Finding Your Brand Voice — Playbook #2
Finding Your Brand Voice — Playbook #2. We’ll turn instincts into a system you can run every week.
Personas are forecasts, not fiction. Use jobs, pains, and proof—never stereotypes.
Steps
- Define the audience and their stakes — Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices.
- Document decisions in one page — People use what they can read in two minutes.
- List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.
- State the promise in plain words — Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later.
Why this matters: Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: People use what they can read in two minutes. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Toolkit
- Positioning line — For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof].
- Voice ladder — From formal to playful with examples for each channel.
- Messaging blocks — Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections.
How to use it: For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof]. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
How to use it: From formal to playful with examples for each channel. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
How to use it: Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
Example
A dev‑tools startup replaced clever taglines with a plain promise and saw demo requests up 34% in six weeks.
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- Logo first — Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices.
- Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
- Collecting adjectives — Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits).
Fix: Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices. Add it to your operating checklist so teams don’t drift next sprint.
Related Articles
- Brand Positioning That Sticks — Case Files #2
- Taglines: Short, Sharp, True — Field Notes #2
- Case Studies with a Plot — Deep Dive #2
- Positioning Traps (and Fixes) — Pro Tips #2
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