What ‘Tone Of Voice’ says about your brand

Have you ever read something that made a real difference to your day? Whether they uplift and inspire us or challenge our perception of the world, the impact of words should not be underestimated! That’s why it’s so important as a brand to get it right when it comes to talking to your customers. Speaking to your audience in the right way can mean the difference between someone buying into you as a brand – or binning you! In this article, we look at why a compelling tone of voice is a vital part of your image, and share tips and advice to help you define yours!

What is ‘tone of voice’?
Tone of voice, commonly shortened to ‘TOV’, describes the way your brand communicates with its customers. It allows you to convey your messaging in a way that reflects your brand personality and helps to forge a deeper connection with your audience. Think about it! Even we, as people, have our own TOV that goes hand in hand with our unique characteristics. For example, you might describe a friend as fun, confident, or trustworthy. Just from this, you can imagine how they would speak and what their tone would sound like – yet another friend might be completely different. The same applies for brands. They all have different ways of conveying their values, engaging with their customers and presenting themselves via the power of words.

Why tone of voice is important to your brand
The way a brand sounds is just as important as how a brand looks. It’s a core part of a brand’s identity that builds trust, sets you apart from your competition and helps you clearly communicate messages. In a survey by Contentor, 65% of respondents said they’re emotionally tied to a brand if they feel that the company cares about them. In the same survey, 64% believed that shared values ​​are the primary reason to trust a company. Furthermore, the research showed that average revenue increases by up to 23% when a brand is presented in a uniform manner. This includes tone of voice. If, for example, your brand image is elegant and upmarket, using slang or sassy emojis as part of your communications might be perceived as jarring and inconsistent by the customer.    

How to find your voice
It all starts with your brand positioning. You should have a clear vision of who you are, and how you want to communicate. Your brand positioning contains your brand personality, which directly influences your TOV. Are you witty? Confident? Trustworthy? All these attributes can then be translated into how you speak to your customers, and expressed through your brand’s vocabulary.

Who does words well?

Innocent Smoothies are known for their cute, funny and distinct tone of voice. It flows across all their channels and products, and you’ll find it’s used internally, too. 

Mailchimp are also great for bringing an offbeat sense of humour and simplicity to their TOV through the use of illustrations. Concise, entertaining and funny copy helps bring this brand to life and makes it more personable.

A recent survey by Sprout Social asked why some brands stood out more than others. 40% said through their memorable content, 33% said through a distinct personality, and 32% said because of their compelling storytelling. In all three of these aspects, the brand’s tone of voice plays a significant role!

Where will words take you?
Words make people laugh, smile, think, take action and connect on a deeper level. They are a key tool to set yourself apart from the crowd and engage with your audience. It’s what makes you, you! And not only that, you’ll also reap the rewards through increased brand awareness, customer loyalty and sales conversions when done well. If you need help in identifying or finessing your tone of voice, drop us an email and say hello – we’d be more than happy to work with you on this!