Why your brand’s tone of voice is so important
Your brand’s tone of voice is the way that you present your business to the world. It’s the foundation of your brand identity, reflecting the company’s brand values and personality, but it’s often overlooked in its importance, with many companies relying on colour schemes and logos alone. The thing is, these factors can only do so well on their own, so we’ve outlined some of the benefits of having a strong tone of voice, personalised to your brand.
Your team will communicate as one
It’s essential that all employees in your business understand the tone of voice, why it’s used and how to enforce it throughout their communications, both internally and externally. It takes a real team mentality to properly implement a strong tone of voice, and in doing so, you create uniformity, so your clients and stakeholders know what to expect from you as an organisation. This also helps to prevent miscommunication as employees at every level understand how they should speak on behalf of the company. After all, people have different tastes and senses of humour, so by having a concrete tone of voice, you limit the possibility that someone’s personal style of communicating is offensive to a client or prospect.
What’s more, you create a stronger culture and reinforce your brand’s message of who you are and what you stand for. It also creates a level of transparency and makes you more of an open book to your industry peers.
Your voice will be easily recognisable
The marketing landscape for many industries is saturated with different styles and ways of communicating, with lots of loud voices fighting for the number one spot. When a great deal of brands are offering the same products or services, it can be difficult to stand out and a unique tone of voice helps to do this.
When asked what reasons some brands stood out more than others, 33% of consumers said a distinctive personality; whilst 32% said compelling storytelling. Both of these features involve a brand voice—the tone of which creates personality and character. Your tone of voice should be recognisable, and unique to stand out from your competitors. However, it should also be appropriate to your industry. For example, a private healthcare clinic may want to adopt a caring but informative or knowledgeable tone whilst a toy company would adapt a fun and innovative tone to reflect their values. This shows that you know your industry and your place in it.
“It’s difficult to stand out in an industry where lots of different businesses are competing for consumers’ attention. It’s all well and good to have a sharp logo and branding, but how you look is only half the battle. How are you going to communicate with your audience? And, how will your brand values be reflected in what you say and how you say it? That’s where a strong tone of voice can really benefit you, and help you to stand out.”
Clients trust what they know
Consumers favour familiarity. Now, that’s not to say that no one ever buys anything new or different, but we are wired to trust the things we know and understand, which, in turn, makes us feel safer. A consistent use of language and tone builds a relationship with clients and signals to them that you are reliable. This connection, forged through trust means that they are more likely to choose you over your competitors. Once this trust has been gained, that’s when you can begin to foster brand loyalty .
There are a lot of examples of brands successfully using their tone of voice to reach their goals. If you’re looking to adapt your tone of voice, you should get to know your audience, assess your business and identify the steps you need to take to elevate it to the next level . Take a look at what we considered when we reevaluated the After Digital brand.
Do you need help with your digital strategy or tone of voice? Get in touch and we’ll be happy to help you. Or you can check out our previous work.