Finding your voice; the importance of verbal identity.
As a business owner who's thrown everything at getting your venture off the ground and to wherever it is today, we see you, we applaud you! Starting something new takes courage and commitment; it is no mean feat. Take a moment to recognise how far you've come and give yourself some love.
However, you haven't come this far to let it run away through needless inconsistency. You also don’t need to do it alone. Every business requires some help at some stage, often by increasing the size of your team. But this is the stage where water gets poured into the cordial. Your brand runs the risk of becoming diluted and less memorable.
Among other things that make up your brand, your unique communication style is crucial. It's your verbal identity.
So, what is Verbal Identity?
Your brand's verbal identity is the personality it projects through words (in all its states). It encompasses everything from the words you use in your marketing to the conversation over the phone with a customer.
Clearly identifying your brand voice, documenting it and teaching your team how to use it will help your customers adore you.
Brands are like people. The way people behave determines what we think of them. A key characteristic is the way they speak to us, the words they use, their body language, their tone, their pitch, and their energy.
A verbal identity is one of many sensory experiences that will shape the feelings people will have towards your brand. The way you communicate can reveal information about your brand's personality, values, and mission. And, it’s not simply what you say, it’s how you say it.
How to develop your brand's verbal identity:
Define your brand's personality.
Before creating a verbal identity, you must first define your brand's personality. Ask yourself: why are you here, what are your values? How do you want people to feel? What's your big audacious goal - what does the horizon look like to you? By answering these questions, you'll be in a much better position to start shaping your verbal identity.
Define a tone of voice.
Once you have defined your brand's personality, it's time to develop a tone of voice. Your tone should be consistent EVERYWHERE. From your website to your packaging and from your marketing to the conversation you have with a supplier.
The question is, what experience do you want to project? Are you going to be serious and authoritative or are you cheeky and playful? Ensure your tone aligns with your brand's personality, and above all, be honest with yourself - can you keep it up?
It's not all about you.
Unfortunately, projecting what you want is only part of the process. Have you considered how you can fit into your customer's life? Can you slide in in a way that works with what they're already doing through language they're already using? If not, why not?
Communicating to your audience, your tribe, should form an emotional connection. Be on the same page and operate at the same level, as if you/they are speaking WITH a close friend.
Take time to REALLY understand your audience.
To develop a tone of voice that resonates with your tribe, you MUST understand what makes them tick and, more importantly, what ticks them off. Speak with them, listen to them across social media and build a clear picture of their needs, wants and desires. Coming back to the analogy of developing a personality like a friend - this should be done through the filter of ‘ease’.
Just like the broader commitment to brand growth, you have to know where you're going but not be so rigidly (or ignorantly) attached to it that you're not prepared to make some tweaks along the way.
Once you have defined your verbal identity, don't forget to record it in a document or, better still, via some internal videos so you can bring your team along for the ride.
If you’re curious to learn more, the good folk at ‘Studio Noel’ have written a pretty decent blog which you can access here.
Equally, if you’re more of a talker, you know where we are (always).
Happy branding.
