Find your brand’s voice by using it. LEAN ALL THE WAY INTO IT.
originally posted: November 26, 2018
YOU & YOUR BRAND
Your brand’s voice is your voice. It connects your business to your customer.
But how do you decide what that sounds like? What does your brand voice embody? And how do you share that with others?
First, figure out who you’re talking to.
SUCCESS REQUIRES PLANNING
One of my favorite examples of marketing done right is the Kardashian family. Each sister has strong followings of their own. They all have
niche audiences and markets who favor and respond to them.
A niche audience is a valuable treasure for several reasons, not the least of which is having one takes off a good chunk of pressure.
If your business or art is for a specific audience you don’t have to search too far to find the right way to communicate with them. Chances are you probably already know exactly how to do it, because you’re part of that niche yourself.
But knowing how to talk to people and
cultivating effective, lasting, and memorable communication are two different things.
FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD
BE AS UNIQUE AND LITERALLY OUTSTANDING AS POSSIBLE.
When you’re promoting your passion – your art or business – you needn’t be shy in the slightest. You’re showcasing your worth, your undeniable value, your very special
it factor.
Do not hold back. A brand voice should be distinct. It should ring beautifully and clearly like a crystal bell, not be generic or irritating like the ding at hotel front desk.
PRACTICE USING YOUR BRAND VOICE
Start by writing down your brand’s core values – it’s reason for being. Nothing too fancy or long. Just a sentence or two; the very first things that come to mind.
Once you have that sentence or two, rewrite it over and over again. Rework it a little every few days, amplify, add more as you see fit.
The idea is to start with the very basics – the briefest possible explanation of who and what your brand is.
Then, spend a good amount of time really sitting with it, playing with it, switching out different words to adjust the tone and feel. You’ll know when you’ve got it. Write it down, over and over again. Write it down all the time, like you did your multiplication tables. Say it out loud. Say it into your phone.
Again, just a sentence or two explaining your superpower.
Note: There is ABSOLUTELY, DEFINITELY something about how you do what you do that makes you good at it.
You probably don’t think too much about it, but this is an exercise in exploring that element.
Think about it, find it, write it down.
And again, cycle through it. Write it down and rewrite it and say it aloud, and record it on your phone and switch out words and rework it until both your reason for doing what you do, and your unique quality are crystal clear to you.
Eat, sleep, live and breathe those words. They are your messaging and since they’re words you came up with and wrote down they’re automatically your voice.
To bring it back to my favorite multi-billion dollar family, the Kardashians have touted their messaging from the beginning – whether anyone believes it or not – but they’re all about family and all about fashion.
Clearly, those two elements are the underlying messaging beneath their success.
Knowing what you love and why you love it makes easier to communicate your brand’s message with others who feel the same way.
EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR BRAND VOICE
You have to get comfortable with your own voice, in your own space, and your individuality.
It takes practice. So chuck out any fear of sounding silly or overzealous or pretentious. WHO CARES?
Nothing is too much (unless it’s word-count). Just keep expressing yourself until it feels natural and normal and make sure to have fun with it!
Remember,
you’re doing something you love and believe in. As long as that’s true you will be successful. And there’s no room for self-doubt in that mix.
When you’re talking about your passion and what you love you can never be too excited or sound ridiculous. LEAN ALL THE WAY INTO IT.
The right people will connect to what you’re saying and how you say it. And those are exactly the people you want to connect with.
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