3 ways to find your unique brand voice
I'm itching to get stuck into the practical tips here, but voice is a HA-UGE topic.
And if you're coming at this from a place of “what is voice and why should I care about it?” we need to go over some of the big picture stuff, first.
Feel free to skip to the bottom if you want to get straight to the tips.
What is voice?
Voice (aka brand voice) is the personality and emotion communicated through your copy.
Your voice helps you communicate who you are as a brand.
If your words were clothes, your voice would be how you style them.
A black-tee paired with goth makeup and a choker sends a very different message to a black-tee paired with a flowy skirt and pearls.
Just like “thanks!” sends a very different message to “thaaaaanks?”
You can create a voice for your brand (big businesses do this all the time).
OR you can tap into the awesome uniqueness that comes from your natural voice (yes, you have one).
Why find your unique voice?
If you’re a solo or small biz and you do most of your own writing yourself, I recommend finding your unique voice (and not creating a whole new one), because it:
makes writing more enjoyable and sustainable in the long run
attracts clients who’ll genuinely love working with you
gives your clients a consistent experience no matter how they interact with you
makes it easier to stand out — because no one else is you!
Side note: there is a huge amount of nuance when it comes to using your unique voice and showing up as yourself in your business. Think about it this way, who you are at a family BBQ versus who you are in a work environment is the same YOU but adjusted to suit the context and the person you’re talking to.
Ripping on your younger brother. Asking your Grandma about her bowling comp. Talking to your boss about an important project. Checking whether your work bestie is free for drinks on Friday. You’re going to sound a little bit different in all of these situations but you will still, essentially, be the same you.
So, shouldn’t writing in my voice be easy?
It can be, but it can take a bit of practice.
Thing is, writing in a natural, conversational way that feels true to your voice can be kinda tricky if you’ve been trained to write in a formal style (lawyers and academics, I’m looking at you).
OR if you have an inner critic that tells you “good” writing is writing that follows all the “rules”.
OR if you’re not sure whether you’re at a BBQ talking to your Grandma or at the office talking to your boss.
OR if you’re trying to emulate a voice that you’ve seen work elsewhere but that doesn’t align with you.
OR if you’re stuck in your head just trying to get the message across without also having to inject* personality into the words.
The good news is, there are some things you can do to help you get closer to your voice and cut through the stuff that’s getting in the way (whatever it might be).
*and when you channel your unique voice you don’t have to go about injecting anything, anywhere *shudders*
3 ways to find your unique voice
There are loads of ways you can go about this. But I’m going to be completely honest here, there’s no real way to shortcut the time, practice and strategy that goes into developing a solid brand (of which voice is just one component).
But, there are a couple of quick-ish ways I know to get you started, so that’s what I’m going to give you here. I use these techniques to channel my clients’ voices and I’ve adjusted them to help you find yours.
They won’t lead to a fully developed brand voice but they will help you think differently and give you some motivation if you’re feeling a bit *insert thumbs down and raspberry blowing noise* about your writing.
#1 Speak it out loud
Call a friend (or business buddy) on Zoom and record yourself talking about your business, what you do, how you do it and why.
You can use a voice recorder or Loom video to do it solo if you want (best if you can imagine trying to describe it to someone though so you get the really good conversational stuff flowing).
If you speak on podcasts, run workshops or do anything else out loud make sure you get a copy of those recordings, too.
Then listen back to yourself and pay attention to the energy in your voice (are you enthusiastic and use short sharp sentences or are you slower and more thoughtful?) and the words you use when you’re not bogged down in making it sound good on the page.
There are loads of cheap and free online transcription services that can help you pull out the exact phrases and language to use in your writing.
#2 Think about how your business relates to your audience and how you want them to feel after they’ve interacted with you. Now describe that relationship.
Are you the cool Auntie who takes them to a bar when they’re 18 and teaches them how to paint their nails without getting it all over their cuticles?
Are you the straight-talking BFF who makes them laugh and wants the best for them but also won’t put up with their BS excuses for not going after *insert thing they really want here*?
Are you the experienced hiking trail guide leading the way, pointing out hidden birds nests and interesting rock formations while keeping everyone safe from stinging nettle?
Are you the mentor who provides gentle advice and a safe, caring space and who always has a cup of tea and nourishing snacks ready for when they visit?
All of these relationships give us clues to how to talk to the audience. For some of these relationships shorthand, slang and humour would be appropriate. For others, the voice will feel more formal and respectful.
#3 If your brand was X what would it be and why?
In my client questionnaire, I replace the X for “fictional character or celebrity” because it’s nice and broad.
But you can put just about anything in that spot that resonates with you. Animal, song, colour, holiday destination, Friends character, Golden Girl. You get the idea.
Heck, do a whole bunch of them and see what pops up!
The key here is asking “why?”
What are the words, ideas, feelings and themes that are coming through? How does the X make people feel?
That’s it! Now that you’re starting to get a feel for your voice it’s time for the fun part, writing.
I’d love to hear how you go.
And I’d particularly enjoy knowing your response to #3. For the record, I’m Leslie Knope — resourceful, ambitious, kind, warm, loving, hard-working and just slightly goofy.
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