Whether you realize it or not, your company already has a voice. Your newsletter, your blog, your emails and indeed your ecommerce site itself have already informed the public about the way you view yourself. It’s wholly evident in the tone of your communications and the writing style you employ. If shoppers are responding positively, you’re in great shape. However, if your company is languishing—even though you feel you’ve done everything right—perhaps it’s time to purposefully set about developing your brand’s voice.
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What Is Your Voice?
In the simplest terms, voice is the style and tone in which communications are delivered. At its core, your voice is a physical manifestation of your values. This holds true for both external and internal communications.
How to Find It
To be an asset, your voice must resonate with your ideal customer. Thus, it’s important to listen before you speak to become attuned to the way your core audience expresses itself. What are their cultural touchstones? Where are their social sensibilities? What’s important to them? How do they talk? Do they tend to be formal and precise, or casual and conversational? Monitor their social media feeds to get a sense of their vernacular.
Sincerity and Consistency are Critical
Ideally, you’ll be talking to people in your own social set, but if you aren’t, “faking it until you make it” is a recipe for disaster. Your words will ring false and you’ll do extensive damage to your brand. This is just as true if you happen to selling ebooks online or water skis. If you’re trying to attract an audience with which you have no familiarity, hire staff members, as well as marketing and public relations firms who do.
Once you’ve developed your voice, it should be employed in all of your communications, so regardless of where people encounter it, your personality is always the same.
Create a “Bible”
To ensure your tone is always the same—regardless of who originates communiqués—create a style guide and issue it to everyone tasked with engaging in public communications on your behalf. Introduce the guide during onboarding meetings with staff members in marketing, public relations and advertising. Verbally describe your brand voice and answer any questions that might arise.
In a perfect world anyone applying for one of those positions will have taken it upon themselves to research you and know this coming in the door. But this is your public image we’re talking about here; don’t take any chances.
Evolution Can Stave Off Revolution
The only thing in life that doesn’t change is the fact that things change. When they do, you must be prepared to transform with them. Depending upon the nature of your core audience, if they grow and mature, their values will evolve. If you want to remain relevant to them, you have to be prepared to evolve right along with them. Coca Cola has been America’s favorite soft drink for well over 100 years because it has a knack for changing with the times—while remaining true to its core values.
These tips for developing your brand’s voice will help you project the personality of your company and its products to the world. People feel most comfortable when they’re relating to someone they perceive to be just like them. When you take the time to find your core audience and structure your communications to resonate with them, you’ll be well on your way to creating a loyal following of repeat customers.
About Carson Derrow
