Development of the tone of voice guidelines and training your writers to write differently from now on are two distinct but interrelated processes.
Yes, change management is a part of it, so prepare to meet some resistance in the protection of the “old ways”.
However, even if your company has never worked on its tone of voice, you will already have one. It will develop spontaneously as your employees carry out their daily work.
In this case, a distanced view by skilful professionals — best when it comes in the form of a structured audit — is needed to help you elaborate a consistent tone of voice that will let you achieve your full communication potential.
Developing your own brand voice guide with examples will bridge your deeply personal understanding of your company’s personality and its business specifics.
To create a tone of voice guide you will need to gain and use a detailed knowledge of how your target audience perceives you, obtain a fine sensibility for the different communication styles your company uses, know-how, and, of course, good taste (very important!).
Creating a tone of voice with professionals:
— allows you to discover strengths you never knew your company had — enables you to spot and work on constraints holding you back — gives you valuable insights you will benefit from for years to come
It also gives you the benefit of more flexibility in your change management.
Experienced consultants will build the tone of voice development process to involve people who write texts in your company.
In this way, they will become part of the change (and maybe even its biggest advocates!).
