Setting the Voice
The language layer. What the company says first, what it says second, and how it sounds saying either.
In development. Ask what the current scope covers.Who it is for
Businesses whose design is ahead of their words. Teams who sound like four different companies across four channels.
The problem it solves
Design carries a brand until somebody reads it. When the words are generic the whole thing reads as generic, however good it looks.
What I do
- 01Set the message hierarchy: the first sentence, the supporting claims, and the proof under each.
- 02Write the tone as short rules with examples of what is in and what is out.
- 03Write the lines that carry the most weight, starting with the homepage.
- 04Give the team phrasing they can reuse without asking permission.
What you end up with
- A message hierarchy anyone who writes for you can follow.
- Tone rules with worked examples.
- The high traffic lines, written.
01Also in Brand & Strategy
- The ReadPositioning and the competitive read, before any design.
- Naming SystemsNames for the company, the products, and everything under them.
- Visual IdentityThe mark, the lockups, and the world the brand lives in.
- The SpecificationThe identity written down as rules, not as a picture.