Watch That Tone of Voice!

Watch That Tone of Voice!

I can hear my mother now. “Don’t you use that tone of voice with me, mister!” With six kids to raise, my mom was a regular connoisseur of tone of voice. She could detect and would not tolerate even the tiniest trace of attitude, even from a cute kid like me!

My mom was onto something. Whenever we talk to companies about their branding or their brand messaging, we make sure to have the tone-of-voice conversation. It’s important to perfect that message and get it right, but in the end, it comes down to not only knowing what you’re saying to your target customer, but also how you’re saying it.

However you choose to speak to your audience, consistency is key. Across all departments and across all channels, the tone of voice, the attitude should be distinctive to your business, familiar to each and every employee, and recognizable to your clients and potential clients.

It’s true that people buy from people they like, so keep it upbeat and personable. Whether it’s the voice answering the phone, your interactions with clients, or your marketing and social media messages, all should resonate in one clear, easily identifiable tone.

The creation of pertinent content and effective storytelling are consistently cited as important features of today’s successful businesses. Both of these activities are dependent on a strong and consistent tone of voice. 

So, what is your tone of voice? Sassy? Soothing? Business-like? Inspirational? Whatever voice you choose to use, put it to work for your business, and let it consistently and authentically express your message in its own unique way.    

Today’s consumer is super-savvy and has almost limitless choices. Like my mom, people are very good at detecting any hint of apathy, inconsistency, or attitude. If they don’t like what they’re hearing and/or feeling, they’ll walk (or click) away. Don’t let that happen. Raise your voice!