A brand voice document is the secret weapon of successful Australian small businesses. It ensures that whether a customer is reading a Facebook post, an email newsletter, or a physical flyer, they feel like they are talking to the same person, building the trust and familiarity necessary to turn followers into loyal customers.
Without these guidelines, your marketing can feel disjointed—professional on LinkedIn but overly casual on Instagram—which confuses your audience and dilutes your brand authority. This guide will walk you through the process of defining your brand’s personality and codifying it into a practical document your team can use every day.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, gather the following:- Your business mission statement and core values.
- A clear profile of your target audience (your 'ideal customer').
- Samples of past marketing materials (what you liked and what you didn't).
- Access to a shared document (Google Docs or Microsoft Word).
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Step 1: Audit Your Current Communication
Start by gathering screenshots or links to your recent social media posts, blog articles, and email replies. Lay them out and look for patterns. Does your brand sound like a helpful local expert, or is it more of a cheeky disruptor? Screenshot Description: Create a folder or a Pinterest board titled 'Current Brand Vibe' to visually see the consistency (or lack thereof) in your current messaging.Step 2: Define Your Core Personality Traits
Choose 3 to 4 adjectives that describe your brand. If your business were a person at a Brisbane BBQ, how would they behave? Are they the knowledgeable mentor, the reliable tradie, or the innovative trendsetter?Avoid generic terms like 'professional' (everyone should be professional). Instead, use 'authoritative,' 'approachable,' or 'quirky.'
Step 3: Identify Your Target Audience's Language
To resonate with Australians, you need to understand how they speak. An engineering firm in Perth will use different language than a boutique café in Fortitude Valley. Research the forums, social media groups, and reviews where your customers hang out. Note the slang they use, the questions they ask, and the level of formality they expect.Step 4: Create a 'This, Not That' Table
This is the most practical part of your document. Create a simple table with two columns: 'We Are' and 'We Are Not.' Example: We are Friendly, but not Sycophantic*. Example: We are Expert, but not Arrogant*. Example: We are Australian, but not Stereotypical* (avoiding overused 'G'day Cobber' tropes unless it truly fits your brand).Step 5: Establish Your Tone Spectrum
While your 'Voice' (personality) stays the same, your 'Tone' (mood) changes depending on the situation. Define how your tone shifts across different scenarios:- Social Media: High energy, conversational, and punchy.
- Customer Complaints: Empathetic, calm, and solution-oriented.
- Technical Guides: Clear, concise, and instructional.
Step 6: Set Specific Grammar and Formatting Rules
Consistency is in the details. Decide on your 'House Style' and document it:- Spelling: Confirm you use Australian English (e.g., 'organise' not 'organize', 'colour' not 'color').
- Emoji Usage: Are they encouraged, or should they be used sparingly?
- Punctuation: Do you use the Oxford comma? Do you use exclamation marks (limit these to one per post)?
Step 7: Define Your Brand Vocabulary
List the words you love and the words you hate. If you are a high-end real estate agency, you might prefer 'residence' over 'house.' If you are a local plumber, you might prefer 'no-nonsense' over 'bespoke.' This ensures your team doesn't accidentally use language that feels 'off-brand.'Step 8: Write Example Content
Show, don't just tell. Write out three versions of the same message (e.g., announcing a sale) to show the 'Before' and 'After' of applying your new guidelines. Screenshot Description: A side-by-side comparison in your document showing a generic post vs. a post written in your new brand voice.Step 9: Create a Social Media Specific Section
Social media requires a unique approach. Define how you handle hashtags (how many and where?), how you tag other Australian businesses, and how you respond to comments. Do you use 'Mate' or 'Hi [Name]'? Consistency here builds community.Step 10: Review Against Your Values
Read through your document and ask: "Does this voice actually reflect our company values?" If one of your values is 'Transparency,' but your voice guidelines suggest using corporate jargon, you have a mismatch that needs fixing.Step 11: Distribute and Train Your Team
A brand voice document is useless if it sits in a digital drawer. Share it with anyone who writes on behalf of the business—from your receptionist to your external marketing agency. Run a 30-minute workshop to walk them through the 'This, Not That' section.---
Pro Tips for Success
- Be Human: Even B2B brands should sound like humans talking to humans. Avoid 'marketing-speak' that says a lot without meaning anything.
- The 'Phone Call' Test: Read your social media captions out loud. If it sounds like something you’d never say over the phone to a client, rewrite it.
- Respect the Context: Your tone on LinkedIn should be slightly more 'buttoned-up' than your tone on TikTok, even if the underlying voice is the same.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Being Too Generic: If your guidelines could apply to any business in Australia, they aren't specific enough.
- Ignoring Local Nuance: Don't use Americanisms. Ensure your spelling and references (like seasons or public holidays) are relevant to the Australian context.
- Setting and Forgetting: Your brand voice should evolve as your business grows. Review this document every 12 months.
Troubleshooting
- "My team thinks this is too restrictive": Explain that guidelines are 'guardrails,' not 'handcuffs.' They are there to make writing faster and easier, not to stifle creativity.
- "I have multiple writers and they all sound different": This usually means your 'Examples' section (Step 8) isn't detailed enough. Add more 'Correct vs. Incorrect' examples.
- "The voice feels fake": If the voice feels forced, you might be trying to be something you're not. Scale back the 'personality' and lean more into your natural business values.
Next Steps
Now that you have your Brand Voice Guidelines, it's time to put them into action!- Update your social media bios to reflect your new voice.
- Rewrite your automated email responses.
- Audit your website's 'About Us' page.
If you need help defining a voice that cuts through the noise in the Brisbane market, the team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. Contact us today to discuss your brand strategy.