It’s easy to think tone of voice is something for the big brands. The multinationals with deep marketing pockets. The greenwashing giants intent on making the public think they care about people and the planet.

But nailing your brand voice early on could be a surprisingly good investment. It could make all the difference between whether you become a cult brand eventually adopted by the mainstream or whether you struggle to gain traction.

Tone of voice is a powerful tool for smaller brands

Ok, so we’ve established you don’t have the budget that big biz has. And you have big investment decisions to make.

But you’re still marketing your brand, right? Even if that’s limited to a website and some social media for now, a strong brand presence will pay for itself many times over.

As a small, ethical business, one of your biggest strengths is your passion. You know your customers, possibly even on a first-name basis. Identifying a tone of voice that helps you express your passion and values can help you stand out from the crowd and connect with your ideal customers.

What is a brand tone of voice?

Tone of voice is the words, style and language you use to talk or write about your business. It should reflect your brand personality and values. It should resonate with your target audience and make them feel the feels you want them to feel (tongue twister much?).

How tone of voice affects brand perception

Your tone of voice can have a huge impact on the way your audience feels about your brand. One client I worked with communicated on important ecological issues. They didn’t want to be perceived as too activist because they didn’t want to turn off the mainstream. We decided on an upbeat, optimistic brand tone of voice to inspire their audience and make them feel hopeful.

Another business I worked with talked about similar issues but they used a more cynical tone. They wanted to unite their audience, an older segment, and create a feeling of being ‘in it together’ to spur activism.

Tone of voice is more than the individual words you use. It also encompasses your writing style. Many consumer brands choose an informal tone, contracting ‘was not’ to ‘wasn’t’ and avoiding long words and technical jargon. But if you want to appeal to well-informed climate scientists on their day off, you could feasibly choose a more scientific tone to transmit authority or appeal to this inner circle.

What sorts of communications should reflect your brand tone of voice?

Arguably, everything you write for your customers should reflect your brand personality, from your website and packaging to your newsletters and even email to communicate that dreaded price increase.

And, while your brand personality stays the same, your exact tone of voice may change. This is why it’s important to identify situations when you’d use a different tone of voice, which is something I do in Own Your Tone.

Let’s say you’re a humorous brand. You have fun packaging and don’t take life too seriously. If you use the same brand tone of voice when you email customers about your latest price hike, you’ll probably annoy them. I mean, the cost of living has affected many people in terrible ways. You could tone the humour down with a more caring, perhaps even self-deprecating tone. But you wouldn’t want to go super formal either, because that wouldn’t be on-brand.

A clear brand tone of voice ups audience appeal

If your audience can see themselves – or someone they’d like to be - in your tone of voice, it can create positive connections in their mind.

You’re probably already doing this. You probably already have a good feel for your target audience and how you want to make them feel. But it can take some trial and error to get right.

Let’s say you’re a plant-based skincare company and want to tell your customers about the steps you take to minimise your impact on the earth.

Origins takes an authoritative approach to its tone of voice. It provides transparency and mentions its scientific approach to formulation. Customers reading this are likely to feel like they can trust in a company with integrity that knows its stuff. The language is relatively unfussy and uncomplicated, and they explain the term ‘vegan’.

So let’s have a look at how Gen Z brand Bubble communicates the same concerns.

Its tone of voice is informal, uncomplicated and fun. (And by admitting they’re using plastic but working to eliminate it, they get marks for anti-greenwashing).

Have a think about how you want your audience to feel when they interact with you.

If you want them to feel calm and stress-free then you can use calming words and take a reassuring, and informative tone.

Or do you want to fire them up, get them to join you on your next protest or donate to your cause? You might want to use a more urgent, energising tone.

Tone of voice makes your brand more memorable

There are lots of brands vying for our attention. But it’s common for many brands within the same category to choose a similar tone of voice. The result is they can struggle to stand out.

I’ve worked with many language service providers over the years. These businesses are wonderful to work with because they are often the result of a love affair with language. Linguists typically spend years honing their native and foreign languages to help their clients achieve their goals, whether that’s facilitating communication at a multi-language event or selling to customers in an overseas market.

A few years ago I worked with Italian SEO copywriter and translator Ester Mignani to create her English website. Many linguists prefer to build trust by using a more formal, professional tone of voice. But as a copywriter, Ester has a playful – but also straight-talking - tone of voice when she writes in Italian, which I needed to render into English. The result is that English-speaking clients can get a glimpse into her talent and creativity without having to learn Italian (or use Google which wouldn’t capture her spirit properly).

A consistent brand tone of voice helps you build credibility

Ever received an email from a brand that feels so off-brand you wonder if it’s spam? Sometimes, when your business has vast numbers of marketers working on various campaigns, there can be a bit of disconnect between the tone of voice across the business.

A consistent, clear, and sincere tone demonstrates transparency and reliability. If your tone fluctuates between different styles, customers may feel confused or uncertain about what the brand truly stands for.

Consistency helps reinforce credibility, showing customers that the brand is committed to its mission in every communication—whether it’s a social media post, a customer email, or website copy.

Tone of voice can help you communicate your values without labouring the point

‘Show don’t tell’ is my motto for good copywriting. No one likes to be told how to feel. But we can write copy in a way that opens the door to the emotions you want to elicit.

How can you get your audience to make the connection that we shouldn’t really be drinking cow’s milk without making them feel judged, defensive or lectured? Oatly has the answer.

How can I identify my perfect brand tone of voice?

Itching to work on your brand tone of voice now? Here are some starter questions to help you start exploring the words and language you use:

1. What are your core values?

2. Who is your target audience? What does their day look like? How do they choose the products they use? What do they care about? What specific words do they use?

3. How do you want them to feel? Fired up? Optimistic? Concerned? Reassured?

4. How have customers responded to your tone of voice so far?

5. How do your competitors communicate? What would happen if you used a completely different tone of voice without compromising your values?

6. Do you have room to experiment with your tone of voice and see which communication gets the most traction?

7. Are there any words, phrases or emotions you want to avoid at all costs?

Need help nailing a tone of voice that resonates with your current customer base, helps you stand out and inspires credibility? Take a look at my tone of voice development offer for sustainable businesses.

Does tone of voice really matter for ethical brands?