Sometimes the word “brand” brings to mind one of those catchy radio commercial jingles you hear over and over. The hard truth is, that a brand’s voice is a cornerstone for any company.
Statistics show that if you implement your brand voice consistently, throughout your company, you’ll see your revenues increase. This increase can be as high as 20 percent. Building your brand is the key to your company’s future success.
Learn more here on what is a brand voice all about and how to build one that establishes your company’s identity. When you develop this identity now, you’ll guarantee faster growth in your company’s future.
Why Is Branding So Important?
The most familiar brands in the market today have the power to cement a lasting impression on their target customers’ psyche. Buyers will often recognize these products and company names and connect with them on emotional levels.
Building a brand will attract a loyal following. These believers will know what they can expect from your product and will learn how to trust you.
Building a brand can also help you attract your future workers to come work for you. You’ll see that potential employees want to work for your enterprise and become a part of its familiar name.
Potential business associates might want to collaborate because they know about your positive reputation. Investors will start knocking on your door because they want to collaborate with a recognized name in your specific industry.
The History of Branding
Early branding history standouts in this country included brand names such as Tide and Lipton. These companies designed what’s known today as brand management science.
These companies knew how to speak to customers and learn what their values were and what was most important to them. Once they found out what emotional value a customer had for their product, they would create a tone that promoted that product based on this value.
These companies identified their customer’s values before their competitors did. They also learned that they could charge a higher price for their products if a customer believed that they offered the best value as compared to their competitors.
What Is a Brand Voice?
A company’s brand voice means how they talk to its customers. A brand voice directed to a target audience should have its own style and come across as true to the company’s persona and values.
Think of a brand voice as the tone in which you communicate with your friends, family, work colleagues, or spouse. Just like there is a specific way you communicate with these people, there’s also a way to communicate with your customers.
Buyers will buy more from those brands that create emotional connections, rather than with brands that deliver uninspired messaging. Think of your brand tone as to how your company says something, less than what they say.
Types of Brand Voice
Brand voice can range anywhere from intellectual to playful. Some of the most common brand voice examples you’ll see in the market today include:
- Aggressive and strong
- Sweet and elegant
- Weird or out-of-the-ordinary
- Inspiring and positive
- Funny
- Aggressive and strong
- Simple or considerate
- Highly emotional.
How to Find Your Brand Voice
The first step to building your brand voice is to identify the core elements of your company’s products and name. These elements should tell the world who you are and what customers can expect when they do business with your company. These core elements include the following:
Identify Your Company Values
Create a brand voice that mirrors what you believe is important so that you can align it with your company’s top priorities. One simple way to do this is to have your company’s on-hold messaging recording outline your company’s products and values.
You should also link your brand to your company’s mission. When you do, you’ll show your target audience why you are their best choice to meet their specific needs.
Know Your Customer
Understand your customer’s values and desires. When you do, then you’ll be able to create a compelling tone that keeps their loyalty and persuades them to visit your business over and over again.
What do your customers need right now? Are those needs going to shift in the future? When you know how to appeal to your buyers, you can shift your strategy and market to them in the future as well.
Know What the Competition Is Doing
Lipton and Tide knew this point all too well. They learned early that if they took the time to find out what the competition could (or couldn’t) do, their products could outpace what these other products could do.
Make a note of what didn’t work for your competitors. Then you can avoid making the mistakes they made.
Test, Review, and Adapt Your Voice
Review and experiment with your brand tone on your printed and electronic platforms. Write some sample blog posts for your website, using your new brand voice. Ask for feedback from your colleagues.
Review how your tone interacts with other components of your brand. Is your voice consistent with your website, letterhead, or business cards?
Does your logo send off a different impression? Does your tone conflict with the logos or colors you’ve chosen to represent your business? Check to be sure that these other branding vehicles don’t conflict but work consistently together to avoid confusing messages.
Schedule Time to Review and Adjust Your Brand Voice
It’s easy to forget about developing your brand voice throughout your hectic work schedule. With all of the other day-to-day obligations fighting for your attention, it might be tempting to think that a brand voice can develop itself.
Just remember that building your brand tone is an investment in your company’s future. Make time to look at your messaging to make sure you aren’t sending conflicting signals.
What Are Your Next Steps?
It’s a time-consuming exercise to build your brand voice. Make it a habit to set aside time to observe what the competition is doing. Make strategic adjustments in response to a customer’s online feedback.
Don’t forget to check our website for more helpful information on what is a brand voice all about. Let us help take your enterprise to its next best level by contacting us today.
