08/05/2024
Having a defined Tone of Voice is crucial for any brand.
But have you really nailed it down and documented it?
A brand is much more than colours and visuals. It's the consistent use of every element – from the style of photography to the way it communicates – that builds authenticity and memorability.
Tone of Voice guides how the brand speaks. And the more specific you are, the more consistent it will be.
Here’s what to include:
✔ Guidelines on sentence structure and length. Some brands like to never use commas so everything sounds pointed and efficient. Others, like us, welcome them to sound more chatty.
✔ The desired tone. Like “fun” - but what kind of fun? Like a pleasant game of Uno, or the kind of fun that involves waking up with a traffic cone on your head?
✔ Whether to use contractions. Some do, some don’t.
✔ Punctuation, capitalisation and grammar preferences. Maybe your brand can go rogue and put an “And” at the beginning of a sentence… 👀
✔ Legal considerations. If your industry is regulated, how can you say what’s compulsory, but in a different way?
✔ Examples! These show other people in your team the parameters they need to follow:
➡ Approved vocabulary and phrases to use (or avoid). Maybe you have “customers”, or “service users”. Perhaps “clients”?
➡ Key messages that capture your brand's essence
Defining your Tone of Voice starts with understanding your audience and brand values. These values shape how you want people to feel when engaging with your brand.
With this foundation, you can craft a Tone of Voice that resonates.
