In what’s turned (somewhat unexpectedly) into a three part series, we’ve tackled some important branding issues.
We identified your brand and developed your brand voice. Now it’s time to figure out how to express that voice – in your marketing content.

Leveraging Your Voice to Stand Out

Expressing your brand’s voice is where you get to show off your business’s personality. And personality is key to Standing Out – that all important tenet of modern marketing.
Is your business “corporate” and “all buttoned up?” “Board shorts at the beach?” “Snarky and glib amateur comedian?”
Your brand voice is how you express whatever persona fits your biz. And expressing that persona is how you differentiate your business from your competitors (which is uber important in a crowded field).
Consider this scenario for a moment…
A prospect is evaluating ten attorneys.
Each attorney… Has the same (relatively speaking) educational background. Offer the same services.And has the same level of experience.
Which attorney does the prospect choose?
The attorney he “likes” best. The attorney who’s personality “speaks” to him. The attorney who’s “corporate” or “board shorts” or “snarky” or whatever connects with his particular sensibilities.
And your brand voice is how these defining “personality” traits are communicated to prospects and clients.

Create a Style Guide

The questions posed in last week’s post (should we repeat them again, just for good measure? Why not, right? -see below) were intended to get you thinking in “personality” terms. If you have written down answers, now’s the time!
>What’s unique about your business?
>What’s special about the product or service you provide?
>What’s different about the way you do business?
>What’s the benefit of doing business?
>What’s the vibe of your business – serious and straight laced, witty and fun, educational and nurturing?
>How do you want to be perceived by prospects and clients – an authority in your marketplace, a trusted resource, a fun and engaging personality?
Now translate your answers into a dozen or so words and phrases that encapsulate you’re your “brand.”
This is where you conjure up and solidify the language that defines your business as “corporate” or “board shorts” or…whatever.
A word of caution: DON’T BE BORING. Don’t use the same bland blather everyone else in your marketplace uses. Skip the jargon. Remember – the key is to stand out (not fit in).
Write down those words and phrase, and presto! You’ve got your very own style guide.
Now you can use these words and phrases in the marketing and sales messages you communicate to prospects and clients – in ads, sales letters, emails, website, social media platforms, etc…

Remain Consistent Across All Platforms

The “writing it down” in a formal style guide component is key, because your brand voice needs to remain consistent across all platforms to be effective.
If your ads and emails are fun and playful, but your website is dry and stuffy, prospects will be left scratching their heads, wondering “what gives!?” (And that’s no way to build rapport, let alone close a sale.)
A written style guide helps keep you (and everybody on your team) on the same page.

What About You

So now that were three posts into the definite branding exploration, has any of this helped? Share your thoughts and insights on my Google+ page.