Do you know what your company ‘sounds’ like? If not, you will soon run into problems. Finding your voice as a business is not only a great way to establish yourself, but it’s also critical to your sales.
Without consistency, people won’t know who you are, or what you stand for. And without the ability to speak openly and on message – at every turn – you will just come across as confused.
With all this in mind, it is critical to find your voice. And in today’s guide, we’re going to go through a few areas that you will need to consider during the process.
What is your voice?
As a business and brand, your voice is a major factor in getting your message across. It can help you set and explain your USP. It can drive your communications in advertising, blog posts, and even product descriptions. It will give you guidelines on everything you say – and how you say it.
Who are you speaking to?
As a business, you have to know who your core audience is – and talk to them in a language they understand. For example, an accounting firm needs to be a lot more professional and use different language to that of a children’s entertainer. So, the first step in the process is to draw up a highly targeted picture of your ideal customer. Then it’s just a case of making your voice meet their needs and expectations.
What is your culture?
It’s not just your customers you need to talk to. Your company culture also has an impact on your voice. You should seek to try and improve employee communications, so everyone is working on the same page. Not only will it improve your company culture, but it will also improve your consistency across all other areas.
What are you saying?
Once you establish your ideal customer and a solid company culture, it is a lot easier for everyone in your business to know what to say. It means that whatever the medium your business is communicating through, it will all be on-message and on-brand. When everyone reads from the same page, communication becomes natural. And your tone of voice will start to be recognized as a significant part of the brand.
What is your vision?
As a business owner, you are probably acutely aware of your overall vision. But are your customers? Do you have an overarching story – making the world a better place, for example? Or making life easier for busy, stressed people? For the modern business, your voice has to be driven by that vision. Consumers these days put a lot more into finding meaning into things – even buying products or services. Work out your values, state your vision, and consumers will have a clearer view of what they can expect from your business.
OK, so there you have it – some ideas on how to develop and take advantage of your company’s voice. As part of an overall branding strategy, your voice is critical. It will help you create a clearer message, with your customers and your employees. And it will help your company differentiate itself from the competition. Good luck!