Brand Voice Skill
Overview
Brand Voice is the foundation of all marketing communication. It's how you sound, not what you say. This skill helps you define your unique voice and ensure consistency across all channels.
Keywords: brand voice, tone, personality, messaging, consistency, brand guidelines, communication style, brand identity
Core Methodology
Your brand voice has four dimensions:
- Personality Archetype — The character type your brand embodies
- Voice Dimensions — Specific traits that define how you communicate
- Tone Variations — How your voice adapts to different contexts
- Voice Guidelines — Rules for maintaining consistency
Personality Archetypes
Choose the archetype that best fits your brand:
- The Sage — Analytical, knowledgeable, truth-seeking (think TED Talks)
- The Hero — Courageous, bold, inspiring (think Nike)
- The Lover — Passionate, emotional, intimate (think Tiffany & Co.)
- The Creator — Innovative, imaginative, expressive (think Apple)
- The Innocent — Optimistic, cheerful, simple (think Coca-Cola)
- The Everyman — Relatable, friendly, down-to-earth (think Target)
- The Caregiver — Compassionate, supportive, helpful (think Dove)
- The Ruler — Authoritative, commanding, organized (think IBM)
- The Magician — Transformative, mysterious, powerful (think Tesla)
- The Outlaw — Rebellious, disruptive, provocative (think Red Bull)
Voice Dimensions
Define your voice across these dimensions:
Formality: Formal ↔ Casual Optimism: Pessimistic ↔ Optimistic Humor: Serious ↔ Humorous Confidence: Uncertain ↔ Confident Sophistication: Simple ↔ Complex Warmth: Cold ↔ Warm Energy: Calm ↔ Energetic Directness: Indirect ↔ Direct
Tone Variations
Your voice stays consistent, but your tone adapts:
- Educational Content — Informative, clear, authoritative
- Sales/Promotional — Persuasive, compelling, benefit-focused
- Customer Support — Empathetic, helpful, patient
- Social Media — Conversational, engaging, personality-driven
- Crisis Communication — Transparent, accountable, reassuring
Voice Guidelines Framework
Create your voice guidelines document with:
- Archetype — Your personality type
- Voice Dimensions — Your specific traits
- Do's — What to always do
- Don'ts — What to never do
- Examples — Good and bad examples
- Tone Variations — How to adapt by context
- Word Choices — Preferred and avoided words
- Sentence Structure — How you construct sentences
How to Use This Skill
- Identify Your Archetype — Which personality type fits your brand?
- Define Your Dimensions — Where do you fall on each dimension?
- Create Your Guidelines — Document your voice rules
- Test for Consistency — Review existing content against guidelines
- Train Your Team — Share guidelines with everyone creating content
Integration with Other Skills
Brand Voice is the foundation for:
- Positioning Angles — Your voice delivers your positioning
- Direct Response Copy — Your voice makes copy persuasive
- SEO Content — Your voice makes content engaging
- Newsletter — Your voice builds audience connection
- Email Sequences — Your voice builds trust
Common Pitfalls
Inconsistency — Your voice changes across channels. Too Generic — Your voice sounds like everyone else. Inauthentic — Your voice doesn't match your actual brand. Unclear Guidelines — Your team doesn't understand the voice.
Next Steps
Once you've defined your Brand Voice, move to Skill 02: Positioning Angles to find your unique differentiation.