Getting your tone of voice right helps your business stand out in a crowded local market. By being consistent and showing your personality, you can build trust and long-term relationships with your customers.
Your tone of voice usually refers to written communication — such as web content, emails, social media posts, or ads — but it can also shine through in videos and stories that show the people and purpose behind your store.
Big brands like Wendy’s, Innocent, Nike, ASOS, and Marks & Spencer use tone of voice to stand out. It’s how customers recognize their personality and connect emotionally.
Here are the main steps to help you define and use your brand’s tone of voice:
Think about your company values and culture
Why do you do what you do? What’s your purpose, and how do you want customers to feel about your brand?
Define your why — it sets the foundation for your tone of voice. Involve your team, review your existing content, and think about which words and emotions best describe your business.
Think about your audience
Understand who you’re talking to and how they communicate.
Your tone should match your audience’s expectations — fun and friendly for a younger crowd, more formal and expert for an older one.
You can even run a small focus group to test how your tone feels to customers.
How are you going to say it?
Decide on your language style: technical or everyday, sales-driven or conversational.
Keep your message clear, avoid jargon, and be inclusive — your customers come from diverse backgrounds, so sensitivity matters.
Check your competitors
Look at how similar stores or larger chains communicate. Learn what works, what doesn’t, and where you can stand out with your own authentic tone.
Focus on what’s in it for the customer
Make sure your tone reflects your unique selling points and clearly communicates the value you offer.
Always remember: the goal is connection and conversion.
Take feedback on board
Your tone will evolve over time. Listen to customer reactions, read comments, and track which posts perform best.
Feedback and analytics will help you adjust while staying true to your brand identity.
To stay consistent, it helps to create a tone of voice guide — including examples, color choices, filters, and language preferences. This helps your team or partners create content that sounds like you.
Proofreading remains essential — mistakes can damage even the most authentic tone.
If you work across markets, remember that cultural differences affect tone and style, so adapt accordingly.
Finally, make your life easier with tools like the Embrosa App (available in the App Store and Google Play).
It gives you access to professional visuals, branded content, and ready-made captions from your favorite brands. You’ll also find inspiration for your own posts and the option to plan and schedule social media content in advance — so your feed stays active even when you’re busy.
Plus, you can use Emma, your AI marketing helper inside the Embrosa App, to create new content, write captions, or personalize existing posts completely from scratch.
Your audience wants to connect with you.
Show your brand’s values and culture through your words — be bold, be visible, and let your community get to know you.
