If you want to build a presence that speaks to your readers on a personal level, you have to establish a brand voice. When we think about well-known brands, big names like Pepsi and Nike come to mind.

Sometimes these companies communicate so clearly and consistently, we forget that they’re businesses and not individual people. When you see a blue and red can of Pepsi, what do you think of? Are you overcome with feelings of nostalgia, and crave a cold can of soda on a hot summer day?

When you walk into a store and see a Nike swoosh on a pair of sneakers, you know you’re getting high-quality footwear. The feelings that you relate with a brand is the direct result of its brand voice — its personality.

When you’re developing a brand, you’ll want to write content that connects with your audience. And, makes them feel like they’re talking to a friend.

By developing a strong brand voice, your followers will receive the information they need in a way that aligns with their;

1. values

2. beliefs

3.preferences

TOMS and Apple have Mastered the Art of Crafting a Brand Voice

Let’s use these 2 companies as examples so that you can pull from them to help you create your band voice. Both companies connect with the values of their fans on personal levels.

TOMS: Impact

This company is a popular clothing and shoe company that captures the heart and soul of its fan base. Their products are tied into a larger mission driven by the values of its company leaders: sustainability, giving back, and making a global difference.

TOMS’ One for One campaign gives one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. One for One proves that buying a pair of shoes can make a difference in the lives of others. This is also in alignment with the TOMS’ eyewear and diaper-bag lines support restored sight and safe birth practices for babies and mothers in the same one-purchase-one-person-helped way.

By sharing its products in terms of values — sharing the impact of a purchase instead of details about the product itself — TOMS resonates with its customers who also value global impact and sustainability.

Yes, TOMS is a business, but that can be easy to forget.

You can buy a pair of shoes anywhere, but when it’s purchased through a company committed to social responsibility, sustainability, and impactful change, more customers are likely to experience brand loyalty if its values align with their own.

There is an added simplicity that comes with building a brand voice that is connected to a company’s values. With TOMS, the focus is not on products. However, TOMS’ content is geared towards its larger message and the impact that each purchase has on someone else.

Apple: Accessibility

Similar to TOMS, Apple has a clear brand voice that aligns with its business and values. Apple is witty, entertaining, intellectual, and upbeat — everything that you would expect to see in a text message sent by a friend.

Like TOMS, Apple’s brand voice is directly connected to the values of its leadership and employees — accessibility, education, inclusion, and diversity — and the company invests in many programs and initiatives that support these values, like its continued support of World AIDS Day.

There’s no better way to scare someone off than by bogging them down with confusing technology language. Apple’s style ties into the company’s belief that technology should be accessible to everyone and easily understood by all.

Finding your voice

As an entrepreneur and/or small business owner, you can gain many insights from the voices of bigger brands. Here are some tips to help your brand develop a voice of its own:

Define your values

Turning your values into real words and phrases while understanding exactly what they mean to you and your business — can help you develop a style that connects with your prospects.

Share your story

You have an opportunity to let your prospects know what separates your brand from the rest. When you pair quality content with your brand values, you provide a powerful and purposeful message.

Share how your brand is making a difference. You’ll notice that its brand voice will grow more dominant as your values and beliefs begin to project through your content and messaging.