In this era where consumers demand that brands be more and more human, where they seek, beyond simply buying a product, to create a close relationship with the brands they consume, it is essential that you take the time to define the way in which that you are going to communicate with your audience, that is, that you find that voice that will represent your brand wherever it goes and that transmits what it is in essence.
The voice is the expression of the brand’s personality through the words, sentences and terminologies it uses and can be described by one or more adjectives, those that best define it. The voice of your brand can have several nuances depending on the situation, context or space in which it takes place and these are known as tones. It is a single voice with many tones.
Why is it important to define the voice and the communicational tone of your brand?
One of the things that differentiate us as human beings is how we speak and the discourse we express depending on the topics that interest us and the same happens with your brand. When your brand has a well-defined way of speaking or discourse, it manages to differentiate itself from the others and stand out depending on the tone it uses in the different situations in which it may find itself.
Another reason is that we are sociable beings by nature, when your brand has a voice it generates conversation, and there is nothing we like more than having someone to talk to. Well said Jay Baer of Convince and Convert:
“Don’t just give your clients something to talk about, give them someone they can talk about.”
Generate conversations with your clients, strengthen relationships, listen to them and respond to their needs, you achieve this, and you will be leveraging the best marketing of all, the word of mouth.
5 easy steps to define the tone and voice of your brand:
- Thoroughly examine and identify your culture, your unique qualities, your unshakable values, they are the pillar of everything. Remember that your voice must reflect what your brand is in essence.
- Get to Know: Take some time to get to know your audience, listen to them, and how they communicate. This will give you more clarity when it comes to defining the language you will use to communicate with her.
- Difference: research your competition and identify how they communicate, what style of tone and voice they use and make a difference, what you want to stand out for and why you don’t.
- Define which are those communication pieces or resources that you are going to use. What tone are you going to wear, ask yourself how you want people to feel when they come into contact with your brand, do you want them to feel that they are talking to a friend or someone unreachable, will you have a relaxed or scientific tone? …
- Question: there is no better opinion than what your client can give you. Ask your customers how they felt when they came into contact with your brand. Ask them to describe you with an adjective (you can offer them a short list of adjectives that they understand best describe you). This will give you perspective on whether or not you are on the right track. You can support yourself from email marketing, interviews or surveys.
Last but not least, be coherent, authentic and consistent once you have defined the tone and voice of your brand.