Your brand's voice needs to have a personality. Think about Geico, Coca-Cola or Apple. These are all very different types of companies but each has its own defined voice. They each speak in a way that sets them apart. Your brand also needs to have its own identity.
Your Brand is the Star
Think of your brand's voice like the lead character in a movie. Everything you say should be consistent and help move your brand's message forward like how the dialog moves the story of a movie forward. It needs to give depth to who you are and to make your audience care about what you do.
Thinking of your brand as a character will give it a stronger voice. Think of the characters in Quentin Tarantino's movies. Some will say that his dialog is a bit wordy, but most of the time each line gives depth to the characters and have a voice that's unforgettable.
At the top of Reservoir Dogs, we learn a lot about Steve Buscemi's character Mr. Pink through his philosophy about tipping. And Samuel Jackson's biblical monologue in Pulp Fiction is an added layer of dimensionality to who Jules is.
Make your brand's character as well developed and unforgettable as one of Tarantino's… just be sure to skip the profanity.
Keep it Conversational
You might be wondering, "I have so much informative content on my website, but why don't people stick around?"
Boring writing means higher bounce rates.
Whatever the brand, you need to speak to your audience like they’re people. Whether you’re a software company, food truck or credit union, no one wants to sit through a long scroll of dull writing. Read through your content aloud. Does it sound like an actual person, or does it have all of the life of a user’s manual of a copy machine?
Keep people engaged by speaking to them like they’re sitting across from you. You want them to be as invested in your brand as you are.
Get to the Point
Imagine Shakespeare as a 21st-century content writer. Sure, he would nail brand voice. But it would take forever to get to the call to actions. Your content shouldn’t be a soliloquy.
An economy of words gets to the point quicker and keeps people’s attention.
There’s a reason why the jokes on the Office work so well and Nike’s slogan “Just Do It” is forever ingrained into our collective consciousness. There’s no padding. Your brand’s voice needs to be direct so that your message will make a bigger impact.
“To be or not to be?” - that is the question you should be asking about your current brand’s voice.
Make Your Brand's Voice Heard
Your business needs to care about brand voice and make sure that it stands out in the crowd of voices that is you and your competitors. Find the right voice that captures your brand’s essence as well as capturing the attention of the people you want to reach.
If you need help developing your brand platform, or defining your brand voice, feel free to connect with us.
