What do you do if your brand voice sounds generic and uninspiring?

Brand voice -- like the brand itself -- should be three things: authentic, aspirational and distinctive. 1. Don't pretend to be something you're not. Understand and lean into the best of who you are and what you do. 2. Your brand voice is not simply a mirror reflecting who you are now. It should present the best version of yourself and inspire your audiences to see what you can become. 3. You won't stand out by fitting in. Be bold and take calculated risks to stand out from the crowd. Looking and sounding like your competition isn't how you break through the noise.

I disagree with identifying your target audience as a first step to creating a more authentic, engaging brand voice. This is *you* we're talking about. Find your voice, don't create a voice that you think will appeal to your audience. The right audience will find you when you are being your authentic self.

When your brand voice feels generic and uninspiring, consider the following steps to revitalize it: 1. Audience Research: Understand your target audience deeply. What are their pain points, aspirations, and preferences? Tailor your messaging to resonate with their needs. 2. Brand Persona: Define a distinct brand persona. Is your brand playful, authoritative, or empathetic? Consistency in tone and style across all communication channels is crucial. 3. Storytelling 4. Differentiation 5. Visual Identity 6. Content Strategy 7. Consistency Just in case you need to add this: a strong brand voice isn't just about words; it's about emotions, trust, and lasting impressions.

For me essential is adopting a "less is more" approach. Flooding the market with content won't necessarily enhance our brand's visibility or credibility. Instead, prioritizing quality over quantity is key. Investing ample time, resources, and research into content creation yields superior results.

If your marketing is not engaging, return to your original whys. Reflect on your current business practices. Are they still aligned? Survey your team and take the opportunity to align your direction and goals. Ask your team to contribute ideas and content that support their professional gifts and goals. Reflect on how your team's development can evolve into a sustainable business with a supportive environment. Focus on continuous improvement of skills and service levels. Refine your messaging matrix to clarify how your brand is providing a better experience for your associates and clients. In good design, nothing is arbitrary.

A strong bland voice comes from strong bland values: Authenticity™️®️. Timidity. Service (to Shareholders). Analysis Paralysis. Carve them in stone like Enron. Eat them in your cereal. Then use Tom Fishburne’s Mad Libs for Mission Statements to turn your bland values into a bland mission. Fill it in with cannoli and beige paint. Only by sounding just like every other brand in your category can you actually stand out. Applied Brand Science’s bland values are honesty, integrity, hammocks, grit, grin, gin, and glint. Thank god we don’t have to be innovative or customer-centric. That sh*t’s exhausting. Or lip service. Or both. Either way, whew we dodged a bullet. Glint!

Your brand values should help define your USP in the market and deliver authenticity to your audience. But they need to be relevant and believable in order to be effective.

Steer clear of generic brand values. Identify values that genuinely represent your brand, rather than values that merely sound appealing or meet the current zeitgeist. Furthermore, avoid choosing values like authenticity or innovation. While essential for a brand’s success, these values don’t offer distinctiveness. The more concisely you define actionable core values in harmony with your brand’s purpose, the less likely your brand’s voice will seem generic.

Brand values are a set of principles that anchor an individual brand. They have to be so strong as to withstand the strongest disruptions of an ever-evolving society. Consistency, credibility (read authenticity) and high emotional and social intelligence are key. Once that base is set, the desired brand ought to shine through and be recognisable effortlessly. I once showed a service provider a sample of the work I was hiring him for and, without me saying anything, he exclaimed: "That's (Brand X)!" despite there being no identification marks on the sample. He had recognised their signature USP - his fear was that he might not be up to those values and standards!

Do some reflection. Is it the voice or the brand that is generic and uninspiring? If your brand doesn’t excite you - that’s a bigger issue to figure out. But otherwise, gather your team, hit the whiteboard, and write out every single thing that truly excites you about your brand. Then, go through that list and ask yourselves how each item will benefit or solve a problem for your target audience. Be creative. Enthusiasm is contagious - and if YOU are excited about your brand it’s a lot easier to inspire others.

When the brand voice falls flat, it's like serving a bland meal – unappealing and forgettable. It's time for a refresh that resonates. Few tips: 1. Uncover the Essence: Re-Discover the brand's unique personality and values. 2. Audience Alignment: Speak target audience's language and address their needs. 3. Consistency is Key: Maintain a consistent brand voice across all touchpoints. 4. Inject Personality: Add humor, authenticity, or empathy for deeper connections. 5. Evolve and Adapt: Stay agile and refine the brand voice as trends change.

Any audit of your existing content should start with a strong understanding of your Google Analytics report. It's not that everything that does not rank should go away or everything that ranks highly should stay, but an audit should fully understand what is ranking and then evaluate it for brand voice, consistency, coherency and compelling nature. Separating those two ways of auditing content is a disaster. While keyword research is important for ranking, the tone of voice is the ultimate game-changer for engagement. Instead of "putting on a marketing hat," consider writing simply as you would communicate verbally. People are tired of overcomplicated marketing copy. Rewrite copy in actual conversational tone and style for the biggest win.

When doing an audit of your content you want to ensure a holistic yet effective approach. For example, if social content for a brand account is flopping, I look at it from all angles. This process involves reviewing existing guidelines, assessing content consistency, checking alignment with brand values, evaluating emotional impact, and updating content to match the established brand voice. Consistency and authenticity are key to creating lasting connections with an audience. Remember, a strong brand voice resonates and engages effectively. 💫

Think of your brand voice as the personality of your content – it's what sets you apart in a sea of voices. Take a moment to step back and really listen to what your content is saying. Does it resonate with your audience like a familiar tune, or is it more like a discordant note? Embrace the quirks that make your brand unique.

Il est essentiel pour votre marque de se démarquer. Il faut donc privilégier l'authenticité et favoriser la différenciation. Connaître parfaitement sa marque et les préférences de votre public afin de communiquer de façon cohérente à travers les visuels, le ton et le langage. Utiliser le storytelling, jouez sur les émotions. Restez à jour sur les tendances et adaptez votre contenu pour le garder frais et attrayant.

A brand voice chart is a tool to keep your tone consistent. It has four columns: voice attribute, description, do's, and don'ts. To make one, list your voice attributes. For example, if one is "friendly," describe it as "warm and approachable." Then, give examples of do's, like using positive language, and don'ts, like avoiding sarcasm or sounding condescending. This chart helps everyone who writes for your brand stay on the same page. It ensures your message stays consistent across all platforms. With a brand voice chart, you can easily guide how your brand should sound in different situations.

A well-constructed brand voice chart should provide a proper framework for maintaining resonance in communication. For instance, it may show attributes like "Informal," "Empathetic," and "Bold," with detailed descriptions and actions. Under "Informal," the chart might encourage use of contractions for a conversational tone while cautioning against technical words. Similarly, under "Empathetic," it might advocate for acknowledging emotions with sensitivity while discouraging dismissive language. By adhering to these guidelines, teams can cultivate a brand voice that is consistent, relatable and confident, fostering stronger connections with their audience across diverse channels.

Adjust the tone of your communication to inject personality. Whether it’s friendly, authoritative, playful, or informative, your tone can make your message stand out.

Engage creative people who can be creative but within a frame! In any case it is just as it is written in the comments bellow. You need to revise the whole package, the offer, the message and customer experience ... Research, test, make new prepositions, or revise the old ones. Plan, accordingly, by following your vision and market as well.

Keep refining how you express your content. If your previous tone isn't hitting the mark, switch it up—go more formal, informal, informative, or chatty, whatever vibes with your audience. Stay relatable and encourage lively conversations to keep things engaging.

Infuse your brand voice with personality, emotion, and authenticity to make it more engaging and relatable. Use humor, storytelling, or personal anecdotes to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Also ensure consistency in your brand voice across all communication channels, including social media, website, marketing materials, and customer service interactions. This helps reinforce your brand identity and build trust with your audience

First make an investigation of what does your audience need and desire, with that you can get creative with a catchy brand voice. It has to be consistent and bring out an emotion in the people so that they feel identified with the brand.

Use customer feedback to understand how your audience perceives your messaging. Is it appealing and engaging, or does it miss the mark? Use this insight to refine your approach

It's time to revisit your brand voice and test it with audiences to see if it's resonating to the level of your expectations.

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If your brand voice is generic, boring, uninspiring, and doesn't cut through, there is actually only one solution. Hire new, human writers with actual talent. Hope this helps!

Although it may sound trite (and often is said as lip-service to tick a box), self-reflection is the key to finding an inspiring voice. And if in the process, you find your brand is much like other brands, don't wallow in misery, afraid that your brand is generic; celebrate that you're right there with other, equally valuable brands. The authenticity of this celebration, and the pride in owning your own voice, rather than parroting a voice you think people want to hear, will in turn elevate your brand. Avis' greatest success was celebrating being number 2. Own your place in the market. Everyone loves the underdog.

To ensure your brand voice stands out, prioritize authenticity and differentiation. Understand your brand’s personality and audience preferences, then consistently convey these through the visuals, tone and language used. Employ storytelling to forge emotional connections and avoid generic phrases. Stay updated on trends and adapt your content to keep it fresh and engaging. Listen to audience feedback and be willing to evolve your brand voice to remain authentic and impactful as it is a never end cycle.

Forget « yes, but ». Forget pleasing all. Take a stand. Ask your most loyal customers why they love you, how they define you. Several years ago, I & my colleagues, rebranded an investment client whose efforts passed unnoticed. They & the industry promised « your dream retirement ». One key research insight led us to a new territory. Loyal customers trusted them because they never over promised & provided solid returns, even in uncertain times. The resulting brand platform, « we keep our promises », was unique in an industry with trust issues & aligned with their style/approach. Employees rallied around it. All metrics were met or surpassed. Focus on what makes you unique to your loyal customer and watch that base grow. Forget « yes, but ».