I’ve written about the importance of brand voice in this blog before. I was speaking then about writing in the brand voice of a nonprofit, which is critical when trying to appeal to donors. In that role, it was important that I communicate in a way that both inspires the reader to want to help and gives the reader hope that the clients who have been helped are now thriving. The voice was realistic and clear about the problems being addressed in the present, but also hopeful for the future. It was also always active. The brand was always DOING something, feeding someone who is hungry or sheltering someone who was homeless, for example. And the brand voice always asked for engagement from the reader. The brand voice invited the reader into the story and put them to work once they were there. I got really good at writing in this brand voice over the 7.5 years I led the marketing team there.
Now, as a freelancer, I write in the voice of several clients. I believe this is one of the benefits I deliver to my clients. Not every writer can nail a brand voice. It can be hard to step out of your own voice and into someone else’s. For example, I am an innately serious person, so writing in a brand voice that is informal and playful takes thought and effort. It doesn’t come naturally to me. But, I’m good at imagining myself in the figurative heart of a brand and writing from there.
It also take more work to write in a client’s brand voice because you must understand the brand. I don’t write without a complete brand guide to guide me. Much like I did at the nonprofit, I need to immerse myself in the brand. I need to understand the brand’s features, benefits, needs, goals, customers, and most of all, personality. When I write brand guides, I make sure to include a list of character traits, tone examples. and voice inflections. This information is critical to get a brand voice right.
Brand voice represents your brand’s unique perspective and the values you stand for. A brand’s tone refers to how your brand communicates with your audience. Your tone can change based on the situation. For example, our tone was usually more casual in social media because most of the time we were telling stories about our programs, not asking for donations. Our tone in direct mail appeals was more urgent. Your brand’s voice should never change.
A brand voice is a reflection of your brand’s personality. It sets you apart from the crowd. Do you remember those Apple commercials with Justin Long as Apple and John Hodgeman as Microsoft? That is a visual version of the differences between two similar brands. Apple was cool, hip, and young, while Microsoft was stuffy and buttoned-up. Your voice can say a lot about your brand. So, it’s important to get it right, in advertising and in every external communication.
Writing in a brand voice not your own takes some self-assessment and self-awareness. I had to acknowledge who I am and how I think so that I could address the conflicts between my voice and my client’s voice. It’s a skill I’ve learned to use more successfully over the years. A good brand writer tells a brand story from the center, not the sidelines.
If you need help discovering or expressing your brand voice, I would love to help. Reach out to me today.
