Sound Like You. Stand Out From Them.
Your brand voice is one of your most powerful tools. It’s how you sound, yes. But more importantly, it’s how you connect.
A strong brand voice builds recognition, strengthens trust, and helps your content resonate across platforms. When your audience reads your emails, visits your site, or sees a post, they should know it’s you.
Here’s how to create a voice that’s distinctive, aligned with your audience, and built to scale.
Step 1: Identify Your Brand Personality
Start by choosing 3–5 adjectives that describe how you want your brand to feel.
Examples:
- Smart, strategic, warm
- Bold, cheeky, no-BS
- Calm, confident, professional
If you’re struggling, ask:
- What do we want clients to say after working with us?
- What words do people already use to describe us?
- Who are we not?
Step 2: Define Voice Guidelines
Once you have your voice attributes, add detail with a voice chart:
| Voice Trait |
Sounds Like… |
Doesn’t Sound Like… |
| Friendly |
“We’re here to help you figure it out.” |
“Refer to documentation for clarification.” |
| Bold |
“We build sites that do the talking for you.” |
“We create websites that are nice-looking.” |
| Helpful |
“Here’s a tip that saves you time.” |
“Read this long paragraph instead.” |
This gives your team a cheat sheet for writing everything from blog posts to error messages.
Step 3: Know Your Audience’s Expectations
Your brand voice should reflect
you, but it also needs to
meet your audience where they are.
For example:
- An enterprise client might expect polished professionalism
- A solopreneur might prefer friendly and casual
- A creative agency client might enjoy humor and cleverness
Client Tip: Don’t choose tone for tone’s sake. Choose tone that builds trust with
your people.
Step 4: Apply It Consistently
A defined voice is only powerful if it’s actually used. Apply it to:
- Website copy
- Social posts
- Email communication
- Onboarding sequences
- Marketing materials
- Video scripts
- Customer service replies
Make sure freelancers and team members have access to your tone guide and examples.
Step 5: Review and Refine Over Time
Your brand may evolve—and your voice can, too. Revisit your tone guide annually, or when:
- Your audience shifts
- Your services change
- You rebrand or reposition
Adjust as needed, but keep the core traits consistent.
Final Thoughts
Your brand voice is more than a tagline or a writing style—it’s your personality, your promise, and your positioning. When it’s clear and consistent, it makes everything you say feel more human—and more you.
