Have you ever seen a company whose copy was just all over the place? Better question… Have you ever seen a big brand publish something that seemed entirely off-brand with the voice they used?
Probably not.
Because those companies have developed what we call a brand voice. But you don’t need to be a Fortune 1000 company to have a brand voice! You can start it now. Today.
In this blog, we’re revealing 4 reasons why developing a brand voice is critical to business growth.
What is a Brand Voice?
A brand voice a set of emotions, tones, and descriptions that describe how you want to communicate to everyone who comes into contact with your company. It’s like an external culture.
We help craft brand voices for companies in what we call a Brand Voice Guide. This guide allows for anyone to read and use to write for the brand itself.
It’s not what you say… It’s how you say it.
Why Companies Needs a Brand Voice
Often, the CEO or the founder is the face of the company – meaning their time becomes more limited as their company grows. They cannot spend the time they used to commit to writing blogs, articles, website copy, or social media posts.
There are two options here:
- Wait until the CEO or founder of the company has time to write
- Hire someone else to write in place of the CEO or founder
The problem with option #1 is that the copy or content that needs to be written almost never gets done in a timely manner, or at all. It also sometimes creates friction within the organization because the marketing department is trying to adhere to a content schedule. The marketing department then finds themself in a catch-22 – following a schedule vs. annoying their employer (which is something that we do not suggest doing).
Option #2 can go one of two ways.
First, it can look sporadic, unprofessional, and messy because the ghostwriter doesn’t fully understand the voice they are mimicking. Additionally, the customer or subscriber will immediately be able to tell that it’s a different writer – losing trust and credibility. No one wants that.
The other way option #2 can go is…
The CEO or founder appears to be active, personal, and trustworthy to their customers without ever touching a keyboard. How can you accomplish this? By documenting your brand voice guidelines.
4 Reasons Why Developing a Brand Voice is Critical to Business Growth
Not convinced enough that you need to develop a brand voice? Here are 4 reasons why developing a brand voice is critical to business growth and your success.
#1 It Streamlines Your Editing Process
Who doesn’t need more time? Oftentimes, the most time is spent in the editing and proofreading stages of copywriting and content production.
If we take an average blog length (1000-1500 words or 2-4 pages) with a light edit, it will take approximately 30 minutes. This of course assumes that the writer is an excellent writer and nailed down the brand voice.
Using the same number of pages or words for a heavy edit, it will take over an hour to edit the same exact blog.
And that’s just an average technicality.
If your blog is significantly technical, you’re going to find the editing process is a lot longer. The most common reason for this increased time is not because the writer is trying to perfect the copy. It’s mostly because they have to completely rewrite the piece because they didn’t get the brand voice across originally.
When you create a brand voice, it streamlines your editing process by removing one less thing you want to worry about when editing. A brand voice guide decreases the number of edits or complete rewrites.
#2 Your Customers Need to Recognize and Remember Your Voice
A consistent voice builds a recognizable voice that your customers will remember. The goal is for your customers to think of you as many times as possible. How do you accomplish that? You make it easy for your customers to remember you – even if they are just scrolling through Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
Examples of Memorable Brand Voices
Let’s take a couple of examples… Can you guess who they are before checking out the link?
“We know men have thicker skin and luxurious facial hairs to grow classy mustaches and thick beards if they so choose. We built our products uniquely for your face, the face of man.” (Hint: men’s grooming.)
Did you guess it right?
“A top-shelf grooming routine. Personalized for you. No two people are the same. Tell us what you like so we can pick the right products.” (Hint: they changed this industry.)
“For a pop of color to brighten any palate, go floral. Our in-house artists hand-painted a variety of beautiful floral prints for this collection, and we think you’ll agree—they’re the perfect nod to spring. (These amazing vases start at just $14.) And for an even more lush look, layer in faux greenery or delicate dried stems.” (Hint: a girl’s favorite hangout.)
“It’s finally happening. Buy one [burger] and get another for just $1 when you place a mobile order. This is one of those rare cases where the sequel is better than the first—because this sequel has six more strips of bacon for one dollar more. So good you’re gonna wanna see it again and again.” (Hint: we’re big fans of their social media team!)
Now, this may be a little harder to get…
“Love, for all the right reasons.” (Hint: it’s a car company.)
How’d you do? A brand voice helps your customers remember you and think of you the next time they’re looking to buy.
#3 It Improves Customer Engagement and Conversion.
People don’t change overnight – they evolve over time. So when a prospect feels like they know your brand like the person in the cubicle next to them, their best friend, or even their family, they are more likely to engage.
The higher engagement rate, the higher conversion rate.
Think about the coffee giant Starbucks. When you look at its 18.4 million followers on Instagram, you see at least 110,000 likes and comments – translating to an average 0.78% engagement rate (last 3 posts as of January 5, 2020). While that rate seems low in our brains, it’s consistent with their social presence and they are engaging hundreds of thousands of people every single day – even if they don’t like or comment.
Top of mind.
How does social media engagement translate to conversion?
Go run by a Starbucks sometime today. Every table is taken, the drive thru line is long, and the baristas are pushing our drinks as fast as possible.
While Houston’s coffee scene is on fire right now, many people often go for the easy route when scheduling a coffee meeting – Starbucks. They will always know what to expect from a Starbucks. That starts with the very foundation – the brand.
#4 More Writing Projects Can Get Done
Because your company writing process has already been streamlined because of the brand voice, your writers can work on more writing projects. Thus creating more opportunities to increase revenue.
Additionally, the company’s founder or face doesn’t have to write everything. No one would ever know unless you revealed that yourself.
What type of writing projects can you get done with a brand voice guide?
- Blogs
- Social media posts
- Video scripts (have the founder or face of the company read them)
- Webinar scripts
- Landing pages or sales pages
- Product descriptions
- Email marketing campaigns
- Website copy
- E-books
- Lead magnets
- Products
- Books
- And so much more
The possibilities are endless when you have a brand voice guide because anyone will be able to use it.
Develop Your Brand Voice Today
If you need help developing a brand voice, learn more how you can access a Done-For-You Brand Voice Guide here.
