?

3. Your audience

Understand your audience. Who are your customers? Who are you talking to? Where are they? How are they feeling? What are their hopes, dreams, and fears?

4. The format

Finally, you need to take into account the format in which you’re communicating. Is it quickly through a tweet? Or slowly with a long-form video? Is it educational? Informative? What’s the purpose and format of the message?

All of these factors come into play when working out the right Tone of Voice for your brand. It’s got to connect with your business, your brand values, your audience and the format in which you’re speaking.

Get to know your unique brand Tone of Voice

If you truly understand your own brand and what makes it unique then you can get detailed with your Tone of Voice.

Just as you change your clothing depending on the weather, where you are, and what you’re doing, your brand Tone of Voice flexes to what’s appropriate in different scenarios. So it’s worth getting comfortable with it so you can use tone effectively and create the impact you wish to create.

Tone of Voice is not to be ignored

Don’t miss the opportunity a considered Tone of Voice provides. Spend time getting to know your own brand and how it should sound.

Think about how you want your brand to come across in everything you write, from big headlines on billboards to online error messages. These are all opportunities to reinforce your brand personality and strengthen your relationship with customers.

So what does your Tone of Voice say about your brand?