In an age of online chatter and endless content your brand voice needs to be heard more than ever. One way to achieve this is to make sure your voice reflects your brand personality and reflects your brand identity. These are the brand elements that will allow your audience form an emotional connection with your brand.
Begin With Honesty
Take the time to think about your brand voice and ask yourself is it an honest voice? Are you telling your audience what they want to hear? Or, are you telling your audience the truth? It is very important that your voice is an honest one and each and every time your brand speaks it does so with an honest voice. When you become known as an honest voice your brand immediately differentiates itself in an online world where the truth is often ignored.
The Power Of Simplicity
People want easy to understand information that can be acted upon. They have no time decipher a complicated voice. They may also think you are hiding something by using a complicated explanation. We are all familiar with “terms and conditions” that are obviously hiding something in their complexity. When you speak let your voice be easily understood.
Consistency Is Key
When I hear your voice it needs to be consistent with what you said yesterday. There is nothing more off-putting than a brand that uses a different voice every time it communicates with me. It needs to be consistent no matter the medium or the social media platform. A lack of consistency makes your brand suspect. I start to ask myself what does this brand stand for? Do I believe them? The more questions I need to ask the less I trust it. Develop your brand voice and stick with it.
Reflect The Real World
No brand operates within a vacuum. Every brand is part of a complicated ecosystem that is your business. Your voice must reflect what is happening your business. For example there is no point in having a friendly voice if your customer service is the least friendly operation in the business. Your voice must reflect what is happening in the rest of your business. No audience will buy into a voice that is simply a PR stunt.
The Need For A Unique Brand Voice
It might seem easy to mirror a successful competitors voice, put simply it won’t work. All brands are unique and they need to have a unique voice. It is this uniqueness that makes your audience want to hear from you above your competitors. They like something about your brand and they want to hear from you because your brand connects with them on an emotional level.
Finding Your Brand Voice
“The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve.”
Buddha
Always take your time when finding your voice. Ask yourself what is it about your brand that will give you this special voice? What is your brand identity? Does your voice convey your brand personality? What does your voice say to your audience about your brand? Will they be impressed? Will you form an emotional connection with your audience?
When you find your voice make sure you stick to it. Let it be honest and easy to understand. Most importantly it needs to be unique and reflect your actual brand.