What unites Beyonce, Adele, and Lady Gaga is also what sets them apart - their voices. When one of their songs comes on the radio you know immediately who it is.
The same should be true for your brand. When customers see, or hear, a communication from you it should sound like it's coming from the same company. This includes every communication - marketing, administrative, etc. - your company sends out. The more consistent your communications are, the more customers can pick your brand out amongst the noise.
How to define your brand voice
In order to have a consistent brand voice you need to get everyone in your organization on the same page. To do this you'll want to:
Define your mission statement. This will point your team in the right direction.
Picture your buyer persona, a representation of your ideal customer, and how they would want to be talked to. Free template.
Make a list of words to describe what your brand's voice is (i.e. conversational, helpful, etc.) and what it is not (i.e. pretentious, jargon-filled, etc.).
How to apply your brand voice
When your team applies your brand voice it should sound like one person is writing it, but having one person write all of your communications isn't really productive. So, be sure you create:
A brand voice training document.
Templates your team can use for common communications.
A peer review process for ad-hoc communications.
Examples of brand voice
Wendy's
Their brand as conversational, friendly, funny, and approachable.
Pure Leaf Tea
Their brand is transparent, healthy, and aspirational.
CapitalOne
Their brand is helpful, educational, friendly, and inclusive.
Harvard Business Review
Their brand is educational, data-driven, and well-researched.
What does your brand's voice say about your company? If you need someone to help you define your brand voice or create consistent templates, we can help. Let's schedule a free discovery call.