Brand and marketing have to be consistent. You know this, your staff knows this, everyone knows this; it isn’t exactly earth-shattering news. As with most things, just because you know it to be true doesn’t mean you are putting it into practice or that you understand exactly what it means.

Is your brand consistent? Hopefully, you answered yes. But whether you answered yes or no, the follow-up question is: Do you always deliver a specific message? Let me ask that again: Does your brand deliver the same message invariably? For most, this can be challenging, particularly if they have multiple people controlling the voice and the brand.

Now, let’s take it a step further. Is the tone of your brand consistent? The tone is the general character or attitude that comes across on your video, web copy, etc. Let me put it to you this way, the tone is more important than the actual words; unfortunately, this is often ignored.

Perhaps you use an agency and an in-house team, therefore it becomes quite a feat to maintain the same tone and message. This opens the door to multiple interpretations and flaws which result in a weakened brand. Ultimately, the business will suffer because the tone or attitude of the message put forward in different media is going in different directions.

Naturally, the more uniform, consistent and steady that your tone and message are the better for the success of your brand. This really shouldn’t be left to chance and should be specifically outlined in your brand guidelines. There should be a few pages dedicated to how you communicate with the outside world and even how you communicate internally.

A good copywriter will be able to interpret this and will help you convey the character of your brand and its values. The importance of tone cannot be oversimplified: it will get people to take action and help create the right impression for your brand.

TONE = VALUES

The right tone will help your audience understand the values held by your company. Think about the difference in tone between the different brands you use and what they say to you.

ON INSTAGRAM

Brand 1 - Air Transport World gives our largest hub a dub! @dfwairport🥇🏆 Link in bio for more!

Brand 2 - We’re just gonna leave this splash of vacation inspo right here…

Brand 3 - It’s a snowy scene for many of you out there this weekend. We commend our People in the air and on the ground working through the elements to get you where you’re going safely. If you’re flying through an affected city, be sure to check out swa.is/harper for the latest updates and rebooking options. (Photos by Lisa P. in MDW)

Brand 4 - Ever wonder what the numbers and letters on runways mean? They’re combinations specific to each airport, identifying each runway and its direction.

Brand 5 - Stretch out and get comfy in our Big Front Seats, with a full 6 inches of additional legroom and no middle seat all for a little extra cash. Book yours today! #MoreGo

Brand 6 - The 5th United Polaris lounge is ready for you @FlyLAXAirport. Check out our highlights above ⬆️ to see our ☀️new space. Opens January 12. #DreamPolaris

Guess which is United, Southwest, American Airlines, Spirit, Delta and jetBlue. I bet that if you’ve ever flown these airlines you’ll get the majority right (answers below). If you’ve read through their social media, websites, and receive their emails you’ll get a very consistent tone.

TONE = FAMILIARITY

Brands that don’t have a consistent message and tone suffer from a lack of trust and loyalty. If your coworkers had different personalities every day, it would be pretty difficult to become good friends or even close with them. Just like you portray an image through your attitude,  your brand needs to do the same. The correct tone keeps your brand familiar to your audience.

TONE = CONVERSIONS

Naturally you can’t convert everyone into clients. It’s just not possible. But your tone should attract and convert much of your target audience. Remember, not everyone will love your tone or what your brand stands for, and that’s okay. Then, strive to cater your tone to get you the right converts.

Need help finding your tone and keeping your message consistent?  

We can help!

Brands - American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, Delta, Spirit,  and United.

‍