90% of friction is caused by the wrong tone of voice
“Don’t look at me in that tone of voice” … sounds strange, but American writer Dorothy Parker was definitely onto something here. It’s cliche, but it’s not what you say, but how you say it.
Every brand has a voice. Using that voice is how you will connect with your customers. It’s how you write your communications, how you speak on social media and it’s how you frame the communication on your packaging.
But, there’s a difference between your voice and your tone of voice – yes, seems confusing. Lucky for you, we’re about to explain it all!
Stay true to your voice
Think of your voice as your personality. What characteristics do you want your business to present? Do you want to be funny and playful, or serious and professional? Think about your customers – you’re going to be engaging with them, so how will they best appreciate your communications?
Tone of voice, however, is how this personality is applied to various situations. It’s how you use your words to evoke feelings and how you present your personality through your communications. It’s also how you humanise your brand and make your name more memorable. Getting it right can build customer trust and encourage engagement. Getting it wrong can spell disaster. Consider for a moment if, for example, the United Nations began talking in slang, using emojis and partaking in social media banter wars with other organisations. Do you think it would have any credibility left once the Twitter dust had settled?
Your voice is consistent. It shouldn’t change. Your tone of voice though, should change depending on the situation. For example, lighthearted and informative when talking to clients about your services, but a bit more serious and formal when discussing problems.
Regardless of the situation though, your tone of voice should be unique, recognisable and quintessentially ‘you’.
Finding the sweet spot
So, how do you ensure you don’t end up on the wrong side of the tone of voice seesaw?
There are four main dimensions of tone of voice. Consider which side your brand aligns more with:
Funny vs. serious
Formal vs. casual
Respectful vs. irreverent
Enthusiastic vs. matter-of-fact
Then, choose three to five adjectives that describe your brand’s voice. Is your brand sophisticated, playful, informative, practical, quirky, funny or serious? Or for something even more fun, if your brand was a celebrity, who would it be? For example, if we were to say that a business is a combination of Catherine Tate and Bruce Springsteen, ‘witty, talented and everybody’s mate’ would probably spring to mind. With one hell of a good voice, too.
Your brand is more
than just your logo
The most important thing when it comes to tone of voice though is to be true to your brand, while reading the situation. Think of it like accents – Melbourne folk have a different accent to Sydney peeps (yep, we went there), but we’re all speaking English. On Facebook you’ll use your voice differently to how you’ll write in an e-book, for example, but it will still be you.
When you think of Coca-Cola, you immediately think of that bright red can. Think of Woolworths and we bet you’re signing ‘the fresh food people’. But a brand is more than its colours, logos and slogans. A brand is also about its personality and its ability to storytell. So, find your tone of voice, and be the brand that’s eloquent, memorable and consistent.