Your brand matters. So does its voice.

You’ve done everything right. Figured out the logo, the colours, the font, and also got the website up and running. Pretty slick, right? 

But how is your brand going to communicate with its customers? You got the brand right where you want it to be. But where is its voice?

Brand voice turns your brand’s faceless logo into a real personality. It shows customers your brand values and helps it connect. This distinct personality informs every interaction, be it on websites, social media, or customer support. And, most importantly, earns the trust of customers.

Why brand voice matters

 

Brand voice is the distinct personality a business chooses to communicate with its target audience across various channels. Many brands struggle with their brand voice. They focus heavily on visual identity while neglecting their verbal identity.

If your brand were a person, how would it communicate with others? What personality would it acquire? What phrases and stylistic choices would it use? When considering your brand voice, these questions become important because when your brand sounds generic or even robotic, It risks becoming forgettable.

In addition, a brand voice that feels inconsistent confuses customers. What makes it even worse is the generic, robotic nature of messaging. Customers tend to forget what they do not understand.

Consider this: on one hand, your social media handles showcase you as a fun, casual brand. On the other hand, your website uses a corporate tone, while your emails sound over-the-top promotional. This is not only a good example of an inconsistent brand voice but also results in a disconnected customer experience.

The cost of an inconsistent brand voice

What’s the use of a tagline that doesn't carry a brand's personality? Customers remember a brand not because of a catchy tagline but because the tagline showcases the brand’s personality. 

Take, for example, everyone’s favourite, Coca-Cola’s taglines. Over the years, the brand has used several taglines like ‘Open Happiness’, ‘Taste The Feeling’, and ‘Real Magic’ that have not only reflected the brand personality but also used it to make Coke a brand that evokes the emotions of its customers. This has made Coca-Cola a household name and a memorable brand.

We can also use this example to understand why Coke has not become a brand that can be simply interchanged with its competition. Making use of consistent messaging that invokes its customer’s emotions, Coca-Cola ensures it strengthens credibility, which creates ‘Real Magic’.

This is also the reason why its marketing campaigns create impact. They communicate

in a voice that resonates with millions of customers worldwide. 

To reiterate, no matter what your brand logo is and the colour you use, your customers don’t build a relationship with it alone. Your brand voice, along with both these elements, helps your brand communicate and build authenticity and, with it, customer trust and loyalty.

Building a brand voice that people remember

1. Just like in the case of Coca-Cola, a consistent brand voice matters for a brand’s personality. Using it to express your brand creates a lasting impression in the minds of your customers.

2. Know your customers. Understand who you are talking to. And, if need be, modify your communication to speak their language.

3. Define your brand’s personality. Decide how you want to portray your brand. If it's social media, your brand could communicate in a friendly tone; for your website, an authoritative, confident, and innovative tone will drive traffic, and if it's customer support, a helpful tone will let customers know you actually believe in solving their problems.

4. Creating brand voice guidelines will help you maintain your brand voice across platforms

A concise document that includes the following attributes will help you sustain your brand voice across teams, departments, and personnel.

1. Preferred vocabulary

2. Words to avoid

3. Writing style

4. Grammar preferences

5. Tone example

Give your voice the edge it deserves

To sum up, brand voice is the reason customers remember your brand. If every interaction with your brand sounds authentic and consistent, there is no reason why customers won’t trust, engage, and choose you over your competitors.

Define a voice that’s as distinctive as your visual identity and make your brand unforgettable in a sea full of ordinary brands.