Want to shine as a small shop? Begin with simple, steady brand words.
Here’s how you can make words that link with folks and push growth:
- Show What Sets You Apart: Share why folks should pick you. Talk about the good things, not just what you got.
- Choose How You Sound: Decide how your shop "talks" – warm, pro, or strong – and keep it the same.
- Let Your Core Beliefs Show: Tell what your shop is all about to build trust and keep people coming back.
- Be the Same Everywhere: Whether it’s on your web page, on social sites, or in emails, make your words match.
- Play Up the Local Angle: Make your words fit with local folks and their ways.
Why this counts: Clear words build trust, make you known, and might up your money by up to 20%. Begin by knowing your crowd, setting up a word map, and seeing what hits.
Let’s dig in more.
How to Create a Brand Voice & Messaging Guide (+ Examples!)
Big Pieces of Solid Brand Talk
Solid brand talk comes down to five main parts. These make up how people see and feel about your business.
What You Stand Out For
What you stand out for is the base of your brand talk. It’s the main thing why someone should pick your business over others. It’s not just a list of what you have – it’s about the real perk you bring to your people.
Maybe you make things faster, cost less, or take away worry. What you stand out for must make people think: “Why should I pick your business?”
"Brand messaging is the art of using the right words to communicate the essence of your brand to potential customers."
The key to a good value pitch is to be clear and exact. For example, don’t just say, “we offer great service,” but show how your service makes people’s lives better. Does it cut their work time by half? Save them $500 a year? The more real the gain, the easier it is for folks to see your worth.
Brand Voice and Tone
Your brand voice is how your business talks to folks – it’s your style in words and speech. Some brands choose a laid-back, friendly feel, while others are more formal or strong.
Take Nike, for instance. Their voice is strong and pushes people to act and do great things.
"Your brand voice anchors each piece of content and copy. Everything you write will tap into your brand voice, so building confidence in your voice will make marketing feel simpler and more delightful." – Kayla Hollatz, Copywriter
Your voice should match what your audience looks for. A small, cozy bakery might speak in a warm, friendly way, while a money advisor would choose a neat, wise sound. Set your voice, then use it the same way every time you reach out.
Core Values
Core values are the things you believe that shape how you run your shop. They are what you stand up for, not just making money. When folks see values like theirs, they trust and stay true to you.
In fact, 64% of people say shared values make them feel close to a brand. This is why saying what you stand for does so much good.
But here is the point – your values must be more than just talk. They should lead what you do. If you care about saving the earth, show it by how you work. If being clear is key, let it guide how you talk. Real values make your words ring true.
Consistency Across Channels
Consistency means that no matter where someone meets your brand – be it your site, online talk, or emails – they should know it’s you.
This type of same look isn’t just to look neat; it can help you earn more. Keeping the same brand look everywhere can lift money made by up to 23%, and using the same colors can make folks know your brand 80% better.
Think about Apple’s simple style. From their shops to their boxes to their site, you know it’s Apple. Or Nike’s famous “Just Do It” line – it’s in their ads, online, and even where they sell things. This makes these brands known right away.
"A brand should be a constant, regardless of whether it’s on a t-shirt, a website, or an Instagram post." – Erik Rudolph, Marketing Assistant Student Worker, West Virginia University
To do this, make clear rule books for your team that cover all from logos and colors to how we sound and look. Always check your posts to make sure everything fits well.
Near and Home-Grown Importance
Even though being the same everywhere matters, making your words fit the local people strengthens your bond with them. Talking about local events, big spots, or home culture makes what you share feel more close. For example, a shop in Texas could talk about barbecue to connect with the folks there.
It’s also key to know what your people care about. In the U.S., folks often like things quick, easy, and with great help. Adding these things to your words can help you meet what they expect.
Studies show that 82% of buyers feel better about a brand when they read things made just for them. Write as if you really know the local place, using words they know and examples that matter to them.
How to Make Brand Messages
Making brand messages that hit home with your people splits into three main parts.
Know Your People
Before you begin to write, you must know who you are writing for. Deep research is key, not just simple facts like age or where they live. It’s about knowing what makes them tick.
Use tools like Google Analytics, social media stats, and polls from your customers to learn about their ways and needs. But do not stop there. Look more into what they want and what they face. Ask yourself: What issues are they trying to fix? What matters to them the most? For example, a person who owns a bakery may find out that their buyers care more about backing local shops than finding the cheapest price.
"The more targeted your campaign, the more effective it will be." – Ayesha Qureshi, SBAM
Old Spice is a top case of how to learn what buyers want. In 2010, they found out that even though their stuff was for men, women were the ones most often buying it. This made them change how they talked in ads, making campaigns aimed right at women.
Don’t forget to check out the other guys too. Look at their buyer reviews to spot their big problems. These issues might be chances for your business to stand out.
Social media is also full of clues about what your people like. Watch what they share, talk about, and talk back to. Chat with them, ask stuff, and really listen to what they care about.
So, why bother with all this about the buyers? Ads that miss the mark waste $37 billion each year. Plus, 80% of buyers like it when brands give them things just for them.
When you know all this, sort out these ideas into a clear message plan.
Message Mapping
Once you know your crowd well, make a message map. This helps you line up your big point and the details in a clear way.
Start with your main point – the big thing you want everyone to recall about your brand. This should connect with what your folks care most about. Say, a tech firm could stress, “We help small companies do more with less, using easy, great tools.”
"A message map is a strategic tool for clarifying and organizing multiple messages. It helps ensure that everyone on your team consistently communicates the same points." – Unkover
Start by backing your points with proof, like examples or good stories. Say a car shop aiming at young moms and dads might show off safety bits by noting, “Our rear cams keep your kids’ bikes safe out front”.
It’s key to see features as perks. Don’t just list what your item does – show how it helps solve issues. For example, rather than saying "fast checkout", stress "saves time, so you can do more of what you love."
This method is a win. Firms that look after their buyers’ needs make 60% more money than others that don’t. Plus, getting the personal touch right can mean a 40% more money boost than most.
Keep in mind, a message road map can change. Update it often, using what works with your crowd. When your map looks good, test and tune your words.
Testing and Making Better
Making a message map is just a start. To hit the mark with your words, test and sharpen them with real people.
Don’t wait for it to be perfect – begin testing soon. Try out different versions to see what sticks. This saves time and dodges big errors later.
Set clear aims for your tests. What will you track? Be it click rates or sales, knowing your goals helps you keep on target.
Test with real groups. If you aim at families, talk to busy parents. If local, connect with folks nearby.
Mix deep and broad ways. Polls and A-B tests give solid numbers, while talks and group chats give deep views on why people react as they do.
"Don’t find customers for your product. Find products for your customers." – Seth Godin
Real-life cases prove how good testing is. Athletic Greens changed their product info based on what customers said, which led to a 5% jump in online buys. Betway fixed their app words, and saw app gets go up by 600% in main places. Just like that, Krikey changed their app store words, making install rates grow from 5% to over 40%.
Look for trends in the feedback. Are some words always working well? Do people often get the wrong idea? Use this info to make your words better.
Then, tell your team about what you find. When all know what works, they can use this when they talk to customers.
Testing is not just once and done. What customers like changes, new rivals show up, and popular things come and go. Keep testing and making your words better to keep your brand on point and strong.
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How to Use Your Brand Message Everywhere
Once you’ve got the main points of your brand message set, the next thing to do is to make sure it looks the same across all marketing ways. When you keep your message the same at every place customers find you, you could make over 10% more money and 66% of people will trust you more.
The hard part? It’s not just saying the same thing over and over. You need to change it to fit each spot but keep true to your brand’s sound. Every place – from your site, to social media, to emails – has its own rules and ways to do best. But, no matter where people see your brand, it should always feel known.
Your Website and Its Content
Your site is the core of your brand online. Every part – titles, product info, blog posts – must show your brand’s sound and values. Start with a clear, strong value claim and keep showing it all across your site, from one page to another and in blog content.
Blogs are a perfect place to show off what you know and what you value. For example, a local accounting team could call itself "your local tax pro" by writing posts on new local tax rules, giving tips to small shops, or talking about their local clients’ wins. These posts don’t just give good info but also show the team’s local know-how.
Look matters too. Use the same fonts, colors, and image styles on your site – just using key colors can make people recognize your brand 80% more. Even pages for specific campaigns should look like the rest of your brand, yet connect well to the campaign’s message. Such look keeps your brand’s image strong and builds trust.
Social Media
Social media is where your brand’s sound meets the unique feel of each site. Around 78% of people say a brand’s social media can make them trust the brand, and for Gen Z, it goes up to 88%.
Each site has its own feel. LinkedIn is more for work and learning stuff, while Instagram is all about cool pics and stories. Your brand’s sound should stay the same, but how you show it might change based on the site. For instance, a gym could show fun workout tips on Instagram, share smart talk on LinkedIn, and chat in a friendly way on Twitter.
Don’t miss out on using site-based tools to reach people. Like, short videos are big – more than half of the videos made lately are less than two minutes. Making your stuff fit the style and time that each site likes is key.
Emails and SMS
Direct ways like emails and SMS let you talk in a more close way to your people, but they still need to sound like your brand. Emails should feel and look like what’s on your website and social media. For example, a home cleaning service known as "your reliable cleaning buddy" might send emails that seem like friendly tips instead of cold news.
SMS, with its high 98% open rate against email’s 20%, is a strong way to talk right now. As Cyndee Harrison, boss at Synaptic, says:
"In our experience, text messaging is an incredibly powerful tool for customer service because it’s immediate, direct and personalized."
When you send text messages, make them brief, warm, and true to your brand. Always add your business name, say hi to customers by their names if you can, and show clear next steps.
Customer Service and Direct Talks
Your customer service group is key in showing what your brand is about when talking directly. It’s important to know that almost half of your customers might pick a rival after just one bad time. This means every chat or call needs to show the same message.
Each meeting with your support team should show what your brand stands for. For example, if your brand is about making hard things easy, your team must talk and solve problems in a simple, easy-to-understand way. If being green matters to your brand, your team should point out eco-friendly choices when they can. Teaching your team to show your brand’s goal gives customers a smooth time.
Through phone, chat, emails, or face-to-face, keeping the same tone and way helps keep your brand strong. Even thoughtful answers to bad reviews can change a tough moment into a chance to show your care for customers.
Keep using customer comments and tests to better your message on every channel. This helps you not just stay on brand but also stay appealing.
Getting Better at Your Brand’s Message
Setting up your brand’s message is only the start. The real test is to always check how it’s doing and make it better using what you learn. If you don’t track results, you’re just guessing if your message is working well or not. Checking it often keeps your message on track with the plan you’ve made.
Checking Important Numbers (KPIs)
Numbers can show how well your brand message is doing. To really get its effect over the whole customer path, think about three main number types: knowing, thinking about, and changing metrics.
- Knowing Metrics: These are things like how many visit your site, how many see you on social media, and how many talk about your brand. Look at not just direct mentions – also track indirect ones, like wrong spellings or when people describe you in a certain way (like calling a bakery "that great cupcake spot on Main Street"). This helps you see how visible your brand is.
- Thinking About Metrics: These show how much your crowd is into your message. Look at how many open emails, how many click on things, how many take action on landing pages, and how long they look at your stuff. These numbers show if your message sparks interest and pulls people in more.
- Changing Metrics: These are key numbers – sales, cost to get a customer, and how much a customer is worth over time. They show if your message leads to clear wins for your business.
Social media is important here too. For instance, people who see brand messages on LinkedIn are six times more likely to change. Keep an eye on likes, shares, comments, and saves, and check numbers like how often your brand is searched and talked about. Tools like Google Analytics (for website visits and tracking links) and integrated CRM systems help you see which messages bring leads and sales.
Getting Feedback from Customers
Your customers are key to making your brand message better. Feedback shows how people see your brand, the quality of your service, and their overall experience. Plus, asking for feedback shows you care about their thoughts and want to get better.
Here are some points to note:
- 89% of businesses say customer experience is key for loyalty and repeat sales.
- Often, people read about 10 reviews before they trust a brand.
- 92% of customers hold back from buying from brands without reviews.
To make feedback useful, have clear goals – like making your brand voice better, seeing how happy customers are, or changing how a product is seen. This helps you ask the right questions. Short, direct surveys are good, and tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms can set up follow-ups after a service is done.
Social media is also great for quick feedback. Tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social let you watch brand mentions and answer fast. Don’t miss out on what you can learn from customer service talks – checking these often can show you ongoing problems.
"Customer feedback gives helpful insights that can inform branding, guide messaging and strengthen client relationships."
– Zachary Amos
Breaking down feedback by type of customer or their goals can show very clear problems in their journey, pushing you to make your messages better for various groups.
Never stop getting better
You can’t just fix your brand’s message once and leave it. As markets change and what customers want shifts, what worked before might not work now. Always updating and adjusting your messages makes sure they fit well with your business aims.
Watch for new trends in your field, changes in what buyers do, and fresh ways to market to stay in front. Trends on social media and results from surveys can offer deep looks into what shapes your audience. Having a change-ready brand plan lets you switch up fast but still keep a unified message through all ways you connect.
"A way to align your brand messaging with evolving market trends is to have one consistent core brand message that you tweak through storytelling. This means altering HOW the message is expressed to meet the current needs, demands, and trends of the market – NOT the message itself."
– Alexis Campbell, Personal Brand Strategist
Keep checking and fixing your messages often. Try out new tones, layouts, and spots, and use A/B tests and look at data to find what works best. Watch out for the same bad feedback – it’s usually a sign that your messages are not clear. When you change things because of what customers say, tell them. This makes them trust you more and shows you are open.
End Words
Making a strong brand message is more than just good lines or nice looks – it’s about trust, being seen, and growing. For small firms in busy areas, good messaging is what links you to your buyers and makes them stay.
It’s clear: steady brand messages can raise money by 10-20% and make trust. In fact, 90% of future buyers want your brand to be smooth across all places. This isn’t just to look good; it’s to make sales happen.
The parts we’ve talked about – knowing your core offer, having a clear brand sound, and keeping even everywhere – all help to make one solid brand feel. When your message is clear, true to your values, and even, you’re doing more than just selling things. You’re showing buyers who you are and why they should pick you.
This joint way isn’t fixed – it grows. As areas change and what buyers need shifts, ongoing talks and tweaks keep your message on point and working well. Being able to change keeps your brand close to your people.
For small businesses, getting your message right is a key plus. It lets you match up with big firms by making real links with buyers who like what you stand for. When done right, your message is a big tool for growth – turning simple visitors into steady buyers and happy clients into big fans.
"In the world of small business, effective communication is not just a tool but a strategic imperative. It is the bridge that connects your brand to your audience, helping you build awareness, trust, and loyalty." – Ashlee Sang, Ashlee Sang Consulting LLC
This idea makes one thing clear: easy and steady talk is key to good ties with people who buy from us.
FAQs
How can small shops set up and show off a special thing they offer that no one else does?
To talk well about a strong special thing they offer, small shops need to see what makes their goods or care stand out. Begin by looking at what you do best, knowing the hard spots your main people face, and figuring out how what you offer fixes those issues in a way others can’t. Your aim is to show why your shop is different and why people should pick you over others.
Once you’ve got a hold of your special thing, make a simple line that shows this unique bit. Make sure it’s clear and sticks in the mind. Then, mix your special thing into every part of how you talk about your brand – your web page, posts on social media, ads, and even talks with buyers. Being the same all over is key; when your special thing is seen in all places, it builds trust and makes it easier for people to know your brand.
How can small shops keep the same brand voice on all their sales paths?
To keep your brand voice the same on all sales paths, begin by making clear and full brand rules. These should talk about your tone, words, and style, making sure they fit with your shop goals and reach your main buyers. Make sure your team can get to these rules so everyone is in tune.
Take time to often check your content to see if it fits the set rules. Using patterns for often used talks is another smart way to keep things the same. While it’s okay to change your message a bit to fit different places, always keep true to your main brand self. A steady and known voice builds trust and makes your link with buyers stronger.
How do small biz set up brand talks that work for their town and keep their own style?
To hit it off with town folk while keeping your brand’s core, small biz need to dig into the town’s own taste, norms, and what they like. This could be picking up town slang, nodding to known local ways, or caring about what the locals care about.
At the same time, your way of speaking, look, and all talk should keep true to what your brand is, even as you mix in town bits. Working with town groups or diving into town events can help build trust and show you’re real. When your brand’s feel meets what the town folks hope for and need, your words will ring true and honest.
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