Even though I’ve worked on my confidence over time, sometimes my small business can still feel kind of... small. It is just me and my laptop, after all (+ a slate of truly wonderful and wise clients).
If you’re in the same situation as me, you might feel like your brand voice is just your voice, and wondering what the point of having brand voice guidelines is, if you’re mostly the only person writing or talking on behalf of your business.
But if you’ve ever...
sat in front of a blinking cursor not knowing what to type;
been tongue-tied in a client conversation trying to get your point across;
overthought your Instagram caption for the fourteenth time;
stressed over your bio conveying everything about you in 150 characters or less;
tried to strike the right balance of professional and friendly in your emails;
been puzzled over what your content pillars are supposed to be and how much of your personal life to share on social,
or tried to write your website words and having it take forever...
then you and your business would benefit from going through a brand voice guidelines process.
Now that you’re here, let’s talk about what this entails and how I can help.
Read on to...
Understand some key terms and definitions
Understand how brand voice creates an emotional landscape through a fun & interactive exercise
Truly get exactly what brand voice guidelines should include
Make decisions about your brand
Get your brand voice questions answered
What are brand voice guidelines?
Brand voice guidelines are instructions for how your brand communicates.
The goal of your brand voice guidelines as a whole is to be an embodiment of your mission, vision, and values, and a way to connect with your ideal client using words and language.
Imagine these instructions as being similar to a role in a play or a character in a book. The write-up about how this character shows their personality - with their own sets of feelings, actions, thoughts, and behaviours - is what makes up your brand voice guidelines.
Once you gather all the information about how you want your brand to write and speak, it becomes your brand voice guidelines - a document you can consult anytime.
Here at Clear Quartz Creative, I advise my clients to keep their brand voice guidelines inside a Business Binder, which contains everything you need to make good decisions and run your business in a way that’s aligned with what matters most to you and your clients.
Brand Voice Guidelines In Action: An Exercise
Imagine you’re a Brand Voice Guideline Detective.... on a mission to investigate the varying voices of four different companies within one industry.
To play the game, start by choosing an industry: skincare/makeup, calendars/schedulers, sparkling water, or email marketing platforms. Once you've decided, click over to open the four different companies' websites in separate tabs.
Skincare / Makeup
Calendars / Schedulers
Sparkling Water
Email Marketing Platforms
All four tabs open? Great!
1. Take out a piece of paper and draw a horizontal line in the middle and a vertical line in the middle to create four sections.
2. Note the four company names, each in their own respective square.
3. Glance at each homepage with the goal of noticing how they’re speaking to their customers and clients and following their own brand voice guidelines.
Make notes about what words and phrases stand out.
4. For each brand, mark a few words that describe the brand voice and the emotions they were conveying, as well as how they stand out from one another.
{image of my own completed exercise}
(If you’re learning lots and want to keep playing, simply choose another industry and start back up top with a new piece of paper.)
With your paper in hand, ask yourself...
1. What was my preference, and why did I resonate with that brand?
2. Which voice felt closest to my own brand voice and how I like to communicate?
3. Did it seem like a particular brand was speaking directly to me more than the others?
Since most brands keep their brand voice guidelines internal, it’s hard to compare our notes with their actual brand voice guidelines. But our impressions matter a lot. Now that you’ve gone through this experience, you know at a glance why brand voice matters and the impact it has on you as a reader. I’m willing to bet you formed a preference quickly as you scrolled around - that’s why it’s worth remembering that your clients will be doing the same.
When you create your brand voice guidelines, you start to curate your client experience and choose your words more mindfully. Ready to try defining your own?
What should be in a brand voice guidelines document?
Have you ever had a shared language with your family or siblings or best friends, where a certain phrase meant something unique to just that group of people while meaning nothing or being confusing to anyone else? That’s a very particular feeling - one you can create to share with your clients and a powerful way to drive bookings and sales.
Once you start following your brand voice guidelines and communicating in a cohesive way, you’re creating an emotional landscape and becoming familiar to people who start as being new to you and then become some of your best clients.
Your personal guide to what to say and when to say it - across all platforms and serving you in all situations - comprises seven components in total:
1. Guiding Words
2. Brand Voice Story
3. Brand Tone
4. Brand Messages/Taglines
5. Banned Brand Vocabulary
6. Personal Brand Topics
7. Specific Niche Word List
Steps To Creating Brand Voice Guidelines
1 - Revisit your vision, mission, and values.
Your brand voice is an extension of your deeper purpose. Start by reconnecting with the foundational elements of your business strategy - reread your vision, mission and values.
Starting from your “why” serves as the anchor for every decision you make about your brand voice and shapes how you want to be seen and felt by others.
*** We begin here to ensure that your voice reflects what matters to you most about your work.
2 - Consider your ideal client and target audience’s preferences in brand voice.
Bring your ideal client to mind and think about how they want to be spoken to. Your brand voice should naturally reflect this tone so that there is alignment between your audience and your message.
In Beyond Brand Voice, you’ll find exercises designed to help you step into your ideal client’s shoes, exploring not only what they want but also how your brand can provide it in a way that feels natural and engaging.
3 - Audit your existing content.
With fresh eyes, review some of your best performing content as well as the content you’ve felt the best about. What feels most on-brand to you is a hint towards the tone and voice that will feel most natural.
By spending some time analyzing the tone you’re already using, you can better adjust and refine it to match the voice you’re moving forward with in your brand voice guidelines.
*** This audit phase will help you notice where there are inconsistencies and fix them, so that your starting point feels more solid.
4 - Complete the step by step exercises inside Beyond Brand Voice to write your brand voice guidelines.
Writing brand voice guidelines can feel overwhelming (especially if you don’t love writing in the first place!) but Beyond Brand Voice breaks down the process into simple, insightful exercises.
The fill-in-the-blank exercises make it easy to build each part of your voice step by step, while reflection prompts help you understand the "why" behind each tone choice. You’ll also enjoy the Say This, Not That exercise—a practical tool to keep your voice aligned and avoid phrases that don’t resonate with your brand or audience.
If you want to work on this on your own without the book, this next section will help you check your work for completeness:
Brand Voice Guidelines: A Checklist
Are guiding words part of your brand voice guidelines?
Your guiding words represent the alignment between your values and your voice. The more detailed you get, the better these will drive your word choice as you write content for your brand.
Have you written your brand voice story?
Your brand voice story exemplifies the persona that your brand will sound like. This is one of my favourite elements because it feels like a fairy godmother moment.... one minute your words and sentences feel drab, the next moment they’re all dressed up in sparkling blue and they shimmer on the page.
Do your brand voice guidelines include brand tone shifts?
Although you want to be consistent when you write for your business - there are all sorts of situations where your typical brand tone might need to flex a little. Brand tone refers to the slight variations of your voice in different circumstances.
Do you have a list of brand messages and taglines to draw from?
Your brand messages and taglines form the basis of your content strategy and copywriting style. Having an approved set of words to describe your offers and brand purpose will save you time and eliminate the need to be coming up with something new all the time.
Is your banned brand vocabulary complete?
The words and phrases NOT to be used by your brand are just as important as the words that will. An off-brand phrase can alter the vibe quickly, after all. Words out of place will cause a disconnect that can be avoided by writing a banned brand vocabulary of words and phrases you won’t use to represent your brand.
Have you identified the personal brand topics you’re willing to share in your brand voice guidelines?
Which elements of your own personality are you willing to share within your brand? This is completely up to you, and I encourage you to follow your intuition and intentions around your personal life and your brand.
Is your brand-specific niche word list complete?
Consisting of the exact words and phrases you want to be associated with, this list can be kept handily beside you as you write captions, scripts, content, and emails going forward.
Brand Voice Guidelines Create Consistency. Here’s How:
By Following Your Own Brand Voice Guidelines
From choosing your business name to product descriptions to confirmation emails... it seems like us small business owners are always reaching for words.
My suggestion is to start from brand voice instead of starting from blank.
That means - as I share on p. 64 - that you should immerse yourself in your brand voice before beginning to write anything.
Creating brand voice guidelines and then never referring to them again will make the whole exercise feel futile. That’s not what we want. Instead, reread your brand voice guidelines often. Keep developing lists of words that align, and practice writing in your particular tone, and you will gradually get better and better at following your own brand voice.
You can also use your brand voice guidelines as part of editing anything you write.
While you’re writing subject lines or website copy, pause to compare what you’ve written to what’s inside your brand voice guidelines, then ask yourself the following questions:
1. Does what you have written sound like the character of your brand voice?
2. Can you imagine these words coming out of your brand persona's mouth?
3. Does your ideal client feel heard and understood given your word choice and tone?
If the answer is yes, congratulations, you’ve just created consistency! Until writing in brand voice becomes second nature, refer to your guidelines often and it will help you to feel confident that your communication is aligned.
By Having Your Team Members Follow Your Brand Voice Guidelines
If you do have a small team, give every member access to your brand voice guidelines and ask them to follow them as they interact with clients and complete marketing activities for you. You might consider providing examples so that they can see your brand voice in action, as well as some non-examples so they can understand what isn’t your brand voice.
When your team members adhere to the brand voice guidelines you’ve outlined, you’ve achieved consistency once again!
Note: If you’re just beginning this process, feel free to involve team members in the creation of your brand voice guidelines if you feel comfortable.
By Having Service Providers Follow Your Brand Voice Guidelines
If you’re hiring someone to redesign your website, take new brand photos, write copy/content for you, or even organize the back end of your business, share your brand voice guidelines with them as well.
When bringing new service providers on, it can be a challenge to get them up to speed quickly on all things {your brand}. But by sharing what you’ve put together here, you’re helping them to help you better.
Results of sharing your brand voice guidelines with service providers include better results, a quicker timeline, fewer revisions, a better working relationship, and yes, increased consistency!
Brand Voice Guidelines Examples for Wellness & Creative Service Providers
I know from my own personal experience how valuable it is to see examples before undertaking a new task in my business. Read on to see two examples of a basic brand voice guidelines document - one for a custom upholsterer (Haven Furniture) and one for a tarot reader (Fearless Tarot).
Although your brand voice guidelines are likely to be longer and full of more detail, glance at these to get a concept of what your finished product will contain.
Example 1: Custom Upholsterer’s Brand Voice Guidelines
Guiding Words
comfortable, sophisticated, quality, bold, thoughtful, charismatic
Brand Voice Story
Haven’s voice exudes sophistication and warmth, echoing the comfort of sitting on a cherished refinished piece of furniture. Instantly at ease and fully approachable, my voice resonates with the confidence of quality craftsmanship.
A trusted companion on your journey to infusing your space with character and charm, I believe that each thread weaves a story. Every word is carefully selected, much like the fabrics used in Haven’s upholstery, to convey depth and meaning.
See the complete example for Haven inside Beyond Brand Voice!
Brand Tone
Haven maintains the brand's sophistication across all channels while being warm and attentive to customers’ preferences.
Brand Taglines / Key Messages
1. Your space. Your style. Our expert touch.
2. Explore upholstery with enthusiasm.
Banned Brand Vocabulary
- calling our work ‘furniture makeovers’
- sharing quick fixes and popular trends
Knowing that our customers aren’t design experts, we won’t get too technical or too elevated, avoiding words like tufting, webbing, bias cutting, etc.
Personal Brand Topics
curating a design library on Pinterest, sourcing trips for unique fabrics, analyzing movie and tv sets for inspiration
Brand-Specific Niche Word List
- luxe and luxurious
- exquisite fabrics
- refined aesthetics
- handcrafted upholstery
- design influences
- an elegant home
Example 2: Tarot Reader’s Basic Brand Voice Guidelines
Guiding Words
Empowering, Insightful, Candid, Transformative, Fierce
Brand Voice Story
Fearless Tarot exists to ignite the inner fire in women who aren’t afraid to ask big questions and face bold truths. This isn’t fluffy, feel-good advice; it’s raw, real insight that empowers clients to make powerful choices. Drawing on years of life experience and a deeply intuitive approach, Fearless Tarot serves as both a mirror and a guide, helping clients break free from old patterns and go towards what they want now.
Brand Tone
Bold, Direct, Supportive
The tone is straightforward and unapologetic, with a compassionate edge. It’s the voice of someone who “tells it like it is” while still honoring the individual client journey. Warm yet fierce, Fearless Tarot guides clients toward self-empowerment with respect.
Brand Messages & Taglines
“Daring insight for bold souls.”
“Because life’s too short for half-truths.”
Banned Brand Vocabulary
Avoid words that might feel overly mystical or ambiguous like “fate,” “destiny,” or “fortune.” The focus is on grounded, actionable insight rather than leaving things to chance.
Clients should get the sense that tarot readings are a tool for clarity and empowerment, not passive predictions.
Personal Brand Topics
Stories about overcoming life’s challenges, musings on the beauty of aging, and reflections on intuitive decision-making. Tales of my own journey with intuition, independence, and navigating crossroads give my clients a glimpse into my unique perspective and establish a strong connection.
Brand-Specific Niche Word List
- intuition
- clarity
- self-trust
- inner awakening
- soul alignment
*** One more example of a completed brand voice lives here in a post about choosing wellness names for a business. Scroll to read a physiotherapist’s brand voice guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brand Voice Guidelines
How Do I Create Brand Voice Guidelines?
Either follow the steps in this post to DIY your own brand voice guidelines, read Beyond Brand Voice and complete the exercise for a guided experience, or work with me 1:1 to create your guidelines together - you can count on me to ask you direct yet gentle questions, and then guide you towards deeper, more meaningful answers.
What’s the Difference Between Brand Voice Guidelines and Voice and Tone?
Brand Voice Guidelines include both voice and tone together in one document. Voice is about the qualities, tone is about flexibly adapting to different environments and situations (and platforms!)
Rather than go too deep into the differences between the two... trust me when I say you need both. And if you mix them up a bit, that’s alright, because what matters is that you did the thought work and had your aha moments along the way. And now you have brand voice guidelines of your own to follow forever!
What is Brand Voice vs Brand Identity or Brand Personality?
I personally feel like these three are all just different terms to indicate the same thing. If you follow the method I describe in this post, you’ll have elements of all three put together in one, super helpful document.
Is a Brand Voice Chart the same as Guidelines?
Yes! It’s just a different format. If your brain works in spreadsheets, you can absolutely format it that way. It’s also helpful to have a digital version that you (and anyone else who’s writing for you or speaking on your behalf) to be able to consult from anywhere. Google Sheets is a great place to build a brand voice chart. Use the seven components as the first seven rows of the A column, then fill in your answers in the B column.
What are Brand Voice Words?
These words are sometimes adjectives, sometimes nouns, even verbs. I like to think of them as containers.... they represent concepts that are important to you. (This is what I’ve dubbed Guiding Words.) I recommend using a values list to get started choosing your words - or refer to the section and list inside Beyond Brand Voice.
What You’re Wondering.... the Brand Voice Guidelines Edition
For those searching:
What is brand voice...
Brand voice is the personality your brand wishes to emulate and the set of words you choose to express those thoughts and feelings. It’s helpful in everything from writing the buttons on your site to your contact forms, as well as in how you talk to your clients and how you create consistent content on social media.
Why create a brand voice...
Without one, your writing might sound different every time or you could be unsure of how to talk to your clients. With brand voice guidelines in place, that indecision goes away and you're able to be consistent in your brand instead, which will get you much better results from your marketing and client communication.
Why is brand voice important...
Most of marketing is earning trust and staying top of mind with your ideal clients. When you speak and write consistently matching your brand voice guidelines, your writing will be much more memorable and consistent, which builds interest and trust among those who may purchase from you.
What is a brand voice on social media...
Your brand voice on social media should be the same across different platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube) with a bit of flexibility built in for tone. Ideally, you'll follow your brand voice guidelines on social media as you write your captions, show up on stories and reels, write on Threads, and speak in your videos, building consistency each time you post on the platform.
What is brand voice in Canva...
This is a new feature in Canva Pro. As part of your brand kit - where you can upload your logos and save your colours and fonts - you can now input a brand voice in 500 characters or less. If you follow my steps in the book or in the post, you'll likely end up with more than that for length, so I'd advise using ChatGPT or similar to create a more concise version that will work for Canva. After pasting your brand voice into your Canva brand kit, you'll be able to use the Magic Write function more effectively and have your designs pre-written for you by their AI, saving you time. Learn more about the function and how to use it right here.
What is brand voice in marketing...
So many small business owners try marketing strategies without first creating their brand voice, and I believe that's the reason why a lot of their marketing tactics fail. Without knowing the emotions you want your clients to experience and how you'll evoke those feelings through your words, your marketing is going to be inconsistent. I don't want you wasting your time in this way! Spend an afternoon sorting out your brand voice and then your marketing will automatically improve as you follow it and start communicating with consistency. Try it and let me know how it goes!
*** That's it! If you completed the exercise and read through this post, you're already well on your way to having brand voice guidelines completed. I'm cheering you on from here - please reach out if you want personalized support in defining the voice of your brand.
