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Today’s consumers want to know not just what your company does, but who you are, too. To establish an identity with the target market, companies must adopt a “voice” of the brand. Using a consistent voice for your brand can help you relate and build trust with your audience, and also set you apart from the competition. So, how is it done?
Build a list.
First, you have to create an image of how you want your brand to come off to the audience. Make a list of words that pop into your head to describe your brand, and use these words to develop a voice. Is your brand bold and edgy? Or more conventional and conservative?
Once you’ve written down a list of words, think of your brand as a person who possesses all of these qualities, and imagine how they would speak to others. Use this exercise to develop the foundation of your brand’s voice.
Know your audience.
To build a strong relationship with your audience, your brand’s voice must be relatable and authentic. It’s important to go beyond just demographic information to truly determine how to appeal to your target market. Yes, age and gender are important, but you should also spend time listening to customers on social media.
Do your customers speak casually or formally? Do they respond well to wit and humor? How do they communicate with each other? Mimic the way that they speak and your brand’s voice will be heard.
It would also be helpful to do your own research once you’ve identified the audience. For example, women and men have very different color preferences, with men preferring blues and women responding to a wider range of colors including blues, greens and purples. Knowing information like this would help when creating promotional materials.
Find a muse.
Once you’ve developed a basic profile of how you want your brand’s voice to sound, look for another brand that encompasses the same characteristics. Even if the brand is in another industry, you can still look at their marketing efforts to see how they effectively use their voice to communicate with customers.
Pay attention to how they balance visuals and text, how the different marketing channels used convey the brand’s voice, and how their audience responds to it. Looking to other companies will help you improve upon what they’ve already established with a similar style of voice.
Be consistent.
When a voice has been established by your brand, it needs to be adopted at every customer touchpoint. Whether the customer is reading a promotional brochure, looking at your social media page, or calling a customer service hotline, they should be greeted with the same, consistent brand voice.
The same approach should be taken with face-to-face interactions. If your company has a brick and mortar store, employees should be trained on the company culture and voice, and should communicate with customers appropriately. Doing this will help cement your brand’s voice in the minds of consumers and separate you from other competitors.
Remember above all else to be authentic. Customers will be able to sense when your brand is striving too hard to be something that it’s not. Stay true to who you are as a brand and follow these tips to ensure a voice that customers will hear loud and clear!
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