You want your online boutique to stand out, right? Of course, ya do! Here at Hot Mess Consulting, we believe the best way to do that is with expert brand design and proven website optimization strategies.
Now, there are tons of ways to use branding to make your online store dazzle, but the one area businesses often overlook (and it’s such a shame, really!) is BRAND VOICE.
When most of us think about branding, the first thing that pops into our minds is the visual stuff, right? The colors, the logo, the fonts, and all that juicy stuff.
So what is brand voice, and what can it do for your biz?
What does brand voice actually mean?
Brand voice is the consistent language, tone, and style you use to communicate with your target audience. It’s the language you’ll use on your website, in your emails, social media posts, and all other customer touchpoints. And it’s a crucial part of your brand identity!
Your brand voice is a way to express your unique business personality and core values, and it should flow into all your communications.
You should think of your brand voice as a filter for all your marketing materials’ words, tone, and attitude.
Why does brand voice matter?
Brand voice injects personality into your business!
Without a strong brand voice, it’s easy to get lost in a world jam-packed with marketing messages.
If you want your audience to notice you and build a connection with you - you have to speak to them. Speak their language!
Every time they come into contact with your brand, whether it’s a social media post or an email, they should become more familiar with your brand voice, building that all-important brand recognition.
You don’t want your business to sound generic or robotic. Your customers need to feel like there's an actual human being behind your messaging. Choosing the right words can have a massive impact on the way your brand is perceived.
Okay, so where do you start?
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Knowing who your customers are is the first step
It’s SUPER IMPORTANT to know who your target audience is before you try to develop your brand voice. When you know who your customers are, it’s easy to know what they want to hear!
You want to know what they like (and don’t like), what they want, their demographics, and values.
8 Questions to ask to find your brand voice
#1 List your 3 - 7 core values and then brainstorm related words.
Example: Compassionate - care, kind, wholesome, gentle, charitable, friendly.
#2 Brainstorm four adjectives that describe your brand:
Think “BIZ NAME is X, X, and always full of X.”
Examples: sassy, serious, fun, adventurous, charming, cheerful, different, naughty, happy, lively, playful.
#3 Will followers of your brand have a collective name? This can be a fun way for fans to feel like they are part of a special group! Collective fandom names are a thing! Any Potterheads, Cheeseheads, Beliebers, or Trekkies in the house?
#4 Make a list of human personality traits that you feel represent your brand.
#5 Will you use slang or stick to eloquent speech? Ask yourself what will best resonate with your audience.
#6 Will you be straight-talking or remain diplomatic at all times? This is a vital question because you’ll always have to be consistent with your attitude.
#7 Are you going to use emojis, gifs, or memes, or keep all your communications text-based? Again - it depends on what your audience wants to see, so research, research, research.
#8 What will my brand voice guidelines be?
Using the answers to these questions, jot down a few sentences of what your brand would say and what it would never say. Try to be as particular as possible, as this will help any content creator or marketer you work with in the future to understand your brand voice.
Final thoughts
When you’re passionate about your business (which you are because you're here reading an article about how to do even better!), it’s easy to feel like the business personality is an extension of your own.
Don’t fall into this trap! Remember, your brand voice is not your voice. When you sit down to create your content, make sure that your own mood, slang, and figures of speech don’t seep into your messaging.
Your brand voice is worth spending time on, and I hope you will! Trust me - so many businesses overlook it, so getting your voice right can give you a real competitive edge!
Until next time!
If you need help with your branding check out our CommentSold and Shopify Brand Design Services!
