Brand voice is the way in which your business is portrayed to the public via all forms of communication; this includes aspects such as your website, digital marketing materials, and even the way your customer service response emails are worded and stylized. And every business can be perceived in its own unique way by individual customers, employees, and the general public. It is important that your team is aware of the desired brand voice so that the messaging remains consistent with the core values you want presented. But before you can ensure that, you will need to actually think about and develop a brand voice.
Why Do I Need a Brand Voice?
Many business owners do not take the time required to create and implement a successful brand voicing strategy. This is usually because they never truly considered it; remaining satisfied with the status quo, they let some of their communications and marketing efforts stagnate. And while this may not harm your business, it definitely isn’t helping it. Without a definitive brand voice, you are essentially giving current and potential customers the power to define it for you. Researching and developing a brand voice puts the power in your hands, helping customers see your business the way you want it to be seen.
Determining Your Brand Voice
Deciding on your brand voice requires an in-depth understanding of your target market. This begins with learning about and analyzing the types of people with the highest potential of paying for your product or service. You should be able to gather a good portion of this information by taking note of the specific qualities and characteristics of your current customer base. Aside from their demographics, think about the successful interactions you have had with them in the past. What made those interactions successful? Maybe your customers like when you provide them with detailed, technical explanations of what it is you are offering. Or perhaps they are more receptive to a more personal, somewhat neighborly approach, giving them the essential facts intermingled with small talk. Once you have a grasp on this, you will be better informed on how to “speak” to potential customers within website content, social media posts, and other forms of media.
What if I Have Distinctive Sets of Customers?
Many businesses may have B2B aspects and B2C aspects, or a female product line and a male product line. If something similar to this is the case for your business, you should develop multiple personas for your brand voice. Your brand voice may need to fluctuate depending on its intended audience. Although this necessitates additional effort on your part, it is well worth the effort and prevents you from alienating certain segments of your target market.
Action and Analysis
After you have developed your brand voice, it is time to put it into action. Before doing a complete overhaul on all communications and marketing material, you may want to consider testing your brand voice out on a smaller grouping of potential clients. You can also create multiple versions of these materials, enabling you to run A/B testing which will provide you with valuable data on what worked and what could use some improvement. You will eventually find the ideal tone that resonates with your target market and successfully promotes the growth of your business.
