Think of some of your favorite authors. Could you compare the voice of, for example, Stephen King to J.K. Rowling? Probably not, because while both are wildly successful, their writing styles couldn’t be more different. The same is true for your brand voice. Defining the voice of your brand means determining what your brand stands for and how that will be conveyed. It’s a guideline for what you say and how you say it, with the goal of communicating a cohesive message to your target customers. It’s also a way to differentiate your business from your competitors and, if done correctly, build a fan base that will positively impact your bottom line.
No matter the size of your business, your brand’s voice is fundamental and should be at the center of all marketing strategies. Whether your brand voice is already established or you’re at the beginning stages of the process, below are four tips for defining your brand voice and ensuring it continues to shine through across every piece of content, platform and activity.
· Look for what makes you stand out
Competitive research is the first step in any strategic plan, including the roadmap for finding your brand’s voice. By examining competitor’s websites, marketing materials and social media profiles, you will gain a better understanding of how they talk about themselves and engage with their customers. Not only does this give you a baseline of where your business stands competitively, it also helps to narrow down what makes your business unique.
· Think of your brand as a person
If your brand was a person, how would their friends describe them? What’s their personality; do they lean on the fun side or are they more inspirational? What are their goals and opinions? What would they look like; does anything stand out about their appearance? Questions like these are a fun way to humanize your brand and land on a relatable voice. Thinking of your brand as a person lets you better identify with your target demographic, helping you determine what type of content will resonate with them.
· Consistency is key
If your customer visits your Facebook page then jumps to your website, will they see a consistent message? While your marketing materials don’t have to be identical across various platforms, they should have the same look and feel. A great example of a brand with a consistent message is Target. Whether you’re on its website, viewing an advertisement or on social media, one glance at the fresh, upbeat imagery and you instantly know it’s from the retailer.
· Understand things change
Businesses change over time. Once you have your brand voice established, it’s important to constantly review and adjust as your company continues to evolve and new competitors pop up. While this doesn’t always mean undergoing a major brand transformation, regularly evaluating and tweaking your brand voice can do wonders for attracting customers and keeping them coming back.
Ensuring your brand voice is consistent, engaging and relevant to your target audiences can mean the difference between success or losing out to competitors. For more tips on creating a cohesive brand voice to achieve total customer engagement, check out our latest e-Book.
