What does your voice really ‘sound’ like?

Your brand voice is the “gin to your vermouth” in your communications. Its how you connect – how your audience gets to know you and how you get to know them.

Your tone can be credible, helpful, or even quirky, however, it must be real.

And believe me, they can spot a fake from a mile away. They want to believe, and they need to know why.

Get into their heads.

Create a profile of sorts. Who are you talking to? What are their fears and goals? What do they look like and what makes them laugh? What does he/she want from your brand?

Complete their thoughts.

Ask questions such as; “Interacting with Brand X makes me feel _____.””I don’t like other brands that look like _____.” Listen to how you sound when you answer for them. If you’re keeping it real, it will be influenced by the tone you use while answering these questions aloud.

Police yourself.

Once you’ve got it nailed down, keep it consistent. You want people who follow you  to have the same (memorable) experience regardless of the channel. Create a style guide describing your brand and its voice, and give visibility to everyone who becomes a brand ambassador (from the front desk person, to the parking attendant, to the sales force.) Or even better. make a big deal about it. You’ve done the work, so merchandise it. Host an event to launch the brand voice, answer any questions people have, and create a plan to roll it out it across your applications.

Tags | authentic, brand voice, fake, real person