For many start-ups or small first-generation companies, establishing brand voice can seem easy. The founder or CEO writes or speaks, and his or her voice becomes the brand voice. Even if that is your strategy, it is still essential to analyze and document what makes that voice unique so others on staff, including new recruits or even freelancers, can reproduce it. The hope is your business will grow so swiftly the CEO won’t have time to write everything for long. And once the founder is too busy, your company’s voice must be maintained.

At Imagine Communications, we found it helpful to establish a companywide voice we call Gene who reflects our diverse staff and provides our audience with a consistent experience. Gene’s relatable, the person in the office who always has a joke on hand but also does the best work. Gene puts you at ease, and you can trust Gene.

Brand voices are as diverse as the companies they represent, but most can be broken down into three broad categories. Voices of Authority, Voices of Accessibility and Voices Defined by Outlook.

Voices of Authority lead from a position of expertise. If you’re at a conference, these are the speakers commanding the stage. Within this category, there are three major camps:

• The Translator: This voice focuses on turning complex topics into material anyone can understand. Think Bill Nye the Science Guy, Good Eats host Alton Brown or space expert Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
• The Aunt: This voice has experience. The Aunt has been where you are and wants to spare you any mistakes she’s made. She’s soothing, but also occasionally sassy.
• The Voice of the Almighty: This is a serious voice backed up by solid credentials with absolute authority. While the Translator may make things simple. The Almighty voice keeps it complex and refuses to dilute it. Think academic journals or legal publications.

Voices of Accessibility are approachable and relatable and can be broken down into these three groups:

• The Friend at the Bar: This voice is casual, friendly and is just so excited to share whatever new cool thing they’ve just discovered.
• Learning Alongside You: This voice helps lead you through an amazing journey as they’re discovering things right along with you. This voice is great if you are focused on the travel industry or outdoor exploration.
• The Mystic: This voice is gentle, calming, uses long flowing sentences and puts you at ease focusing on feelings and transformation.

Voices Defined by Outlook are formed by your company’s unique take on the world. There are a plethora of perspectives, but here’s three to consider:

• The Underdog: This voice says you understand there are challenges out there, but you’re up for them. It’s a confident “I believe in you” voice ready for any uphill battle. Think the perfect kindergarten teacher or Ted Lasso.
• The Eternal Optimist: This voice says you’re positive and uplifting no matter what. You don’t shy away from tough topics, but as far as you’re concerned everything is going to be OK. This voice may be excited to use exclamation points or even emojis while the Voice of the Almighty would be mortified with that.
• The Antiestablishment Voice: This voice is comfortable challenging the norms and asks audiences to make up their own minds. It doesn’t have to be aggressive or angry. It can provide solutions and appeal to people who are disillusioned and looking for something different.

Choosing your brand voice starts with establishing your brand and identifying your target audience, both topics we have covered in previous blogs.

Once you know who your audience is, hold a mirror up to it and choose a voice designed to reflect its needs. Is your audience bored? Maybe the Antiestablishment Voice can shake them out of that. Is your audience feeling disillusioned? The Underdog or Eternal Optimist might help. Is your audience stodgy? Voices of Authority might be best.

If you’re struggling to identify that next step or need help selecting the perfect voice for your company, we’re here for you. Imagine has decades of experience guiding clients through the branding process. Give us a call.