Why Tone of Voice Matters

Imagine that your brand is a character in a television show.  Are you the dour, hardened detective, from the wrong side of the tracks or are you the sweet old lady solving mysteries on the side?  Each has distinctive characteristics and ways of talking, to uniquely interact with the audience.  What they don’t do is suddenly take on a different personality – well not normally!  It doesn’t really work.

It's the same for your brand.  If you don’t have a distinctive and consistent tone of voice, constantly flitting somewhere between a jolly friend and a funeral director, it can impact the entire view of your brand and make it very hard for people to connect.

To build a strong tone of voice for your business:

• Take the time to define who your customers are - Understand their needs, challenges, motivations, and buying behaviours. The more you know about what makes them tick, the easier it will be to tailor your messaging so it resonates.

  
  

• Decide what personality your business wants to convey - Are you approachable and friendly, authoritative and professional, or innovative and disruptive? This personality will set the tone for all your communications, from social media posts to website copy.

  
  

• Check your competitors’ messaging - Look for gaps, overused language, or opportunities to differentiate yourself. This ensures you’re not blending in with everyone else’s voice.

  
  

• Don’t be afraid to be different – Standing out often means breaking away from the safe, expected route. A distinct tone of voice can make you memorable and build stronger connections with your audience. Just make sure your style feels authentic to your brand.

  
  

• Work out a persona that represents your values and helps you stand out – Think of your brand as a person. Give it traits, quirks, and a way of speaking that embody your company’s values. This humanises your business, builds trust, and ensures you stand out in a crowded marketplace.

  
  
  
  

Are you the heritage, established brand, or are you the young innovator that disrupts the market? Of course, tone of voice should adapt and flex to the information that is being conveyed but it should never truly deviate from your overall personality. 

A  clear and steady tone of voice will help you cut through all that other marketing noise and mean you set yourself apart. So next time, when you are writing some copy or a email to your customers, don’t forget to ask yourself, how am I talking to my customers and what exactly is this telling them about my business?