The tone and style that you use to communicate with your audience is your voice. It connects you with your audience.
Connecting with your audience, including your ideal client/customer is the difference in sparking action vs inaction. Action is what you want. In a world where people have thousands of choices, all just a click away, you need to inspire your audience to do something. Maybe you want them to subscribe to your newsletter, read your white paper, purchase your products, or complete a contact form?
No matter what it is you want them to do, the key is encouraging them to do something.
And what’s the fastest way to connect with your ideal customer in a way that sparks action? It’s to know exactly who they are and then speak directly to them in a voice that’s specific to your brand.
This is the power of a strong brand voice. When you do this, you won’t just connect, but the voice of your brand will be one of your distinguishing factors in your marketplace. Let’s face it, there’s a lot of competition out there. You need tools and strategies to stand out. Your voice can help you do that.
Let’s break down even further why voice is so important for your brand.
A distinct brand voice is laser-specific for your company. When done correctly, it makes your business recognizable and you stand apart from others.
This engages people. And not just any people, but the right people: potential customers become buyers. Employees feel a part of something greater. Partners engage and collaborate.
Now we’ll look at two examples that illustrate just how vital a strong brand voice is.
Dollar shave club
Taking a look at their website and advertising videos, their voice can be summed up as funny, personable, and informal.
Their voice comes through loud and clear in their marketing, on their website, and in all their communication.
Try watching one of their humorous, relatable advertising videos and you’ll probably agree. Their advertising gives you a clear idea of the company. It comes through in their voice, the style, and tone of their marketing.
At first glance, you may also notice they use explicit language in some of their advertising. Whether you agree with that style or not, keep in mind they are trying to reach a specific, ideal customer (who probably doesn’t mind profanity). It’s a brave move that has proven successful for them.
When you come across something from Dollar Shave Club, you recognize them, not just because of their product, but because of their voice. It’s unmistakable, especially within the male shaving marketplace, typically competitive. A market that was already saturated, you’d think when dollar shave club started in 2011 that it would be hard to get attention.
They quickly distinguished themselves in the marketplace for many reasons, their voice is one.
This recognition builds a connection with their potential, current, and any past customers.
Here’s another outstanding example. This time, we’ll head in the opposite direction, from affordable to exquisite. Rolls Royce has been serving up expensive automobiles since 1906. They are a luxury brand serving a high-end clientele.
– Their voice is crisp and formal –
Their products are only for a select few, and so, contrary to companies like Dollar Shave Club, they aren’t trying to appeal to a large number of ‘everyday’ people.
This is clear from their marketing, vision, and, of course, voice. It’s recognizable and distinguished. You can know what to expect with their marketing, and more importantly, with their product line.
So now you understand what your brand voice is and why it is so vital for your business. What’s next?
Time to check your voice by doing an assessment of your brand voice.
The first step is to get clear on who you’re trying to reach. Who is your ideal customer?
Get specific, not just demographically, but lifestyle-wise.
A big mistake many new companies make is thinking their products and services are good for everyone. Here’s the problem with that logic: it’s hard to speak to everyone. Everyone has different tastes, needs, preferences. Instead, get specific.
The more specific you are, the easier it will be to create and communicate a clear brand voice that will spark your ideal customer into action when they hear and see it.
Always remember that a significant part of your voice will be why you do what you do and why it matters (your Values, another pillar of the Branding Framework. All five pillars of the Branding Framework work together. They are like ingredients in a delicious pie. Leave one out, and your pie just doesn’t taste right.
When you take your other pillars into consideration and set out to create a clear voice for your business, also remember that uniformity is key. It’s vital that each piece of text, visuals, images, etc. fit with one, cohesive voice.
Your voice should not differ from one piece of communication to another. The goal is to remain recognizable and distinct.
Creating this strong, uniform voice will lift your brand and business to a higher level.