Could your brand’s ‘tone of voice’ be losing you business?

There you were, thinking your brand was inanimate, impeccably groomed and well behaved. And now you discover it may have a tone of voice - and possibly an attitude to match. One that might even be losing you business.

So first things first – how can you tell what your brand’s tone of voice is? Well, just as when you speak to someone your tone of voice tells them whether you’re excited to see them, happy, sad and so on, the same is true with the written word.

Which means that if you aren’t clear or enthusiastic about the products and services you have to offer, it shows. People will rapidly lose interest and switch off by turning the page, throwing your leaflet, flyer or mailing in the bin, or clicking to another page on the web.

Brands are built by consistency of messaging. That’s why it’s so important to have a consistent tone of voice. One that injects energy into your brand and motivates people to buy or find out more. The energy comes from the enthusiasm you share about your products and services.

Of course fundamentally it comes from your products, services and target market. So if you’re a funeral director, instead of being enthusiastic, your tone of voice will be respectful, thoughtful and caring - as befits communicating with someone in mourning.

From web pages, to leaflets, flyers - and even company emails - consistency in your messaging and tone of voice will help build a powerful, reliable brand that can pay dividends.

So make sure everyone in your company knows your brand’s tone of voice. Because if it varies depending on who is writing your copy, your brand will suffer and you could lose sales.