Be a Voice, Not an Echo: 7 Ways to Blaze Your Own Brand’s Trail

Your business is defined in the outside world by your brand. The voice of your brand is what helps set you apart. Your voice is about person to person communication. Nobody wants to be spoken to like they’re a dollar sign. Your prospects and customers want authentic communication. And that means speaking to them where they are, in a way they can relate to readily. For your business, start by doing the research. Listen to prospective customers. Draw from your experience of them and which communication and marketing campaigns worked best. Your own voice will come out of this work. It can be a bit of a letdown to learn that no one has the answer for you, but you can do this! You can define your own brand’s unique voice, and not be an echo of someone else’s. To create structure around how you’re thinking about your brand’s voice, here are 7 ways you can make choices about the voice of your brand: 1. Language. What kind of words do you use in your marketing? Here is a spectrum of examples, ways to look at and define your brand’s language: Complex, insider, jargon-filled, serious, savvy, whimsical, fun, simple 2. Tone. What’s the vibe of your brand? Some examples to consider: Personal, humble, honest, direct, sophisticated, clinical, scientific 3. Character. Who does your brand sound like? Picture your brand as a person, a character. Here are words to help define your brand’s character: Professorial, authoritative, inspiring, warm, friendly, uplifting 4. Purpose. What is the impact you want to have? Here are possible ways: Educate, engage, entertain, delight, sell, enable, inform 5. Authenticity. One of the great things about being an entrepreneur is that you can be yourself as your business’ voice. You don’t have to create a pose or pretend to be someone else. When people see that you’re being real, they’re more likely to reach out to you. That connection is the basis of any sale. 6. Connection. One of the best ways to connect with people is through stories. When you know your audience, you can use storytelling as a powerful tool. With a story, you’re creating an atmosphere that makes it easy to listen. Use your own stories, or draw from classics or your customers. Stories are the most digestible, understood, and easy-to-retell ways of using your brand’s voice. A story really sticks in your audience’s mind. 7. Repetition. It can seem that your brand’s message is something you repeat over and over. Surely people are tired of it, you wonder. The truth is, people are only listening part of the time. That’s why it’s so important to repeat your message, over and over, with the same consistent voice. Don’t make your business a shadow of someone else’s. Please. We need what you and your business have to offer, in your own way. No echos for you! When you blaze your own brand’s trail, you have your own distinct voice, and that speaks loudly.