Building A Brand Voice: Lessons From Experts
It's a crowded marketplace out here today. You've got great boots in your store, but so does Wendy. Yes, you design great logos, but so do Jude and a thousand others. The saving grace for your business is having a unique and engaging brand voice.
What's brand voice, you may wonder. A brand voice is that unique personality your brand expresses consistently across all its communication and interactions. Nike, with its can-do attitude? Apple, with its sophisticated simplicity? That's brand voice in action.
Top tips to build a winning brand voice
Sounds like what you want? Good. Here are some top tips from the pros to help you build a winning brand voice.
Lesson 1: Understand Your Audience
You've got to know your crowd like the back of your poker hand. Who are they? What makes them tick? Why would they choose your boots over Wendy's, or your designs over Jude's?
You've got to get cozy with more than just demographics – we're talking about getting into the nitty-gritty of psychographics. Experts toss around big words like “empathy” and “connection,” but what it boils down to is this: the more you get your audience, the more your brand voice will sing in tune with their hearts and wallets.
Lesson 2: Define Your Brand Personality
Who's your brand when it steps into the limelight? Is it the life of the party or the bookworm in the corner? The cheeky rebel or the trusted friend? Choose a personality that's not just a reflection of what you stand for but also a magnet for your audience. Get down to the specific and the detailed, like the tone of voice, sense of humor, interests, etc.
Looking to get this right? Good. Consider calling in the best social media agency London has or others close to you, and get this going.
Lesson 3: Be Consistent Across All Channels
Consistency is the name of the game here. Whether your customer scrolls through your Instagram, flicks open an email or unwraps your latest product, they should feel that familiar vibe.
Draft yourself a brand voice bible, the kind of tome you could hand over to anyone, from interns to the big guns, and they'd hit the ground running, singing from the same song sheet as the rest. This brand voice guideline? It's your map to dodging the pitfalls of mixed messages that could turn your brand's symphony into a one-man-band disaster.
Lesson 4: Learn From Feedback And Adapt
Now, don't put on blinders once you've set the stage. Pay close attention to how your audience responds to different messages and tones. Are they more into videos and photos than blog posts? Good. Give them more of what they demand.
Keep evolving, keep refining. After all, the only thing worse than being out of touch is being out of tune.
Lesson 5: Be Authentic And True To Your Values
Brands today need to be as real as the leather on a cowboy's boots. If your brand was a person, would it be the one kicking back with a brewski at the BBQ, telling it like it is? Or the one at the gala, charming the socks off the glitterati? Whichever it is, keep it 100.
Customers sniff out fakes faster than a hound on a hunting trip. So, keep it real, and they'll likely become your biggest cheerleaders online or offline.
Lesson 6: Embrace The Power Of Storytelling
Now, storytelling isn't just for Juliet and Frank before bedtime. It's the key to winning your audience's hearts and minds. The rocky roads your brand has trodden? The dragons you've slain (metaphorically speaking)?
The creed you stick to come rain or shine? These are all you need to spin a brand story that'll stick with your customers like that catchy jingle from a '90s ad.
Lesson 7: Leverage User-Generated Content
There's nothing quite like a choir of customers belting out your praises to add some oomph to your brand's voice. When they rave about your products and services on Instagram or Facebook, cheer them on, spotlight their stories, and watch as they turn into the megaphone that has everyone buzzing about your business.
In Closing
As you've read here, the secret to building a brand voice lies in being as authentic as a home-cooked meal in a world full of fastfood ads. By keeping in mind the wisdom of those who've walked the talk, your brand can sing in a tone that hits home and leaves a lasting impression on the crowd. Maintain that truth, clarity, and steadfastness, and watch as your brand's voice becomes not just heard but felt.