Building Your Brand Voice
Picture this: You’re strolling through a bustling market, surrounded by a sea of vendors fighting for your attention. Suddenly, amidst the chaos, one voice cuts through the noise. It’s distinct, it’s memorable, and it’s undeniably unique. That is the power of a brand voice!
In the crazy competitive business world, we cannot take a “build it and they will come” mentality… While it worked for Kevin Costner in the 1989 hit Field of Dreams, your company will end up striking out. You must put effort and consideration into what makes your brand stand out – what differentiates your brand – and why someone should buy from you over the competition.
That’s where creating a cohesive and consistent brand voice can step up your game. It’s not just about being heard; it’s about being unmistakably YOU. Finding your distinct voice is SO helpful to business success, as it can increase brand recognition, credibility, and customer loyalty. Although creating this sounds daunting, if you stick to what your company stands for, and create a voice that echoes those important values and ideas, it’s actually a breeze. Let’s break it down!
What is a Brand Voice?
Your brand voice is basically your brand’s vibe, its personality shining through in everything it says and does. Whether you’re posting on social media, updating your website, writing blog posts, or sending out emails or ads, your brand voice should be rock-solid and consistent across the board. Think of it like this: your brand has its own language, its own way of talking that makes it uniquely you. When it comes to nailing it, remember the three Cs: clarity (so people get what you’re saying), consistency (so they know it’s you every time), and constancy (so your voice stays steady, no matter where or when people hear it).
Step 1: Define Your Target Audience
When crafting your brand voice, nothing matters more than making sure your message hits home with your audience. That’s why it’s important to pinpoint exactly who you’re talking to. By getting crystal clear on your target audience, you can ensure that every word you say resonates with them, forging a connection that’s as strong as it is authentic. So, how do you define your target audience.
Research Existing Customers
Start by taking a closer look at those who are already purchasing your products or services. Check out their age, where they’re from, what they’re into—all the nitty-gritty details. Then, dig deeper into understanding their personality traits, pain points, challenges, and needs. This also holds true for companies selling to other businesses. Just like you would research about an individual consumer you can do it on a company level too. What industries purchase from you? How large are the companies? What pain points are they struggling with? Who are the decision-makers and what does their purchase process look like? By doing this research, you’ll learn so much more about their problems, goals, and desires. This understanding will give you a clearer picture of who your customers are and what motivates them!
Market Research
Learn market trends in your industry! Do research to gather insights about your industry and potential customer segments. This could involve surveys, focus groups, or studying industry reports and trends.
Create Customer Personas
Create detailed personas representing different segments of your target audience. Include information such as age, gender, location, income level, occupation, interests, hobbies, values, challenges, and goals. Use this information to create fictional characters that represent different segments of your target audience. Make it simple by giving each persona a name, age, background, and specific traits to help understand your customer’s needs and preferences better.
Review and Adjust
Regularly review the demographics and traits of your existing customer base, then adjust your target audience definition as your business grows and market conditions change. Stay up-to-date and responsive to make sure your messaging stays relevant and effective!
Step 2: Establish Your Brand Identity
Think of brand identity as the DNA of a company—it’s the personality traits, story, and purpose that make a company stand out. Creating a clear brand identity is helpful to maintaining the same voice across all communications to your audience. Clearly defining:
Your Business Purpose
Having a distinct purpose truly makes your business stand out! It’s not just about selling products or services; it’s about making a difference, solving a problem, or spreading a message that resonates with your audience on a deeper level. Is your company’s goal to be more environmentally friendly? Help investors? Support your community? Once you have it nailed down, clearly write out what your purpose is, provide examples, and keep your purpose front and center when you are communicating to your audience.
Your Business Story
Defining your business’s story involves capturing the core of your journey, values, and vision. Start by exploring the beginning of your brand: What inspired its creation, and what challenges did you overcome along the way? Finally, paint a picture of the future you envision, showcasing how your brand’s story continues to evolve and inspire. Featuring your brand story in your brand identity and messaging helps others to feel personally connected to your company.
Your Vision
What’s the plan for the short term, let’s say a year from now, and where do you envision things in the long run, perhaps in 10 years? Pinning down these goals and the impact you aim to make is crucial. It’s all about shaping your brand identity around these goals, so you can add them into your messages and voice, helping to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Your Brand Personality
Imagine your business as a person—what would they be like? What tone would they use? What values would they hold dear? Crafting a brand personality is crucial because it adds a human touch to your company, making it more relatable to consumers. For instance, if you’re a business software company, you might lean towards a professional and formal tone since you’re dealing with other businesses. On the other hand, if you’re an alcohol brand selling to individual consumers, you might opt for a fun and easy-going personality, cracking jokes in your messaging. This personality is key to giving your audience a glimpse into what your company stands for.
When creating your brand identity, keep in mind the identity, wants, and needs of your target audience. Once you have this nailed down, combine all these attributes to form your brand identity!
Step 3: Create a Style Guide
Putting together a style guide for your brand’s identity, purpose, and values gives you a clear plan for making sure all your messages are consistent and make a big impact. This guide becomes even more important as your business expands and your team grows, making sure everyone’s on the same page and your brand stays strong. Your style guide helps you keep all your communications in line with your brand’s personality, making sure they connect with your audience every time.
Here’s what to include:
- Your brand’s purpose and values
- A short history of your company
- A definition of your brand’s “personality”
- Your target audiences
- Customer personas
- Guidelines on language, grammar, emoji, and punctuation usage
- A list of specific words or phrases to use, and avoid
- Examples of your brand voice in action
Think of your style guide as your brand’s cheat sheet, guiding you on everything from the words you use to the vibe you’re putting out there. Platforms like Canva or Google Docs make it easy to create your own guide. So, whether you’re just starting out or already established, having a style guide ensures your brand stays true to itself and resonates with your audience wherever they encounter it.
In a crowded world where everyone’s fighting for attention, having a consistent brand voice isn’t just nice to have—it’s what sets you apart from the pack. By defining your target audience, establishing your brand identity, and creating a style guide to guide your messaging, you’re laying the foundation for success. With every word you write and every message you share, you’re not just communicating—you’re forging meaningful connections, building trust, and standing out in a crowded marketplace. So, embrace your unique voice, tell your story with passion, and watch as your brand resonates with your audience like never before!
