Developing a brand voice is more than just choosing the right words—it’s about creating a consistent personality that resonates with your audience and communicates your brand values authentically. At Lundmark, we help brands craft a voice that feels genuine, stands out in the marketplace, and builds trust over time. Here’s a closer look at the strategic process behind how we shape a brand’s voice and bring it to life.
Defining Brand Pillars and Purpose
A strong brand voice starts with a clear foundation. We begin by identifying the core principles that define your brand, also known as your brand pillars. These pillars represent what your brand stands for, acting as the backbone of all messaging and decision-making. Through collaborative workshops with key stakeholders, we uncover what makes your brand unique and authentic.
This process ensures that your voice is rooted in truth. Consumers are quick to recognize insincerity, so aligning your messaging with real values is critical to fostering trust and loyalty.
Crafting a Clear Brand Positioning
Positioning is where your brand voice starts to take shape. A distinct position in the market helps differentiate your brand from competitors and guides how you communicate with your audience.
We dive into qualitative and quantitative research to understand your brand’s strengths, opportunities, and challenges. This can include interviews with leadership, employee insights, customer surveys, and competitive analysis. Through this research, we develop a brand positioning statement that clearly articulates what your brand offers, who it serves, and why it matters.
This statement becomes the north star for shaping your voice and ensuring consistency in every interaction.
Developing Your Brand Personality
Once your positioning is clear, we focus on the human side of your brand: its personality. A brand voice isn’t just about tone, it’s about conveying character. To guide this, we use Carl Jung’s archetype model, which identifies twelve distinct brand archetypes, from the Caregiver to the Explorer.
By aligning your brand with an archetype, we create a framework for how it should sound and behave. For instance:
- A Ruler brand might use confident and authoritative language to convey leadership
- A Jester brand might adopt a playful and approachable tone to foster connection
This process ensures that your voice feels relatable and resonates with your target audience.
Translating Strategy into Messaging
With a solid foundation of values, positioning, and personality, we begin shaping the tangible elements of your voice. This includes:
- Core Messaging Framework: Key phrases, taglines, and value propositions that communicate your brand’s purpose.
- Voice Guidelines: Rules for tone, vocabulary, and style to ensure consistency across platforms.
- Audience Alignment: Tailoring messaging to meet the specific needs and preferences of your target demographics.
For example, if your audience is primarily young professionals, your tone might be conversational and empowering. If you’re targeting families, a warm and reassuring voice might be more appropriate.
Evolving Your Voice Over Time
A brand voice is not static—it evolves as your business grows and adapts to market changes. While consistency is key, flexibility allows your brand to remain relevant. We work with our clients to revisit and refine their messaging periodically, ensuring it stays aligned with both business goals and audience expectations.
The Power of a Distinct Brand Voice
A well-defined brand voice is more than a marketing tool—it’s a competitive advantage. It shapes how people perceive your brand, deepens emotional connections, and creates a lasting impression.
