GUEST BLOG: How To Develop A Brand Voice That Stands Out

Rebecca Holland • 2 April 2025 • 3 min read

“Brand Voice” has become a trendy phrase in the business world lately. Whether you’re a business owner, solopreneur or corporate professional, you’ve likely heard that you need a brand voice that will help you be recognised and remembered aka one that ‘stands out’. All of that is true and yet: brand voice is not a trend. Brand Voice, when done right, is one of those choices that you won’t regret — because it will truly support you and all of your goals. But how exactly do you develop a brand voice that does all of these things?

Start With The One Unique Thing That Can’t Be Copied

Let’s talk about big corporations for a second. So many huge organisations struggle to connect with customers because, well… they have no personality. They sound too formal, robotic, and devoid of anything that feels human. And we humans like to connect with other people (and things) that display human-like mannerisms. These corporations invest heavily in made-up mascots as one way to create that type of connection. I still remember Tony the Tiger and the sweetcorn touting Green Giant from my childhood, for example. These personalities help create a human-like voice for a conglomerate with no real voice. This is your advantage. You already have a personality. You have a voice. Use that voice to develop your stand-out brand voice.

Plotting The Complexities Of A Stand Out Brand Voice

We’ve established that you’re a unique, multi-faceted individual. You have years of lived experiences, varied opinions and interesting mannerisms. And yet, the beauty (and difficulty) of being multi-faceted is that your brand voice could take many different directions.

This is where intention comes in. You chose your brand, business or career path for a reason. Choose the right brand voice for you with the same intentionality. Start by asking yourself: what is the point of your brand voice and what is it trying to achieve? There’s no magic formula here. Standing out is, by definition, going against the grain, not following the rules and doing things differently. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to plot out your brand voice.

If you’re looking to create your voice without the help of a brand voice strategist — here are 3 exercises you can do to pinpoint the specifics of a brand voice that will fit you and your goals.

1. Create A Character For Your Brand Voice

Think of your brand voice as an alter ego, superhero self or another specific part of your personality. Yes, it’s you but it’s a specific part of you that speaks on behalf of your brand, business or career path. For example, your character might be an assertive, non-nonsense guide who doesn’t judge. They’re direct, but not critical and you’d never hear them shame other people. Or maybe, she’s a bubbly and charismatic woman who lights up every room she’s in. She calls it her vibe, and she’s always there with a helping hand when you need it.

Your brand voice could be either! But the joy is that you get to decide the nuance to focus on. The important part here is to decide on one multi-faceted character who will speak consistently in your brand voice. As I mentioned, a key part of a stand-out brand voice is being recognisable.

2. Dress Your Brand Voice in Their Signature Wardrobe

the room with us dressed in an outfit that sums them up. Would that brand voice button up in a sharp suit and proclaim with direct certainty, or would it wrap up in a cashmere sweater and dish out tough love over brunch?

Thinking about your brand voice this way is similar to how you went about choosing what your work ‘wardrobe’ looked like. Even if you consulted a stylist for the overall wardrobe, the way you put together, wear and embody the outfits you wear day-to-day is unique to you.

So ask yourself — what outfit would your brand voice rock up in?

3. Tailor Your Voice To Different Channels

Like the fact that we wear different outfits to “the office”, the once-a-year company meeting or on dress-down Fridays: your voice can have a different tone depending on the channel. That sharp-suited authority might have a ‘dress down Friday’ where they share details of their golfing journey on X over the weekend. The cashmere-wrapped Aunt might drop F-bombs everywhere, but lean into their credentials more heavily on their website.

That’s not to say these voices are now different. In the same way that you’re still you in a suit or pyjamas, your brand voice is distinct but can tweak its ‘outfits’ to fit different channels.

Developing Your Brand Voice Is Often A Process

Once you’ve created the character, and the wardrobe for your voice: write it down. What might start as a collection of personality traits and tone words will eventually become a brand voice guide. These guides are invaluable to refer back to for your copy, content or even emails. Wherever you write words, use that brand voice guide as the guidelines for how to stay consistent with your brand voice, no matter the medium. The beauty of this process is that you can tweak and update the complexities of your brand voice over time so it grows with you. Whatever you decide to do, just remember this one thing: there’s no wrong answer. A stand-out brand voice is that it’s unique and intentional. So if you find your purpose, you find your voice.

Bio of Rebecca Holland, Copywriter and Brand Voice Strategist - Velvet Opus

Rebecca Holland is a writer who “just gets it” on a deeper level.2 Column In true dream-chaser fashion, she quit her 9-5 in law to pursue a childhood dream of being a writer. Now she runs a virtual Writing + Brand Voice Studio called Velvet Opus where she reflects her clients’ voices into words that captivate. When she’s not thinking about words, she’s devouring books, strategising the best play in board games or crafting another variation on a tomato-based dish. You can connect with Rebecca on Instagram at www.instagram.com/velvetopus.

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