Building trust through branding.
In the ultimate attempt to build trust with your audience, defining a "tone of voice" is absolutely imperative. So, what is a "tone of voice"? Hey — that's a really great question and I'm so glad you asked.
The Hook Creative definition of "tone of voice" is this:
"It's not what you say, rather how you say it. A tone of voice embodies the brand's personality and values. It's how you speak and engage your audience. It can be playful or serious, excited or solemn, but should always be authentic and true to who you are as a brand."
Defining your tone of voice is easier said than done, but the good news is WE CAN HELP.
Still with us? Cool, you're doing great.
Below are 3 fun exercises to get the wheels turning and begin the process of defining your voice:
- Try to define your brand using three words. For example: "three words that describe my brand are _______ , _______ , and _______."
These words should be authentic to your company or organization. When crafting content you should keep them in mind to ensure that you stay on-brand. For us, those three words (along with rationale) are as follows:
Authentic — we always aim to be true to ourselves and our clients. Part of doing this is coming to terms with the fact that not everyone will like you. And that's ok. If we don't genuinely believe that we can add value to your company, then it's probably best that we don't work together.
Fun — Fun matters to us. We love what we do. To the point that it rarely feels like work, and that's something we're incredibly proud of. We're professional when we need to be, but we aren't afraid to communicate using GIFs either.
Crafty— If there's a problem, "yo, we'll solve it" — if that means getting our hands dirty and turning over a few rocks, we aren't one bit scared. Mistakes are inevitable — we believe that you should get them out of the way early and learn from each one of them.
- Select the celebrity you think would best represent your company, and explain why they personify your brand. This is mostly fun, but also serves a purpose.
Our celebrity is Bill Murray, and here's why:
Bill is steady and reliable. He's funny, but charming and deceptively good at communicating a message. He doesn't always do the expected, rather he typically has an outside-the-box approach to what life throws at him. He likes to have fun and is unapologetic about it. He doesn't take himself too seriously, but can get down to business when need be.
When faced with a decision, on occasion, we'll ask ourselves "what would Bill do"?
- Find your muse. As you begin to define your tone of voice, it can be helpful to locate brands with similar voices. This is intended to serve as a springboard as you begin to carve out your own unique space in your industry. It's never ok to steal, but sometimes it's ok to borrow. You can look at others in your specific industry, but we'd also highly recommend that you look at other industries, too.
And just like that, you've defined your "tone of voice" — well, not really. Actually, not even close. Well, sort of. At least closer than you were before you read this post... maybe.
If you're looking for a fun, authentic, crafty team to help you take your brand to the next level, we know some people. Click the link below to schedule a consultation.
