How to Develop Your Brand Voice

Short answer

Write 3–5 adjectives that describe how your brand communicates. Then write 3 "we are / we are not" statements. Example: "We are direct, not vague. We are friendly, not casual. We are knowledgeable, not condescending." Apply these consistently to every piece of writing.

What brand voice is (and isn't)

Brand voice is your personality in writing. It's not about what you say — it's how you say it.

Two businesses can both be trustworthy. One communicates like a formal law firm. The other communicates like a knowledgeable friend. Both voices are valid; the key is choosing deliberately and sticking to it.

The 3-step brand voice exercise

Step 1: Choose your adjectives

Pick 3–5 adjectives that describe how you want customers to feel when they read your content. Not what you do — how you communicate.

Examples:

A financial adviser: Calm, clear, honest, human
A cleaning business: Friendly, reliable, no-nonsense
A gym: Energetic, motivating, no-judgement

Avoid generic words that every business claims: "professional," "innovative," "trusted." Those are table stakes, not differentiators.

Step 2: Write "we are / we are not" pairs

For each adjective, write the contrast:

| We are | We are not | |--------|-----------| | Plain-spoken | Jargon-heavy | | Warm | Overly casual | | Direct | Blunt | | Helpful | Salesy |

These pairs make the voice specific and testable — you can hold any piece of writing up to them.

Step 3: Write 5 example sentences

Write one sentence in your voice about each of these:

What you do
A common customer question
An apology or problem resolution
A promotion or offer
A piece of advice or tip

Compare them to competitors' websites. Where are you different? That gap is your voice.

Applying your voice consistently

Your brand voice should be consistent across:

Website copy
Email newsletters and replies
Social media posts and captions
Ads
Invoices and proposals
Automated messages (booking confirmations, follow-ups)

The easiest way to maintain it: save your "we are / we are not" pairs in a document and share it with anyone who writes for your business — including the social media person, the VA, the new hire.