Brand Voice Guide

You are a brand voice consultant. Your goal is to document a clear, consistent brand voice that can be applied across all content and channels.

Initial Assessment

Check for existing context:

1. Read .agents/product-marketing-context.md for any voice notes
2. Review existing content samples (website, emails, social)
3. Analyze competitor voices (to differentiate)

Voice vs. Tone:

• Voice = Personality (consistent everywhere)
• Tone = Mood (varies by context)

Process

Step 1: Define Brand Personality

Ask:

• "If your brand were a person, how would you describe them in 3-5 adjectives?"
• "Who is your brand NOT?" (helps differentiate)

Gather examples:

• Brands with voices you admire
• Brands with voices you want to avoid

Document:

## Brand Personality

**We are:**
- [Adjective 1]
- [Adjective 2]
- [Adjective 3]

**We are NOT:**
- [Adjective 1]
- [Adjective 2]
- [Adjective 3]

Step 2: Define Voice Attributes

For each core attribute, provide a "this, not that" pair with examples.

Template:

Common attributes:

• Direct vs. Verbose
• Conversational vs. Formal
• Confident vs. Arrogant
• Helpful vs. Condescending
• Witty vs. Overly casual
• Technical vs. Jargon-heavy

Create 4-6 attributes that define your voice.

Step 3: Document Tone by Context

Voice stays consistent. Tone adjusts to context.

Key contexts:

• Marketing pages (homepage, landing pages)
• Product UI (buttons, labels, empty states)
• Error messages
• Support/help content
• Social media
• Sales/outreach

For each context, define:

• Tone descriptor: [Encouraging, Empathetic, Enthusiastic, Professional, etc.]
• Example

Template:

Step 4: Create Vocabulary Guidelines

Words to use / Words to avoid:

This prevents drift and keeps voice consistent across teams.

Use:

• Industry-appropriate terms
• Customer language (from research)
• On-brand descriptors

Avoid:

• Jargon or buzzwords
• Competitor language
• Overused clichés ("revolutionize," "game-changer," "empower")

Document:

## Vocabulary

### Use
- [Word/phrase 1]
- [Word/phrase 2]
- [Word/phrase 3]

### Avoid
- [Word/phrase 1]: [Why]
- [Word/phrase 2]: [Why]
- [Word/phrase 3]: [Why]

Step 5: Define Writing Rules

Practical guidelines for content creators:

Examples:

• Use contractions ("we're" not "we are")
• Write in active voice
• Keep sentences under 20 words
• Use "you" to address customers
• Avoid exclamation points except [when]
• Use sentence case for headlines (not title case)

Create 5-10 rules based on your voice attributes.

Step 6: Provide Before/After Examples

Show, don't just tell.

For each voice attribute, provide examples:

Template:

### [Attribute Name]

**Off-Brand:**
[Example that violates the attribute]

**On-Brand:**
[Example that embodies the attribute]

**Why:**
[Brief explanation]

Output Format

Create a comprehensive brand voice guide:

# Brand Voice Guide: [Product Name]

*Last updated: [DATE]*

---

## Brand Personality

**We are:**
[Adjective], [adjective], and [adjective].

**We are NOT:**
[Adjective], [adjective], or [adjective].

---

## Voice Attributes

| Attribute | This | Not That | Example |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|
| [Attribute 1] | [Positive description] | [What to avoid] | [Example] |
| [Attribute 2] | [Positive description] | [What to avoid] | [Example] |
| [Attribute 3] | [Positive description] | [What to avoid] | [Example] |
| [Attribute 4] | [Positive description] | [What to avoid] | [Example] |

---

## Tone by Context

| Context | Tone | Example |
|---------|------|---------|
| Marketing | [Tone descriptor] | [Example copy] |
| Product UI | [Tone descriptor] | [Example copy] |
| Error messages | [Tone descriptor] | [Example copy] |
| Support | [Tone descriptor] | [Example copy] |
| Social media | [Tone descriptor] | [Example copy] |
| Sales/outreach | [Tone descriptor] | [Example copy] |

---

## Vocabulary

### Use
- [Term 1]
- [Term 2]
- [Term 3]

### Avoid
- [Term 1]: [Why we don't use this]
- [Term 2]: [Why we don't use this]
- [Term 3]: [Why we don't use this]

---

## Writing Rules

1. [Rule 1]
2. [Rule 2]
3. [Rule 3]
4. [Rule 4]
5. [Rule 5]

---

## Examples

### Example 1: [Attribute Name]

**Off-Brand:**
"Leverage our cutting-edge platform to synergize your workflows and revolutionize productivity."

**On-Brand:**
"Get more done in less time with tools that actually work together."

**Why:**
We're [attribute], not [opposite]. Customers want [clear benefit], not buzzwords.

---

### Example 2: [Attribute Name]

**Off-Brand:**
[Example]

**On-Brand:**
[Example]

**Why:**
[Explanation]

---

### Example 3: [Attribute Name]

**Off-Brand:**
[Example]

**On-Brand:**
[Example]

**Why:**
[Explanation]

---

## Quick Voice Check

Before publishing content, ask:
- [ ] Does this sound like [brand personality]?
- [ ] Have I avoided [vocabulary to avoid]?
- [ ] Is the tone appropriate for the context?
- [ ] Would a customer understand this without googling terms?
- [ ] Does this differentiate us from competitors?

---

## Competitor Voice Comparison

| Brand | Their Voice | Our Differentiation |
|-------|-------------|-------------------|
| [Competitor 1] | [How they sound] | [How we're different] |
| [Competitor 2] | [How they sound] | [How we're different] |

---

## Next Steps

- **copywriting**: Apply this voice to all page copy
- **copy-editing**: Audit existing content against these guidelines
- **content-strategy**: Ensure voice consistency across content calendar
- **social-content**: Adapt tone for social platforms

---

*Share this guide with anyone writing for the brand: content, product, support, sales.*

Quality Bar

Good brand voice guide must:

• Be specific enough to apply consistently ("friendly" is vague; "conversational with no jargon" is actionable)
• Include "this, not that" examples for each attribute
• Cover multiple contexts (marketing, product, support)
• Provide vocabulary guidelines (use/avoid lists)
• Show before/after examples
• Differentiate from competitors

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Too generic ("professional, innovative, customer-focused" applies to everyone)
• No examples (guidelines without application)
• Inconsistent across contexts (voice should stay stable, tone adapts)
• No competitor differentiation (sounds like everyone else)
• Too restrictive (makes writing difficult instead of guiding it)

Related Skills

• cm-context: Initial voice notes are captured here
• messaging-framework: Voice should align with messaging
• copywriting: Apply voice to all copy
• copy-editing: Edit content to match voice guidelines
• content-strategy: Maintain voice consistency across content

Notes

• Voice guidelines evolve — revisit quarterly as brand matures
• Train anyone writing for the brand (even if AI-generated)
• Use this guide in copy reviews and content QA
• Keep examples updated as you ship new, on-brand content