Brand Voice
SKILL.md
HOW_TO_USE.md
skillsmarketingSKILL.md
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# Brand Voice
Define how you sound. One file ensures every piece of copy matches your voice, not generic AI-speak.
## Core Philosophy
**Voice is what makes strangers recognize you.** Without a defined voice, every piece of content sounds like it could come from any company. With a defined voice, your audience recognizes you before they see your logo.
**The Goal:** Create a voice document so clear that anyone (human or AI) can write copy that sounds authentically like your brand.
**The Principle:** Voice comes from values. Tone adapts to context. Style is the execution.
---
## Required Context
### Must Have
**1. Brand Basics**
- Company/product name
- What you do (one sentence)
- Who you serve (primary audience)
**2. Values & Beliefs**
- What you stand for
- What you stand against
- What makes you different philosophically
**3. Existing Content**
- Examples of content you like (yours or others')
- Examples of content that feels wrong for you
- Any existing brand guidelines
### Strongly Recommended
**4. Audience Understanding**
- How sophisticated is your audience?
- How do they talk about their problems?
- What tone do they respond to?
**5. Competitive Context**
- How do competitors sound?
- What voice territory is crowded?
- What voice territory is available?
### Nice to Have
- Founder/team personality traits
- Origin story or brand narrative
- Customer testimonials (for their language)
- Internal culture documents
- Brands you admire (in any industry)
---
## The Voice Framework
### Three Layers of Brand Communication
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ VOICE │
│ (Permanent personality traits) │
│ What you sound like ALL the time │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ TONE │
│ (Contextual adjustments) │
│ How personality adapts to situations │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ STYLE │
│ (Tactical execution) │
│ Grammar, formatting, word choices │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
**Voice** = Personality (stays constant)
**Tone** = Mood (changes by context)
**Style** = Rules (specific guidelines)
---
## Step 1: Voice Discovery
### The Brand Personality Exercise
**If your brand were a person at a party, how would they act?**
| Question | Answer |
|----------|--------|
| Are they the center of attention or observing from the side? | |
| Do they use big words or keep it simple? | |
| Are they cracking jokes or staying serious? | |
| Do they speak quickly or take their time? | |
| Are they formal or casual? | |
| Do they challenge ideas or agree easily? | |
### The Voice Attribute Spectrum
Rate your brand on each spectrum (1-5):
```
Formal 1 ─ 2 ─ 3 ─ 4 ─ 5 Casual
Serious 1 ─ 2 ─ 3 ─ 4 ─ 5 Playful
Reserved 1 ─ 2 ─ 3 ─ 4 ─ 5 Enthusiastic
Technical 1 ─ 2 ─ 3 ─ 4 ─ 5 Accessible
Safe 1 ─ 2 ─ 3 ─ 4 ─ 5 Bold
Traditional 1 ─ 2 ─ 3 ─ 4 ─ 5 Innovative
Corporate 1 ─ 2 ─ 3 ─ 4 ─ 5 Human
Humble 1 ─ 2 ─ 3 ─ 4 ─ 5 Confident
```
### The Four Voice Pillars
Every brand voice can be defined by 3-4 primary traits:
**Examples of Voice Pillars:**
| Pillar | Description | Sounds Like | Doesn't Sound Like |
|--------|-------------|-------------|-------------------|
| Confident | We know our stuff and aren't afraid to say it | "Here's what works" | "We think maybe..." |
| Warm | We actually care about the people we serve | "We've been there too" | "Users will find that..." |
| Direct | We respect your time and get to the point | "Do this. Here's why." | "It could potentially be beneficial to consider..." |
| Witty | We take work seriously but not ourselves | "Let's fix this mess" | "We shall endeavor to optimize..." |
---
### The "We Are / We Are Not" Framework
Define voice through contrast:
```
WE ARE: WE ARE NOT:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
Confident → Arrogant
Helpful → Condescending
Clear → Dumbed-down
Passionate → Salesy
Professional → Stiff
Friendly → Fake-cheerful
Bold → Reckless
Expert → Jargon-heavy
```
---
## Step 2: Tone Mapping
### Tone Varies by Context
The same voice sounds different in different situations:
| Context | Tone Adjustment | Example |
|---------|----------------|---------|
| Homepage | Confident, inspiring | "Transform how your team works" |
| Error message | Helpful, calm | "Something went wrong. Here's how to fix it" |
| Celebration | Enthusiastic, warm | "You did it! 10,000 users and counting" |
| Apology | Sincere, accountable | "We messed up. Here's what happened and what we're doing about it" |
| Onboarding | Encouraging, patient | "Let's get you set up. This takes about 3 minutes" |
| Sales | Confident, direct | "Here's exactly what you get and what it costs" |
### Tone Matrix
Map tone adjustments across situations:
```
MORE FORMAL ◄──────────► MORE CASUAL
│
CRISIS/BAD NEWS │ CELEBRATION
(Serious, Direct, │ (Enthusiastic, Warm,
Accountable) │ Celebratory)
│
MORE ──────────────────────┼────────────────────── MORE
SERIOUS │ PLAYFUL
│
EDUCATION/HELP │ MARKETING/SOCIAL
(Patient, Clear, │ (Engaging, Punchy,
Supportive) │ Personality-forward)
│
```
---
## Step 3: Style Rules
### Writing Style Guide
**Sentence Structure:**
- [ ] Short sentences preferred (under 20 words)
- [ ] One idea per sentence
- [ ] Active voice default
- [ ] Passive voice acceptable when: [specify]
**Paragraph Structure:**
- [ ] Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max)
- [ ] One main point per paragraph
- [ ] White space is your friend
**Formatting Preferences:**
| Element | Preference |
|---------|------------|
| Headlines | Sentence case / Title Case |
| Lists | Bulleted / Numbered / When to use each |
| Emphasis | Bold / Italic / When to use |
| Numbers | Spell out 1-10 / Always numerals |
### Vocabulary Guidelines
**Words We Use:**
| Instead of... | We say... |
|---------------|-----------|
| Utilize | Use |
| Leverage | Use / Build on |
| Synergy | [Don't say this] |
| Solution | [Be specific: tool, platform, service] |
| Innovative | [Show, don't tell] |
**Words We Own:**
Words or phrases unique to your brand:
- [Brand term 1]: Definition
- [Brand term 2]: Definition
- [Brand phrase]: When to use
**Words We Avoid:**
| Word | Why |
|------|-----|
| [Word 1] | [Reason] |
| [Word 2] | [Reason] |
| [Word 3] | [Reason] |
### Grammar & Mechanics
| Rule | Our Standard |
|------|--------------|
| Oxford comma | Yes / No |
| Contractions | Yes / Limited / No |
| Exclamation points | Sparingly / Never / One per page max |
| Emoji | Yes (social only) / Limited / Never |
| Capitalization | Product names, features, etc. |
| Abbreviations | Spell out first use / Common ones OK |
---
## Step 4: Voice in Action
### Before & After Examples
Provide clear transformations:
**Generic → On-Brand:**
```
GENERIC:
"Our innovative solution leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver best-in-class results for your business needs."
ON-BRAND (Example: Confident + Direct + Warm):
"We built this because we were tired of tools that promise everything and deliver spreadsheets. It actually works. Here's how."
```
**Too Casual → On-Brand:**
```
TOO CASUAL:
"OMG you guys!! This feature is literally going to change your life!!! 🎉🎉🎉"
ON-BRAND (Example: Enthusiastic but Professional):
"This one's been in the works for months. It's finally here, and it's going to save you serious time."
```
**Too Formal → On-Brand:**
```
TOO FORMAL:
"We are pleased to announce the implementation of enhanced functionality within the platform infrastructure."
ON-BRAND (Example: Direct + Human):
"New feature: bulk editing. Edit 100 items at once instead of one at a time. You asked, we built it."
```
---
### Channel-Specific Applications
| Channel | Voice Expression | Example |
|---------|-----------------|---------|
| Website | Full brand voice, polished | [Example] |
| Email | Slightly warmer, more personal | [Example] |
| Social | More casual, personality-forward | [Example] |
| Support | Patient, helpful, solution-focused | [Example] |
| Sales | Confident, direct, value-focused | [Example] |
| Internal | Relaxed but professional | [Example] |
---
## Output Format
### Voice Document Structure
```
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
BRAND VOICE GUIDE: [BRAND NAME]
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
QUICK REFERENCE
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Our voice in 3 words: [Word 1], [Word 2], [Word 3]
Remember: [One-sentence voice reminder]
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
VOICE PILLARS
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
1. [PILLAR NAME]
What it means: [Description]
Sounds like: "[Example]"
Doesn't sound like: "[Anti-example]"
2. [PILLAR NAME]
What it means: [Description]
Sounds like: "[Example]"
Doesn't sound like: "[Anti-example]"
3. [PILLAR NAME]
What it means: [Description]
Sounds like: "[Example]"
Doesn't sound like: "[Anti-example]"
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
WE ARE / WE ARE NOT
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
We are: [Trait 1], [Trait 2], [Trait 3]
We are not: [Anti-trait 1], [Anti-trait 2], [Anti-trait 3]
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TONE BY CONTEXT
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
| Situation | Tone | Example |
|-----------|------|---------|
| [Context] | [Tone] | "[Example copy]" |
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
STYLE RULES
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Vocabulary:
• Use: [words]
• Avoid: [words]
• Our terms: [brand-specific vocabulary]
Grammar:
• Contractions: [Yes/No]
• Oxford comma: [Yes/No]
• Sentence length: [Guideline]
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
EXAMPLES
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
HEADLINE - ON BRAND:
"[Example]"
HEADLINE - OFF BRAND:
"[Example]"
BODY COPY - ON BRAND:
"[Example paragraph]"
BODY COPY - OFF BRAND:
"[Example paragraph]"
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
QUICK CHECKLIST
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Before publishing, ask:
□ Does this sound like us?
□ Would our audience recognize this as ours?
□ Is the tone right for this context?
□ Did we follow our style rules?
□ Is this something we'd be proud to sign our name to?
```
---
## Voice Testing Methods
### The Logo Swap Test
Remove your logo. Could this content be from any competitor? If yes, your voice isn't distinct enough.
### The Read Aloud Test
Read copy out loud. Does it sound like how your brand would actually talk? Or does it sound like "marketing speak"?
### The Personality Test
If someone read only this piece of content, what 3 adjectives would they use to describe the author? Do those match your intended voice?
### The Consistency Test
Compare 5 random pieces of your content. Do they sound like they came from the same source?
---
## Common Voice Problems & Fixes
| Problem | Symptom | Fix |
|---------|---------|-----|
| Generic voice | Could be any company | Add specific opinions, personality |
| Inconsistent voice | Different content sounds different | Create clearer examples, train team |
| Wrong tone for context | Playful in serious moments | Develop tone matrix by situation |
| Too corporate | Sounds like legal wrote it | Use contractions, shorter sentences |
| Trying too hard | Forced humor, over-personality | Pull back, let value speak |
| No personality | Safe, forgettable | Take a stance, have opinions |
---
## Limitations
**I can help with:**
- Extracting voice from existing content
- Defining voice pillars and attributes
- Creating style guidelines
- Writing before/after examples
- Mapping tone across contexts
**I cannot provide:**
- Customer research on what resonates
- Competitive voice analysis from real data
- Guarantee voice will connect with audience
- Implementation across your team
**For complete voice development, also conduct:**
- Customer interviews (how do they describe you?)
- Team workshops (how do employees describe the brand?)
- Content audit (what's working now?)
- Competitive analysis (how do others sound?)
---
## Quality Checklist
Before delivering voice guide:
- [ ] Voice pillars are clear and distinct (3-4 max)
- [ ] "We are / We are not" contrasts are useful
- [ ] Tone variations by context are mapped
- [ ] Style rules are specific and actionable
- [ ] Multiple before/after examples provided
- [ ] Channel-specific guidance included
- [ ] Quick reference summary is usable
- [ ] Checklist for writers is practical
- [ ] Guide is readable in under 10 minutes
ReadyBrand Voice
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