How to craft a unique B2B tone of voice to stand out in manufacturing

A distinct tone of voice is crucial to establishing a strong brand identity. Your company's tone of voice can impact how your brand is perceived and help you differentiate from competitors. In this post, we share tips for developing a unique tone of voice and positioning your contract manufacturing business as more than just ‘another supplier’.  

What do we mean by tone of voice?

The tone of voice refers to the way in which a brand expresses itself through its communications. It encompasses the style, attitude, and personality of the brand. It goes beyond the conveyed message and focuses on how it's delivered.

In other words, your tone of voice is not what you say but how you say it, the words you use, and the rhythm and pace you adopt.

Developing your tone of voice is essential to a content marketing strategy. It helps guide every piece of content you create.

Why do you need a distinct tone of voice?

In the context of brand marketing, tone of voice is an essential element that helps shape the perception and identity of a brand. It sets the overall mood and establishes a consistent and recognisable way of speaking to the target audience.

Contract manufacturers (CMs) may be used to operating unseen. Still, the landscape has changed, and today, it's never been more critical for CMs to differentiate themselves in the eyes of their customers.

OEMs are now looking for more than just the cheapest supplier. They are looking to their brand, too, as a reflection of their values, culture and goals. Because if a CM fails, then they fail.

You can no longer afford to be an invisible supplier in the value chain. And developing a distinct brand identity and tone of voice can help you stand out in the market.

Examples of brand's nailing their tone of voice

Look at B2C brands such as Coca-Cola and Apple; you'll see tone of voice done right. We know their voices like the unmistakable logos, fonts and colours akin to their identities.

Coca-Cola's brand voice conveys a sense of nostalgia and tradition while also staying relevant and contemporary. They use warm, positive and celebratory language that resonates with consumers seeking a refreshing and joyful experience.

Apple's brand voice could be described as sleek, innovative, and aspirational. They use concise and straightforward language to convey their messages, matching the minimalist and elegant approach to design. Apple's values dictate every word choice and message and retains the recognisable personality in every packaging label, website page, and social media post. 

It's just as easy for B2B brands to define their tone of voice. Let's look at the tone of voice of 3M, for example. 3M's tone of voice could be described as innovative, knowledgeable, approachable, and customer-centric. They emphasise their technical expertise and the value they bring to their customers, which helps to position them as a trusted partner.

Every brand's unique tone of voice will be tailored to their specific industry target audience and brand identity. These examples show how companies can use their tone of voice to establish credibility, connect with their customers, and differentiate themselves in the market.

How to define your tone of voice

So, how do you craft a tone that helps you stand out from the crowd?

1. Look to your buyer personas

Buyer personas play a crucial role in developing a distinctive tone of voice. A buyer persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer based on research, data and insights.

By understanding your target audience's characteristics, preferences, and needs, you can tailor your brand's voice to resonate with them. 

Asking yourself the following questions will help you to define your tone of voice:

• What are the characteristics, behaviours and preferences of our buyer personas? This will help you to shape your tone of voice to align with their communication style and preferences.
• What language, vocabulary and terminology do they use, and how can we incorporate these into our brand's tone of voice?
• What are our audiences' emotional drivers, and how can we evoke the right emotions through our messaging to forge a stronger connection?
• What are our target audience's unique needs and pain points, and how can we address them through our tone of voice?

2. Be consistent

Maintaining a consistent tone of voice across all channels and content is vital for building brand recognition and trust. 

Develop guidelines to ensure consistency in messaging, regardless of the platform or communication channel, and make sure you stick to them. Steering away from your guidelines can cause dissonance and confusion, making your reader feel uncomfortable and disconnected from your prose. 

3. Adapt your tone for each channel

Consider the nuances of each channel—website, social media, email, customer support, etc.—and adapt the tone while maintaining core brand attributes. Provide examples and clear instructions on how your brand should be represented across different touch points, empowering your team to deliver a unified brand experience.

For example:

On your website and landing pages -

Tailor the language and style to align with the desired user experience. For informative pages, maintain a clear and concise tone, using language that educates and guides. On landing pages, focus on compelling and persuasive language that drives action. Ensure that the overall tone reflects your brand personality and values consistently across these digital platforms.

For social media posts -

Social media platforms offer a unique opportunity to connect with your audience in a more conversational and informal manner. Craft social media posts that are engaging, relatable, and shareable. Consider the platform's character limit and adjust your tone to fit the specific audience and context.

For blog posts -

Blog posts provide an opportunity to showcase your expertise, engage with your audience on a deeper level, and establish thought leadership. Blog posts often allow for a more conversational tone compared to other channels. Strike a balance between maintaining a professional tone and using language that resonates with your audience in an approachable and friendly manner. Use a tone that reflects your brand's personality while providing valuable and authoritative content. 

For customer support and emails -

Provide clear guidelines to customer support representatives, emphasising empathy, professionalism, and helpfulness. In emails, strike a balance between being informative and friendly. Develop templates or guidelines that capture the desired tone, allowing your team to deliver consistent and positive experiences during customer interactions.

4. Be authentic

Creating an authentic tone of voice is essential for building trust and establishing a genuine connection with your audience.

Authenticity starts with a clear understanding of your brand's values and mission. What are the core principles and beliefs that drive your brand? Ensure that your tone of voice aligns with these values and reflects the purpose behind your brand.

If you are clear on your brand's value proposition, you will be able to find a clear and authentic tone. A company's value proposition highlights its unique benefits and addresses the pains customers want to avoid and the gains they want to achieve.

For example, suppose your value proposition emphasises innovation and cutting-edge solutions. In that case, your tone might be forward-thinking and confident, using language that showcases your expertise and ability to solve complex challenges.

By aligning your tone of voice with your value proposition, you can effectively communicate your brand's unique value, connect with your target audience, and differentiate yourself in the market.

5. Consider the level of formality or informality

Another important aspect of tone guidelines is determining the level of formality or informality that best represents your brand. Consider your industry, target audience, and brand identity. Do you want to convey professionalism and authority, or are you aiming for a more relaxed and approachable tone? 

Assess the tone that aligns with your brand values and the perception you want to create. This decision will influence the choice of vocabulary, sentence structure, and overall style in your communications.

6. Be open to feedback

It's crucial to be open to feedback and input from your customers if to ensure the ongoing relevance and effectiveness of your brand's tone of voice.

Actively encourage and listen to customer feedback through surveys, social media interactions, and customer support channels. Pay attention to their comments, suggestions, and preferences regarding your brand's communication style. 

Incorporate valuable insights into your brand guidelines and make adjustments as necessary to better align with customer expectations and preferences.

You can also utilise analytics to track how your brand's tone of voice is being received. Monitor engagement metrics, such as click-through rates, time spent on page, social media interactions, and customer satisfaction surveys. Analyse how different tones and messaging strategies impact these metrics.

By measuring the performance of your content, you can gain insights into what resonates with your audience and make informed decisions about refining or evolving your tone of voice to achieve better results.

Summary 

Crafting a unique and authentic tone of voice is crucial for contract manufacturers looking to stand out in the manufacturing industry.

Much like a logo is poured over, amended, tweaked and polished to perfection, your tone of voice should be treated with the same diligence. 

It takes time and effort, but the rewards of building a strong brand identity and connecting with your audience in a meaningful way will be well worth it in a competitive market.

Editors note: This blog post was originally published in September 2017 and has been updated for relevance and accuracy.