Have you ever asked yourself…
What do legendary and most successful brands have in common?
They obsess over consistent, recognizable presences and weave their unique personalities into every marketing strategy. Beyond the captivating logos and eye-catching designs, these legends went a step further by embracing a powerful yet often overlooked element: brand language.
What is brand language
refers to the specific words, phrases, and tone of voice used by a brand to communicate with its audience. It includes everything from taglines and slogans to the language used in product descriptions and customer service interactions. A well-crafted brand language helps to establish a brand’s personality, values, and unique selling proposition, making it easier for consumers to connect with and remember the brand. such as an ad headline.
Consistency is key in this regard. For instance, if your company uses a friendly and informal tone in its marketing materials, it should maintain the same approach across all brand communications.
Why Is Having A Strong Brand Language Important?
As I stated earlier, effective brand language helps companies communicate their message to their audience. It helps establish a strong brand identity, differentiate themselves from competitors, and build meaningful connections with customers.
If your branding or messaging changes frequently, it’s hard for your audience to know exactly what you’re all about. Eventually, all your efforts start to lose impact and slowly get overshadowed by better-branded alternatives.
Difference between brand voice and tone
See Blandloom illustration for real life tones inspiration
Start Your Own Brand’s Voice in 4 Steps
Step 1: Review your company’s mission statement
Your brand’s personality and voice should align with your core values. It’s not just a dusty document on a shelf — it’s a roadmap, a beacon that guides everything you do. Think of it like a secret handshake between your brand and its audience, whispered through messaging, visuals, and every customer touchpoint.
Step 2: Research Your Audience
Ask questions like:
- How would you describe our brand?
- If our company were a person, what would it sound like?
Is our tone appropriate in your view?
Another way to understand your target audience is to sample your current best customers and research them. Here’s how it’ll work:
- Select five top customers from your existing clientele.
- Google their names individually.
- Analyze their social media activity to determine their interests, preferred writing style, and reading habits.
Another way to understand your target audience is to sample your current best customers and research them
- Pick up to five best customers.️
- Google them (discreetly!).
- Check their social media: hobbies, language, reading habits.
Write a list of the words that come to mind as you evaluate each customer. Once you’ve completed this process for every person in the sample, examine the lists to identify shared words or themes.
Step 4: Create A Brand Voice Chart
Each brand is unique! Take the top three to four brand traits that truly represent your unique identity, and complete a chart like the one below, explaining how each trait should and shouldn’t be represented in your marketing:
Up to this point, you are ready to craft a straightforward explanation for all content and copywriters in your organization that really speaks to your customers and allows you to stand out from everyone else. By the way, if you need help with this, you can shoot me a DM ASAP I will be happy to help you ;)
