In business, injecting tone of voice in writing is infinitely more challenging than it is for characters in a novel. Ask any executive communications writer. Identifying the leader’s style and personality and flowing it into a speech, presentation, letter to the stockholders, press release or video script is not an easy task. The writer must make certain the tone meshes with the perception employees, customers, media, analysts, investors, competitors and other publics have of the individual as an executive of the company.
In addition, the writer has to make the executive at ease with the content and how she or he is being portrayed. Executives are used to giving direction, not taking it. Even at the top of the corporate ladder, human egos are fragile. Being scripted goes against their nature. The writer must make the person comfortable, which isn’t necessarily difficult for printed messages, but when it’s a video or public speech, that’s a different animal.
While it’s not easy being what is in essence a corporate ghostwriter, at least that person is representing a human being - a living, breathing person (we hope) - someone who can give direction and provide qualitative feedback.
Try writing tone of voice for a product.
Now that’s not an animal at all; that’s an inanimate object. So how does a copywriter create a personality for a product? Good question.
It all starts with a thorough understanding of the product features, functions and benefits, the customer problem the product solves, and its competitive differentiation. The writer also needs to comprehend how the product is positioned in the market. This data all comes from marketing or the brand manager. If the assignment is with a small company that lacks these roles, the writer will have to interview the powers-that-be to acquire that information.
Discussions with those close to the product is vital anyway. The writer will hear how the executives and employees perceive the product and gain some insight into internal language. This will help ensure that the external brand communication is closely aligned. A disconnect between the two will likely undermine and diminish the branding efforts.
The copywriter also should take into account the character of the company. What are its values? What does it stand for? Read its mission statement to gain some insight here.
Other guideposts are the visual representations of the product. How does the product look and feel? How is it packaged? What are the colors and graphic style of its logo? This helps shed light on the image the company wishes to project for the brand.
The sum of all of this input gives the copywriter direction. And in most cases, that’s all this person needs to get the job done.
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