Not sure what a brand voice is?
Remember the bad old days before texting when you would answer your phone and immediately recognise who was on the other end just by the way they said “hello”? It was because of their tone of voice and their intonation. With people close to us, we can spot if there is a problem just by the way they say “fine”. We can also spot if we don’t like someone from the way they say things and the words that they use. The same can be said in business.
In much the same way that telephone operators have a script that they need to follow, including specific words and calls to action, so do websites and print media. If you look through my website, you will notice that I have a distinct tone of voice; to the point, friendly, sometimes some banter, but also authoritative. Through my online content, I can convey who I am and what my company represents. It means that my clients don’t suffer a huge surprise when they meet me. My tone of voice is consistent; it crosses all my social media platforms, email correspondence and any print media that I distribute.
If you look at a multinational company such as Coca Cola, for instance, they employ thousands of people, across multiple continents, to speak and write on their behalf. They have to ensure that the voice of the company remains the same, even when it’s translated, and they do this through branding and tone of voice documents. Imagine what would happen if they didn’t have those processes and protocols in place? Their brand would sound like a jumbled mess, unable to engage their customers and bombarding them with different messages.
Maintaining a constant and consistent voice and message is just as crucial for small and medium-sized businesses as it is for large multinationals. Have a think about the team within your company. Are you all singing from the same hymn sheet?
Does your social media match your brand voice?
Who runs your social media? Is there one person looking after Facebook and another looking after LinkedIn? In the majority of cases, it is simpler to hand the social media reins over to one person, thereby ensuring that you aren’t throwing mixed messages at your client base. Be aware though, that if you do this, you will need to make sure that that person is adept and able to speak in your company’s voice. It is also advisable to ask them to sign and agree to a contract whereby they will only use your business’ social media channels to spread news and information about your business. Read about social media management in this blog.
Are all your voices included?
The majority of businesses start out as ‘one-person bands’ and gradually (or sometimes rapidly) grow. In many cases, this means that the original website content and voice no longer match with any newer content that is published. For example, a hairdresser that started out by going to people’s houses will need more up to date content once they have expanded and taken on new stylists. In many cases, the voice of the business should match the team within it, so as it grows the tone of voice evolves.
Do all your brand voices match?
Have a look at your Facebook and LinkedIn pages, is the voice the same as the one on your website? In some instances, it makes sense to choose the content that works best for you and then to replicate it across all platforms. So, if the voice on your website is cheerful and happy, make sure that you get the same feeling from your social media accounts, emails and face to face conversations. There is nothing worse for a customer than finding out that a service they have purchased doesn’t match up to their expectations.
Make sure that everything you share is relevant.
Check to see that the content that is being shared on your business’ behalf reflects your brand and tone. It’s been found that 41% of social media users would unfollow a brand if it were sharing irrelevant information. More importantly, 71% would switch off if they were embarrassed by what they had read. In a world where we are increasingly targeted with online marketing, it is important that your brand stands out from the crowd and provides the service that it is designed to do.
Monitor your audience’s engagement
There are moments when things just don’t go to plan. When you think you have the tone of voice spot on and it just bombs. The key is not to panic but instead to think about what it is about your branding and tone that has stopped customers from engaging. Ask people that you trust to give you a straight answer to tell you what they think, listen and then adapt your voice accordingly. It’s important to listen; after all, it is your company’s persona. Keeping an eye on your metrics is really important, but beware vanity metrics. Also, data is only useful if you understand it and plan to act on it in real-time.
If in doubt, employ a professional
There are people out there who can not only work out precisely what your brand voice is but can also write in it for you. Some call them magical; others call them copywriters. By employing someone to take a step back and look at the best way for your brand to speak, you can then use their feedback and insights to train and develop the rest of your team.
So, remember, your company has one voice. Any more than one, and it will start becoming unrecognisable and irregular. Find the right voice to engage with your customers, and you will be on to a winner. We can help you find your brand voice, get in touch!
