Brand Voice

Your brand has a voice. We can hear it.

Our brand has a voice. His name is Bob. He’s witty, confident and occasionally sarcastic. Any time we write a piece for Zao525, we ask ourselves: What Would Bob Say?

Your brand has a voice, too, ya know. Are you stifling it? Are you telling it to pipe down, so you can match the voice of your competitors? Don’t do it!

Just like your small business is unique, your brand voice is unique to you.

What is a brand voice?

The definition of a brand voice is the tone of voice and words you choose when speaking on behalf of your business – in ads, blogs, social media, etc. It’s the verbal carrier of your brand.

Guidelines for creating the perfect brand voice

It’s helpful to think of your brand voice like a person (for example, Bob). This person might be reflective of you or they may be your polar opposite. You’re looking to find someone who will speak (literally and figuratively) to your potential customers and draw them in. The more familiar you are with this fictional character, the easier it is to create writing pieces with your brand voice.

Look at your target market, then ask yourself a few questions:

1) Who does my market identify with?

2) What style of language mirrors theirs (or draws respect)?

3) What cultural events have they lived through? What do they value?

If you have a hard time answering these questions, consider having an outsider facilitate a thinking session.