How we work
Here’s an outline of the ten-point process we follow when we build a Tone of Voice guide.
1.
We start
with the ‘why’
Knowing what the company stands for is the foundation of how it speaks. Often in larger, mature companies it’s been lost, obscured or has shifted. It’s our job to find it, dust it off, and see if everyone still loves it. If not, we’ll help you find your true why.
2.
We listen to your people
How do the key people in your organisation speak about the company? What do they think it should sound like? Recently, we talked to 16 people before starting to write anything. But it was time well spent. The whole process went smoothly because everyone felt involved.
3.
We analyse your content
You could call it an audit. We’ll forensically examine your existing comms. We’re not looking for crimes – somewhere in there will be gems that crystallise exactly how your company sounds at its very best. It’s our job to find them as they’ll inform the ToV guide.
4.
We analyse your audience
It’s not all about you. An effective tone of voice considers the people you’re writing to (and for). We will help you write in a way that’s authentic to your organisation, but engages your target audience.
5.
We define your voice
After gathering all these words, we’ll sift and sort them into core values that embody your brand.
6.
We test,
and test again
We’ll rewrite some of your existing copy based on your core brand values to see what works and what doesn’t. We’ll test it alongside visuals, on a dummy version of your website and on trial social posts.
7.
We craft your guide
8.
We lead by example
9.
We leave our tools behind
We’ll create some easy-to-follow rules that you can give to anyone in the company who writes anything (i.e. everyone). These rules will empower your employees to write in a unified tone that truly embodies your company, adding authenticity and building trust at all touchpoints, from advertising campaigns to emails.
It's more effective to show rather than just tell. We’ll create a set of real-world examples that demonstrate off-brand copy alongside examples in the correct ToV, so that it’s really easy to tell the difference and learn.
We can create a suite of templates for emails, social posts etc, if required.
10.
We help you roll it out
At this point, you’ll have a Tone of Voice document which joins up all the thinking, and a short, concise document with easy-to-follow rules and examples. We can also run a set of engaging training workshops to get everyone involved, or ‘train the trainer’ sessions to familiarise key personnel who can then roll it out to their departments.