Whether it’s tackling tricky comms, attracting the right recruits, evoking emotions or transforming culture, tone of voice is hugely important for relationship building among employees, clients and investors alike.
We’ve pulled together a selection of helpful insights written by our resident expert, Anna Fozzard. If you’re looking to establish or evolve your organisation’s voice, these will give you some pointers on where to start.
What is the difference between tone of voice and messaging?
We often see the terms tone of voice and messaging being used interchangeably. It’s understandable why – there is some overlap between the two. They both need to reflect your brand values and the personality of your organisation. They focus on copy and language, rather than design or imagery. And they are used together in content.
Yet they are two distinct areas of brand identity, and the way you create and apply them is quite different. This short guide sets the record straight.
No one is rational about money: why evoking emotions is key in financial services comms
Financial services companies need to tread the line between rational and emotional drivers very carefully. With strict regulations to meet and customer trust to protect, clarity is paramount. A tone of voice that helps you balance informing and engaging your audience makes it possible to speak to people’s emotions in a way that also enables sensible financial decisions.
Making one brand voice work across channels
Digital marketing used to be a thing, but now it’s the only thing. That means people are moving seamlessly between different channels, and brands need to think about these transitions to keep that experience consistent. Anything that feels too different will jar. But using the same language everywhere won’t feel right either. So, how do you get the balance?
From consistency to unity: tone of voice for culture transformation
Businesses spend hours (and we mean hours) fine tuning a tone of voice for external audiences. It’s a significant and worthwhile investment. The right tone of voice can help businesses better connect with customers, reflect their values in all their communications and stand out from the competition.
What are tone of voice guidelines, and do you need them?
Tone of voice guidelines can show businesses how to communicate with all audiences and how to sound on brand in every piece of writing. And that’s not all they do. Yet less than half (39%) of respondents to a recent Stratton Craig poll said they had guidelines in place, which means many businesses are missing out on these key benefits.
Tell us about yourself: Why tone of voice matters in recruitment marketing
An attractive proposition is just the starting point for a successful job advert in today’s ultra-competitive talent market. Not just what you offer but the way you articulate that offering has become a lynchpin in the hiring process. But what exactly does a recruitment tone of voice look like, and how can it help your ad stand out from the crowd?
Tackling tricky comms with the right tone of voice
When times really are tough, writing negative communications can make the person behind the keyboard wince – we know, we’ve been helping banks fine-tune customer comms for years. But in these situations, getting the tone right can make all the difference to how the message lands. Not only can the right tone keep customers on your side, but it can elicit cooperation.
