The Ultimate Guide to Brand Voice (with Examples)
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Okay. I'm extremely passionate about this idea that if you own a business, you don't have to possess a brand voice that sounds nothing like you in order to appease the standards set by everyone else.
I'll say it until I'm blue in the face: You can be professional AND authentic.
Now, if you're a Saas company and you have a website that's gushing with unique brand flair, I'm not saying that your voice needs to transfer over to your help docs. What I am saying is that brand voice should be in your onboarding emails, your Instagram captions, and the like.
A distinct brand voice will help set you apart from the hordes of other businesses that exist, and help people decide if yours is the absolute best fit.
Are you afraid you might repel leads with a brand voice that's a bit outside the box? Well, you don't like everyone...so why try to appeal to everyone?
Weeding out the folks who are not aligned with your target market is that much easier with a brand voice and tone that speaks directly to the people you desperately want in your audience.
In this blog, we're going to cover everything you need to know about establishing an authentic brand voice for your business and what to actually DO with it moving forward.
What is Brand Voice?
The million dollar question here is: What is brand voice and why do I need one?
A brand voice is specific words, phrases, and characteristics a brand consistently uses to convey their messaging and be more memorable.
One of the most common ways to spot a new brand or a business without a fully-fledged brand identity (visual, voice, tone, values, mission, etc.) is to read their copy. Does it sound like a textbook or that huge packet of instructions and warnings that comes in the box when you buy a vacuum?
Brand Voice vs. Brand Tone
This is super simple:
Brand Voice = the words you say
Brand Tone = the way you say them
There will likely be some kind of correlation between the two so they make sense together. You can't say your brand voice is 'bubbly' without using lots of exclamation points and an all-caps word once in a while.
Brand Voice vs. Brand Personality
A brand personality is basically when you assign human characteristics to a brand to help define it and be more relatable to an audience. People are more likely to make a purchase from a brand that has similar values to them.
Your brand voice is a component of your brand personality (all pieces of the same puzzle, yo).
There are five common brand personalities:
Sincerity
Ruggedness
Excitement
Competence
Sophistication
Do All Businesses Need to Establish Brand Voice?
Yeah, they do. Even if the brand voice you choose is formal, factual, and straightforward - that's a brand voice, bud.
Sometimes business owners are afraid to develop a brand voice because of their chosen industry. They think they won't be taken seriously or make people upset and get criticized. To them I say, be gone! Try not to worry about what people think, as long as you're staying true to you.
Let's take an accountant, for example.
Lauren is a CPA and she's ready to launch her own practice. When it's time to start marketing, she needs to decide on her brand identity so she can build solid brand recognition right from the start.
What comes to mind when you think of accountants?
Taxes, spreadsheets, math, calculators, receipts, and maybe the guy from Parks & Rec.
Sure, all of those things are part of accounting, but that doesn't define the accountant behind the work they do.
Lauren is a huge fan of interior design, she's a mom, and she has a bit of a Southern accent.
These are all things she can infuse into her brand voice!
[brand voice chart]
Ready to develop and refine your own brand voice? Let's do it!
How To Establish Your Own Brand Voice
If you're ready to really nail down an authentic brand voice for your business, tick these off of your to-do list first.
Audit your current brand voice. Take note of what you like and dislike about it.
Audit your current customers and conversions. Are you attracting folks who seem to really appreciate and vibe with the work you do?
Refer back to your values and mission statement.
Describe your brand in 5 adjectives - and ask a few outsiders to do the same.
Use your ideal customer avatar to find inspiration.
Take this opportunity to brain dump some ideas, terms, phrases, inflictions, and whatever else you want to make sure is included in your brand voice.
If you're especially savvy, grab my brand voice guide template and fill it with all the deets related to your brand voice.
The Main Brand Voice Archetypes
Real talk, I did make these up. Most brands will fit inside one of these archetypes or bleed a little into another one. This is not to say that your brand voice can't be something else entirely, but if you're looking for some inspiration on how to describe your brand voice...consider starting here.
The Goal-Getter
You're all about the facts. You like to give information in a clear, but detailed way. You de-stress by making pros and cons lists. You respond well to direct feedback, because it will help you become even better next time. Achieving is at the top of the priority list, and sleep is for people with nothing better to do.
Brand words:
STRATEGIC
ORGANIZED
HABITUAL
DRIVEN
PROFESSIONAL
FACTUAL
EFFICIENT
The Girl/Boy Next Door
You're all about keeping the peace. You don't like to rock the boat with controversy. You'd rather bring people together than make them pick a side. You're adaptable and approachable so your customers feel comfortable coming to you with questions.
Brand words:
FRIENDLY
SWEET
ACCOMMODATING
WARM
ROMANTIC
CHEERFUL
POISED
The Cheerleader
You prioritize inclusivity and empathy. You want to highlight the human behind your product or service to make a deeper connection. You're always there to hype someone up and lend a helping hand.
Brand words:
CHARISMATIC
TEAM PLAYER
LISTENER
VISIONARY
EMPATHETIC
HEARTFELT
HOLISTIC
The Rebel
You're not likely to take things for face value, you'd rather question the standard and decide for yourself. You follow your gut and tell it like it is. You know when it's time to bend the rules and write your own version of a story.
CYNICAL
COMICAL
REALISTIC
AUTHENTIC
WITTY
SHARP
UNCENSORED
If you look at the brand voice archetypes, does one jump out to you in particular? Get inspiration from them and come up with your own!
Killer Brand Voice Examples
lemon.io
I actually discovered this one through Nick Parker's newsletter Tone Knob and ooof - it's a goodie.
Right off the bat, you can tell that they aren't going to bore the shit out of you. They're saying, "Hey, we're going to hook you up with a web developer that will knock your socks off, you're welcome!".
Everything is striking and entertaining, while also providing valuable information and addressing the readers' pain points.
Most brand voice articles will call out huge, household name brands. I prefer to take a different approach and give some lesser-known and well-deserving brands some love.
Unbound Babes
This sexual health company takes a stand against a lot of things, including cheesy marketing and cheeky copy you’ll typically find in the industry. All you’ll find here is education, inclusivity, and quality products.
Their brand identity is super pleasing visually, but their brand voice is stellar and takes you on a buyer journey that’s out of this world (see what I did there?). They make a could-be uncomfy topic more approachable and accessible with their definitive brand voice.
Mud/WTR
When you pull up to this coffee-alternative’s website, the brand voice might not stand out too much. But once you get to the product descriptions, the real journey begins. Y’all know I love a good “write like you talk” moment, and this is absolutely it.
They’re able to deliver crucial information that will help convert a lurker into a buyer, but they do it their way. “...it’s your world, we’re just living in it.” could not be a better way to say, it’s not that hard to use and enjoy this product.
Pit Liquor
For an excellent example of how brand voice can spill over into email marketing - let’s look at Pit Liquor. This is an eco-friendly deodorant alternative that is on a mission to replace your traditional stick (among other body care options). They have somewhat of a Beyoncé/Sasha Fierce thing going on by sending new customer sequence emails from the “Pit Liquor Fairy''.
This accomplishes two things: 1. They check in on their customers to make sure the product is meeting expectations and 2. They stay top of mind by educating the user and being witty while doing so.
MeUndies
You might expect an underwear company to be *cheeky* in their brand voice, but MeUndies does it in a way that isn’t lame. They are driven by inclusivity and leaving the world a better place than they found it.
Even the customer support team is called the Cheek Squad. I mean, come on! I can’t get over the cuteness backed by a mission that fuels and encourages creativity.
Ballsy
For a company that focuses on men’s body care, they certainly have the language to let you know that they mean business. But they do it in a way that isn’t your typical, “be tough, you rugged mofo” type of way.
Ballsy is able to use their brand voice to let their ideal customers know that they have put a lot of thought into what’s allowed in their products. I love that they’re able to provide quality products for anyone who needs them, that doesn’t alienate people who don’t identify with the lumberjack archetype.
So here’s what we’ve learned:
Brand voice can make or break a first impression when new leads come in contact with your business. As we know, humans have a short attention span when it comes to time spent on a website. If they don’t like or can’t get the information they need quickly - they peace out. Using language and voice that speaks directly to your ideal audience is pure gold here, folks.
Brand voice/tone/personality/identity. They're all different sides of the same coin (or I guess, cube?) that you’ll need to take into consideration when developing your brand. Say whatever you want, just stay consistent with it!
