The way you communicate with your target audience says a lot about your brand. It’s a vital first impression that not only delivers a message but also reveals what your brand stands for. Your tone of voice is your brand’s unique language – but how do you define and capture it?
You’ve spent months, maybe even years, pouring countless hours into developing your concept. You know exactly what you stand for: the look and feel of your restaurant, hotel, or bar, the dishes served from the kitchen, the drinks crafted behind the bar, and the values that drive you. Soon, the doors will open. But what’s still missing is the visual and verbal embodiment of your brand – your logo, colours, brand pillars, communication channels, and, crucially, how you’ll speak to your future guests.
How will you address them? What tone suits your brand? What is your unique brand language? By translating your identity into a clearly defined tone of voice, you ensure that your communication is consistent and recognisable. Whether it’s your website, social media, menus, advertisements, newsletters, or other marketing materials, a clear tone of voice ensures your brand stands out and remains memorable.
Authenticity Over Mimicry
Many business owners feel tempted to mimic the language of their target audience. However, this often backfires – it’s all too easy to miss the mark. Staying authentic to your brand’s essence is the key to attracting the right guests. Your tone of voice should reflect your core identity, and you shouldn’t be afraid to lean into what makes you unique. The more you stand out, the more your brand gets noticed.
Take HEMA, for example: their playful, ironic spin on current events has become a hallmark of their tone of voice. A well-crafted tone of voice humanises your brand, making it easier for guests to identify with you. By documenting this in a brand guide, you create a set of clear, consistent guidelines that internal teams or external copywriters can follow to ensure uniformity across all communication. A consistent tone of voice makes your brand instantly recognisable and strengthens its uniqueness.
Funky Sandwich Shop vs. High-End Restaurant
Warm, witty, humorous, hospitable, informative, direct, descriptive, concise, formal, serious – these are just some examples of tone of voice traits. Typically, a brand’s tone of voice is distilled into three key descriptors that guide all communication.
For instance, the tone of voice of a funky sandwich shop in a busy city will be vastly different from that of a traditional, high-end restaurant in the countryside. These differences will likely also be reflected in the interior design, the menu, guest interactions, and the use of social media. While the sandwich shop may opt for a direct, witty, and descriptive tone, the restaurant might focus on being welcoming, informative, and universal.
Building Emotional Connections
In the hospitality industry, where loyal regulars are invaluable, building a strong emotional connection with your guests is key to brand success. A well-defined tone of voice fosters this connection, encouraging guests to feel an affinity with your brand. When they feel emotionally invested, they’re far more likely to become ambassadors for your business – a crucial element for long-term success.
So, whether you’re a cosy sandwich shop or an elegant fine-dining restaurant, finding and owning your unique tone of voice is essential. It sets the tone for every interaction and ensures your brand remains consistent, memorable, and truly one of a kind.
New or Renewed Tone of Voice
At Brandchef, when we work to define your tone of voice, we always start with your brand story – the foundation of what you stand for. This process uncovers a set of core pillars, each capturing the essence of your brand in a single word. These pillars form the basis of your tone of voice. We also take a deep dive into your target audience. Who are they? How do you reach them, and where? What story do you want to tell, and how do you want to tell it? By clearly documenting your tone of voice, we ensure consistency – whether it’s in your internal communications or your marketing materials. That said, nothing is set in stone. As your business grows and evolves, your branding may need to adapt. You change, you keep up with the times, and your identity evolves with you. That’s why it’s a good idea to revisit your brand guide every five years or so. Does your logo still reflect who you are? Has your tone of voice grown along with your business?
Looking for a partner to help create or refine your brand identity? Contact us for an informal conversation about the possibilities at Brandchef.
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Brandchef is een zusterbedrijf van Typhoon Hospitality, een pr- en marketingbureau dat is gespecialiseerd in marketing, communicatie en social media voor de horeca.
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