{"id":21396,"date":"2017-09-04T14:22:37","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T13:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fifteen-staging.fifteen.dev\/blog\/how-to-create-your-companys-tone-of-voice\/"},"modified":"2023-01-30T18:50:22","modified_gmt":"2023-01-30T18:50:22","slug":"how-to-create-your-companys-tone-of-voice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fifteendesign.co.uk\/blog\/how-to-create-your-companys-tone-of-voice\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Create Your Company\u2019s Tone of Voice"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all speak differently, right? We each have a different tone of voice. Though we all use the Queen\u2019s English (most of the time), there are different dialects, little quirks and phrases unique to us \u2013 or given to us by our parents or friends. And there are accents, too, though that\u2019s a little harder to capture as text (without things turning into an Irvine Welsh novel).<\/p>\n

We might not realise it at the time, but these little quirks help to define our character. Our friends and relatives get an understanding of our personality by, among other things, the way we speak \u2013 how and what we say. The same thing applies to companies in the modern world. A fancy billboard sign pimping some new ad slogan just doesn\u2019t cut through the clutter today. Our communications are everywhere, from email signatures and Twitter posts to above-the-line marketing messages and campaign taglines.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re about to embark upon a big digital marketing campaign<\/a> or look to reinvigorate your brand, establishing how you speak is one of the fundamental considerations. There\u2019s nothing weirder than seeing someone suddenly change how they act and speak \u2013 such as becoming the joker of the pack \u2013 as it can create a real dissonance for consumers.<\/p>\n

Why is a company\u2019s tone of voice important?<\/h2>\n

Your tone of voice is an\u00a0essential aspect of communicating your company\u2019s personality. But for many, your\u00a0tone of voice probably isn\u2019t a consideration. It\u2019s an after-thought. The way a company presents itself becomes simply the amalgamation of its staff writing in different ways on different platforms, with individual personalities defining how that company sounds.<\/p>\n

And herein lies the problem.<\/p>\n

You are, in a manner of speaking, all over the place. Flip this around to imagine what your customers are experiencing. Different styles of writing, different ways of being, different answers. It can muddy the waters of who you are and the experience you give to consumers.<\/p>\n

Having a good tone of voice in place gives you:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Consistency<\/strong> in how you speak \u2013 offering customers the same experience with your company.
\n\u2022 Character<\/strong> for your company \u2013 something that gets you noticed.
\n\u2022 Confidence<\/strong> for your staff \u2013 when they\u2019re writing brochures or blogs, they know the rules.<\/p>\n

Tone of voice in action: Tatler vs BBC<\/h2>\n

Tone of voice is a lot easier to establish in the world of media publishing. Magazines, for example, will have a particular house style, a list of dos and don\u2019ts. A style guide, perhaps, in which the laws of language are laid down. They’re inherently editorial organisations who live and breathe this world of language and often have a long pedigree of establishing a strong and consistent tone of voice across all of its communications. A fun game (well, to me) is to stand in a newsagent and just look at the way magazines present themselves. Look at the headlines or first lines of copy. You’ll start to get an eye for how they each have a different way of expressing themselves.<\/p>\n

I want to highlight good tone today by looking at the world of media, and examine how a different tone changes the approach and emphasis on a generic subject such as holidays.<\/p>\n

One of my favourite examples of a stand-out tone of voice is Tatler magazine. Let\u2019s contrast one of their recent travel articles with something similar on the BBC website. One magazine behaves like it\u2019s glamorous and carefree, the other is a more rudimentary news site that eschews any flair in sacrifice for providing easily accessible information.<\/p>\n

Tatler\u2019s Guide to the best family holidays in 2017<\/a> vs BBC\u2019s Where\u2019s hot? This summer\u2019s most popular family hotspots<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s glance past the headlines \u2013 those are mostly going to be fine-tuned for SEO benefits<\/a>. We\u2019ll roll into the phrases used throughout.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s Tatler\u2019s way of speaking in the intro<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u201cTired of looking for a holiday? Our guide to the best family holidays for summer 2017 is here to help. You will drink cold ros\u00e9 while the kids don’t really bother you very much<\/strong> but are nonetheless having a wonderful<\/strong> time.\u201d<\/em> [Emphasis mine.]<\/p>\n

And the BBC:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cFor some of us, holidays are becoming more than just a chance to relax in the sun but the chance to experience something different – and this growth in out-of-the-way travel is playing a vital role<\/strong> in many countries’ economic development<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em> [Emphasis mine.]<\/p>\n

Key Tatler examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s family-run and smart as a pin, with armfuls of bushy-tailed staff<\/strong>, a cracking kids’ club (courtesy of Scott Dunn), various pools and a don’t-care- if-they-throw-a-wobbler attitude<\/strong> that’s supremely relaxing<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s a barbecue, a party tent with its own bar and dressing-up box, and a firepit, around which you can sit late at night, looking at the sky (come in August for the incredible shooting stars), drinking wine and smoking joints (although that’s illegal, so don’t).<\/strong> Plus wooden kitchen cabins with every amenity you might need, and a shower block to wash the smell of wood smoke and wildflowers<\/strong> from your hair.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Key BBC examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe travel agency’s customers are predominantly<\/strong> 20-somethings, many of whom are taking a gap year, after finishing school or university.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cReflecting their customers’ demands<\/strong>, the firm which started out as a publisher, producing a guidebook on the top UK boutique hotels, now organises tailor-made travel itineraries<\/strong> for its travel club members.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe pound’s fall, which is still down around 15% against the dollar since last year’s EU referendum,<\/strong> has had a clear impact on holidaymakers’ choices with trips to Mexico and South Africa boosted by the relative weakness of their currencies<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Some key differences in these two examples of a tone of voice include:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2022 Tatler is endlessly more fun and emotive<\/strong>.
\n\u2022 The magazine uses adverbs and adjectives in a more exciting and evocative manner<\/strong> \u2013 things are incredible, bushy-tailed or wonderful.
\n\u2022 In fact, Tatler uses longer, more complex sentences<\/strong> with plenty of clauses.
\n\u2022 Tatler uses plenty of humour<\/strong>, whereas the BBC limits itself.
\n\u2022 The BBC uses lots of one-sentence paragraphs<\/strong>, making it easier for most people to read on a screen.
\n\u2022 The BBC is drier and more factual<\/strong> \u2013 the audience is here for news, after all, and not entertainment.
\n\u2022 The BBC is minimalistic<\/strong> \u2013 few adjectives and adverbs in comparison to Tatler\u2019s sassiness.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth dwelling on how much the subject matter is essential to the tone of voice as well. Tatler has deliberately selected locations that fit in with the Tatler lifestyle, which differentiates it from any ordinary publication, and uses decadent imagery to accompany the article. The concept of glamour and luxury cut through the whole piece.<\/p>\n

Switching channels<\/h2>\n

I\u2019m going to run with Tatler just that little bit more because tone of voice isn\u2019t limited to one channel. It goes across all of them \u2013 including Twitter.<\/p>\n

\n

It turns out dogs like road-tripping around France as much as we do. PHEWhttps:\/\/t.co\/imRunTRa2I<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GthzRJuoHM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tatler (@TatlerUK) August 22, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n