We don’t even know you (well we do, but we don’t know who is reading right now) but we do know you aren’t as smart as Albert Einstein. We hate to burst your bubble, but unless you are a physics savant (and if you are, godbless and thank you for reading our blog) chances are you aren’t as smart as Albert Einstein.
However, we didn’t actually ask if you are AS smart as Albert Einstein but rather if you ARE Albert Einstein smart. There is a difference, and this difference means a world of difference in the world of branding because it means everything when developing your brand voice.
You see the question we are asking is not how smart you are, but what kind of smart you are. Are you the booksmart type, who is well-schooled, polished and always prepared? Or are you the street-smart type? Quick thinking and even quicker on your feet and under pressure?
Or are you the prodigy? The young hotshot? The cocky yet brilliant maverick?
We ask you this because understanding what flavor of smart you are helps you define your brand voice. The wise old sage appeals to a certain psychographic, whereas another target market might prefer the young genius.
So many times we hear people say their brand is “funny” or “intelligent.”
But again, what KIND of funny? Does your brand stand for wholesome fun, or is it an adults only type situation? Are you witty funny, or silly funny? Is it highbrow humor or does it kick you in the pants with its bluntness.
But why is this important? And what does it have to do with business?
You need to develop a consistent brand voice, otherwise customers will not know what to expect from you. Think of it this way. Let’s say you have a good friend and he’s a funny guy, but a his jokes are corny, wholesome but nevertheless endearing. It’s part of his charm. What would happen if at the next dinner party he shows up and starts cursing like a sailor, making crude jokes? He’s still funny, but what happened? Something is off about him and it makes you wonder what’s going on. It’s hard to trust a guy who switches his personality so sharply.
We want to grow comfortable with brands and we want to feel like we know who they are and what they stand for. This is why we trust them and this is one of the main reasons we buy from them. An inconsistent voice is a huge turnoff for customers.
Furthermore, your voice needs to appeal to your target market. You can’t be funny to everyone so you need to pick your style and stick with it. You can’t be both the young hotshot and the wise old sage. It just doesn’t happen. So ask yourself what voice would appeal to your audience, and is that a voice that you can pull off and live authentically?
When your voice resonates with your audience we call this a market to message match and it’s your sweetspot. This is how you connect with people emotionally and not just logically or based on credibility. In a world where quality is assumed, you need to develop an emotional connection to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
