Editorial / Brand Voice & Tone

 

Brand Voice & Tone

“People often use the words voice and tone interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Your voice is your company’s public personality. It doesn’t change much from day to day. Like your own individual personality, it comes through in all of your content and influences how people perceive you. On the other hand, your tone changes to fit the situation. While your voice is more about you, your tone is more about your readers and how they feel. Together, your voice and tone make up your writing style.”
— “Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose,” by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee

Every organization has a voice. Some speak with strict authority, some speak with humor, and most are somewhere in between. Our voice at ACE is always helpful and approachable. If a student has a question, they should know we’ll answer it. If they have a dispute or a problem, we want them to know we’ll try to resolve it calmly and fairly. This holds true regardless of the medium or platform – email, phone call, in-person event, social media post. No matter what, our students and potential students should feel helped and understood. 

Tone is more nuanced than voice but equally important. The same message can come across an entirely different way, depending on the tone. In one-on-one interactions, always consider the person’s state of mind and the news you are delivering. Do they seem rushed or upset before you even say a word? Are they friendly and chatty? Are you telling them they’ve received a scholarship or sending them an invoice? Speak in line with their cues, but always professionally and helpfully.  

Here are some examples of good voice and tone, but each situation must be considered individually, depending on the audience:  

  • ACE is affordable, online and accessible. Check us out at ace.edu and then let’s talk about what you’re interested in.  

  • I  am here to help get you to your goals.  

  • Let’s connect by phone so I can get more details and help you. When is a good time for you? 

  • I understand you’re feeling frustrated and I want to help. Do you have a few minutes to give me some details?