How to define your brand's tone of voice (with real examples)

How to define your brand's tone of voice (with real examples)

Most businesses communicate inconsistently without realising it. The website sounds formal. The Instagram is casual and emoji-heavy. The email responses depend entirely on who's writing them that day.

This inconsistency costs you more than you think. Consistency in how you communicate builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust.

What tone of voice actually is

Your brand's tone of voice is the personality of your communication. It's not what you say — it's how you say it. Voice is constant — it's who you are. Tone adapts — it's how you adjust your voice depending on context.

Step 1: Describe your brand as a person

If your business were a person, what would they be like? Write down five to eight adjectives. These become the foundation of your tone of voice guide.

• How would they speak at a professional meeting — confident and direct, or measured and formal?

• How would they explain something complex — with technical precision or accessible analogies?

• Would they share their opinion when they disagreed with something, or stay neutral?

Step 2: Define what each quality means in practice

The problem with most tone of voice documents is that they list adjectives — friendly, professional, approachable — without explaining what those words mean in actual writing. For each quality, describe what it looks like in practice and what it doesn't.

An example:

One of Inti Killa's voice qualities is 'direct.' Here's what that means:

Direct means: the most important idea goes first. Sentences are short when they can be. We don't hedge.

• Direct does not mean: blunt or cold. We're direct with warmth.

• Direct sounds like: 'Before we propose anything, we understand your business.' Not: 'Our approach prioritises a thorough understanding of client needs prior to the development of any strategic recommendations.'

Step 3: Create a vocabulary guide

• Words we use: specific, concrete, direct, honest, we, you, strategy, build, real.

• Words we avoid: synergy, innovative, disruptive, leverage, ecosystem, next level.

• Phrases we'd say: 'Tell us about your business.' / 'Here's what we think.'

• Phrases we wouldn't say: 'We're excited to partner on this transformative journey.'

Step 4: Show the difference with examples

Without tone of voice

'Our team of experienced professionals provides comprehensive marketing solutions tailored to your unique business needs.'

With a defined, direct tone

'We build the marketing your business actually needs. Real strategy, honest communication, and work that's ready to use from day one.'

Same information. Very different effect. The second version sounds like a specific person. The first sounds like any company.

Step 5: Adapt by context — without losing character

A LinkedIn article can be slightly more considered. An Instagram story can be more conversational. The test is always: would someone who knows our brand recognise this as us, even without the logo?

If defining your brand's voice is something you keep putting off, we can build it for you ⬇️