One of the biggest branding mistakes companies make is not paying enough attention to their tone of voice.
?Voice? is one of those concepts that may sound better suited to the literary world than the business world. In literature, it refers to how you come across in your writing. In marketing, your tone of voice can be a significant differentiator.
Companies spend a great deal of time on logos, color selection and other cues they think of as ?branding??the look and feel of their website, collateral and signage. But very few take the time to consider the benefits of employing a unique voice. Consider this: If you were to mask the logo on your website, would you sound unique? Or would you sound like everyone else (i.e., your competitors)?
Your tone of voice isn?t about what you say but how you say it?and it?s about the impression your brand leaves on customers. Developed correctly, your tone of voice can be the secret sauce in your content recipe.
Define what makes you you.
Marketers call this developing a ?brand positioning statement? or ?mission statement.?
Whatever you call it, the idea is to define who you are. Or, as Dr. Seuss wrote, ?Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.? He wasn?t talking about marketing, but he might as well have been.
Ask yourself these key questions:
?What?s unique about your business?”
?What?s special about your products?”
?What?s special about the way you do business?”
?What?s your company culture like? (Are you buttoned-up or playful?)”
?How do your employees relax together? (Do you play beer pong in the parking lot or have morning yoga sessions?)?
How do you want to be regarded by customers and your community? (Are you a trusted source for high-level insight or hands-on practical advice?)
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