Brand Voice: What It Is & Why It Matters

Brand Voice: What It Is & Why It Matters

Every brand has its own voice and unique way of communicating with the world. But if you can't figure out how to express that voice to your audience, you risk being ignored or, worse, confused.

As a marketer, you must be able to craft a message that is so powerful that it speaks directly to your potential customers. You must be able to connect to your ideal customer personally. The easiest way to do this is by developing a brand voice. 

A brand voice is your ability to connect to your audience by speaking to them in their language, using their vocabulary and talking to their emotions. This is the essence of connecting to your audience.

Think about a brand that you love. You love this brand because it speaks to your innermost being. This is how you need to talk to your potential customers. 

Every marketing campaign, email, and tweet must have a clear and concise brand voice. If you cannot identify your brand voice, you must develop one.

To build a brand, you need to develop your voice, unique selling proposition (USP) or what makes you different from other brands in your niche.

Historical Development of Brand Voice

The concept of brand voice has its roots in early advertising and brand management strategies. Historically, brands used consistent messaging to build trust and recognition.

As advertising evolved, brand voice emerged as a key element in distinguishing brands.

Over time, it has transformed from simply a way to communicate to being an integral part of a brand's identity. Today, it plays an essential part in cultivating meaningful connections with audiences.

What is a Brand Voice?

The Brand Voice is a new way of understanding the world of the brand. It includes the characteristics and values which distinguish one brand from another. 

This is a way of thinking about changing brands. For centuries, people have used words like quality, service, value and reliability to describe different brands. But these traditional ways of looking at the world have given way to a much more fluid and imaginative view of brands and how they work. 

The most distinctive feature of this new approach is the idea that every brand should have its unique personality.

A brand with personality can do things no other brand can, such as stand out in the minds of customers or provide an experience we can remember. It is this ability to communicate that character that sets the brand apart.

Brands must be distinctive and memorable and be able to tell stories about themselves and what they stand for. In a word, they need to have a ‘voice'.

Brands need to speak a language which customers understand. 

The language of voice is about using words, phrases and images that customers use to think about themselves and their lives, allowing the brand to stand out in the customer's mind. For example, people say, ‘I love that brand' or ‘I hate the company'. 

So, if you are the owner of a brand, you need to be able to create a set of words and phrases that mean something to customers that allow the brand to tell a story about itself.

When you make a new product, a campaign or a website, it is easy to think about the words and images you want to use. But when it comes to your brand, you need to think much harder.

The new approach to Brand Voice is to look at what you and your customers say about your brand and use that information to create a new language. If you do this well, you can make your brand's personality come alive.

Why Your Brand Voice Matters

Brand Voice is a powerful tool for communicating your business messages. As more businesses connect online, your brand needs to be just as effective. Whether you run a small or large company, your brand voice must be consistent. This is an integral part of building trust with your customers.

When it comes to branding, it's more than just a logo and a tagline; it's about communicating who you are and what you do. Your brand reflects the values and personality of the people who work with you. It's how your company wants to be perceived by its customers and the media.

If you're wondering why you should care about your brand voice, here are three reasons you should consider your brand voice before making any changes to your marketing message.

1 – Trust

The first reason to create a brand voice is to establish customer trust. Your brand voice sets you apart from other businesses in your industry. When your customers hear your company's voice, it gives them a sense of security and trust.

This is crucial in an economy where consumers are wary and sceptical. Customers need to know they can go to you and expect the same kind of customer service they'd receive from their favourite coffee shop, restaurant, hotel or car dealership.

2 – Connection

Customers who connect with your brand are likelier to buy your products and services. They also feel you will deliver what you say you will. How you market your products and services reflects your kind of business.

A high-profile company with a strong brand voice will gain a loyal customer base. However, a low-profile business will struggle to connect with its customers.

3 – Reputation

Your brand voice affects your reputation as a company. Your reputation matters whether you're a small local business or a larger company. It's one of the most potent forms of advertising you can use.

When customers recognise your name and voice, they associate it with quality. They associate your business with being a safe bet.

When you've established your brand voice, you'll have a much easier time communicating with your customers, and your business will grow faster.

Real-World Examples of Successful Brand Voices

Numerous brands have crafted engaging brand voices that resonate deeply with their audiences. Take Nike, for instance. Known for its motivational and empowering messages, Nike's voice inspires athletic achievement.

Similarly, Apple's voice is clean and sophisticated, emphasising innovation and simplicity. These brands have successfully created voices that reflect their values and speak to their target customers effectively.

Tips for Developing Your Brand Voice

A brand voice is created for different mediums, such as videos, audio, email campaigns, social media, etc. The first step in developing a brand voice for a particular medium is to understand the needs and problems of the target audience for that medium. 

The brand voice developer must know the problems of the customers who use the medium. This helps in creating a solid and appropriate solution for those problems. 

After identifying these problems, the brand voice developer starts to think about the company's problems in that medium. Once the problems are identified, the brand voice developer develops creative ideas and solutions for these problems.

A brand voice developer usually has three primary roles. They are:

1. Analyser – The analyser plays a significant role in creating the brand voice. They are responsible for collecting information related to the target audience and their problems. The brand voice developer uses market research tools, surveys, and focus groups to collect data on the target audience and their problems.
2. Idea generator – The idea generator creates creative ideas that solve the target audience's problems. They are the ones who think of the best solutions to the problems that the target audience faces in each medium.
3. Content developer – The content developer creates content broadcasted through different mediums. They are responsible for creating messages that appeal to the target audience and deliver the brand values.

As mentioned above, the brand voice developer performs the three primary roles.

There are four secondary roles. These are:

1. Marketing Strategist – The marketing strategist looks into how they will use the brand voice in different mediums.
2. Technical writer – The technical writer writes the copy and scripts for the brand voice.
3. Copy editor – The copy editor checks the content the developer has written and adds the right words.
4. Graphic designer – The graphic designer creates the logos, visuals, and other graphics required to develop the brand voice.

Tools to Develop and Maintain Brand Voice

Developing a consistent brand voice can be supported by various tools. Platforms like Grammarly offer tone detection features, helping ensure your written communications align with your brand voice.

Brand tone guides can be extremely helpful, providing a framework to maintain uniformity. Social media analytics also play a role, allowing brands to monitor audience reactions and adjust their messaging to keep their voice relevant and engaging.

Tools like Slack and Trello can also aid in team collaboration, ensuring everyone stays aligned with the brand's tone and messaging approach.

How to Communicate Your Brand Voice?

Branding is vital for every business. A strong brand can make you stand out in a crowded marketplace and give you a competitive edge. It is about knowing your audience and what they want. Your voice should be clear and consistent while always trying to improve.

Communication is one of the most critical parts of your brand. It helps your customers understand your products and services and keep them returning. This section will teach you how to communicate your brand voice to customers.

1 – Create a Brand Vision Statement

Brand vision statements are a marketing tool that describes what your brand stands for. They give a concise description of who your company is. They can also help you focus your branding efforts.

To write a brand vision statement, write down everything you know about your brand. What does your brand stand for? Why do you exist? Where do you want to go in the future? What does your brand promise?

After you've answered these questions, try to make them concise. Your brand vision should be no longer than 30 words.

2 – Create a Brand Mission Statement

Your brand mission statement is like your mission statement for your business. It describes the core reason why your company exists. This helps you connect with your audience and explains why people should choose your brand over others.

It is also a good idea to include in your mission statement what you want to achieve in the future. For example, your mission might be to provide excellent customer service and offer great products.

3 – Define your Brand Personality

Branding is not just about your products. It is also about the way you talk and interact with customers. Customers love brands that are warm, friendly, and approachable.

Your brand personality should show through in every aspect of your communication. When you're talking to customers, your tone and body language should convey a sense of warmth and friendliness.

Here are some ways to create a brand personality.

• Use short sentences.
• Show confidence.
• Show excitement.
• Be enthusiastic.
• Talk about yourself and your team.
• Use humour.
• Be positive.

4 – Create a Brand Motto

Your brand motto is a catchy and memorable way to represent your brand. It can be a slogan, a motto, or a tagline. It is usually one sentence that explains the purpose of your brand.

You'll gain a competitive advantage if you can make your brand motto easy to remember and memorable. People will remember your brand.

Challenges in Maintaining Brand Voice Consistency

Maintaining a consistent brand voice across different platforms poses several challenges. With the multitude of digital touchpoints, ensuring uniformity can be difficult.

Staff turnover might lead to changes in tone if the brand voice isn't well documented. Additionally, the need to adapt to various cultural contexts can challenge consistency. To overcome these hurdles, brands must invest in comprehensive guidelines and continuous team training.

Regular audits can be conducted to assess and refine the voice across all communication channels, ensuring the message remains coherent and compelling.

Measuring the Impact of Brand Voice

Evaluating the impact of your brand voice involves several metrics. Customer surveys can provide insights into how your voice is perceived.

Social media engagement metrics, such as likes, shares, and comments, can indicate resonance with audiences. Furthermore, you can track changes in brand perception through reviews and feedback to determine if your voice effectively communicates your brand's message.

How to Evaluate If Your Brand Voice Is Working

It sounds easy. Unfortunately, it's not. It's tough to know whether your brand voice is working.

We're not talking about the product's quality or the service's performance. We're talking about the way that your brand behaves with your customers.

• Do you deliver on time? 
• Do you keep your promises? 
• Do you follow up with your customers? 
• Do you have a clear policy about how you resolve problems?

So many factors go into what makes a good customer service experience. Even if you have all these things going for you, it might still not be enough.

That's because people's expectations have changed. People are expected to be treated fairly and provided with information and support that helps them succeed. They want to feel like they matter. They want to be valued. They want to be respected.

Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen in real life. Customers can feel ignored. They can feel like you don't care about them. And that's when they stop trusting you.

They won't come back if you're not treating your customers well. If they stop coming back, your business will die.

Conclusion

Your brand voice isn't something you decide at the last minute and stick to. Brand voice is the fundamental way that brands communicate with the world. It's the foundation of everything else that a brand does. 

If you want your brand to speak effectively to customers, you need to know how to craft a voice that resonates, that customers recognise and trust, and that communicates who you are, what you stand for, and what you want to offer.

This is based on the emotional connection between you and your target audience. Discover what it takes to build your unique brand voice and take your audience on a journey.