…or a different version of yourself (and brand voice) is on stage?

Before we dive into this topic and its challenges/problems, let’s rewind back to May 2020…

…when I was trying to figure out how I wanted to come across but had no idea what brand voice even meant.

I was just starting out as a web designer and brand strategist and was still navigating this new online business world.

Back then, I was consuming a shit ton of content (like – all day on the platform kind of amount), that every written piece sounded JUST LIKE how I wanted to sound like.

My immediate thought? Replicate that shit.

I would come across different people that inspired me, quickly analyze their business (with no real data or metrics, just feelings), and decide whether they “looked” successful.

And if they did, then I would try to capture their style and use it as well.

After all, if that was supposedly working for them, it would work for me, right?

One day I would express myself like a boss bitch, the next day I would act like a very spiritual and conscious woman, and the day after I would be a gangster and curse every second word.

And it didn’t stop here:
Email marketing was yet another story.
My blogging game was so fucked up because I had no idea how to describe what I was doing.
And my website copy… Please let’s not open that chapter 🙈

The problem with a not clear brand voice is that no one knows what to expect from you. You are now that unreliable person that changes their mood on a daily basis.

In my specific case, this resulted in VERY confused leads and inquires, not to mention current and past clients who were like… who’s this?

People who read my Instagram captions, newsletter, and browsed my website, were all expecting different things from me…

…because my brand voice did not align anywhere.

Not only I sounded like a different person, but I was also coming across as a different person.

No jokes, I had people telling me on sales calls that they were not expecting me to be a certain way, and others telling me the opposite.

The funny thing was that I did not know how to filter all of that noise because in real life I could speak like a boss bitch, spiritual woman and gangster…

…so how could I find my true voice online?

How could I make sure I’d shine online, as the real Sonia would?
How could I build a personal brand that fully represented me and held space for growth?

But the biggest question was…

How could I make sure my brand voice aligned not only with myself but across different platforms?

The main turning point for me was to stop looking for “inspiration” outside and start focusing on the business I wanted to build.

I asked myself tough questions that helped me move away from the urge to sound a specific way and helped me find my brand voice.

Some of these questions revolved around the future of my business:
How do I want my clients to feel when working with me?
What is the direction I want to take for my business? (I was already dreaming of having an agency, so I was trying to push in that direction).

Fast forward to today and I am fully confident in my brand voice.

I can write, design, express myself and my brand values in a cohesive way because I did the DEEP inner work…

…and you can, too.

You see, your brand voice is the guide your audience need to navigate your content & business.

Is not only the way you portray yourself online, but the way you are perceived. That’s why it plays a vital role in your business.

Whether you are an entry-level or established entrepreneur, your brand voice is what will give your brand the PERSONALITY it deserves and will humanize your whole business.

And OF COURSE you, as a multi-passionate and multi-layered human being, have different voices and use different language…

…but that doesn’t mean you should use them all.

The more you procrastinate on polishing your voice, the more you will:
Confuse your leads
Complicate sales processes
Create fucked up expectations

So how can you truly align your brand voice across multiple platforms?

There are so many ways you can go about this, but the foundation should be to go inward and start focusing on yourself + your business

How do you want to portray yourself and how do you currently portray this image?

The most effective way to develop a true personal brand…
…is to be true to yourself 😉

It is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Step 1: call your best friend or your business bestie and record the conversation

This is a classic, and a very fun homework, too. You can bounce ideas back and forth and just have a nice catch-up. By chatting with someone you feel confident with, you will realize you have a specific way of expressing yourself and describe the work that you do.

Are you cursing a lot?
Maybe not cursing at all?
Is your voice uplifting and positive?
Or maybe you find yourself being more analytical?

Observe yourself through curiosity lenses.

Step 2: Let’s organize it

Once you have all of this self-discovery material, it’s time to organize it, analyze it, and pick what works for you. Simply open a google doc or your brand strategy doc and start writing it down.

Don’t let grammar hold you back and, if needed, create sentences to describe your brand voice.

When I was working with Sarah Szuba from Settling Down Everywhere, we were getting really creative with names and brand voice descriptions. The one that stood up the most was “Serotonine Intake” as well as “Ray of Sunshine”. This eventually became a big part of her brand and it all started with analyzing her voice and personality, and give it a name.

Step 3: Implementation & review

Now that you have your brand voice and tone ready to go, you simply have to check it across all the other platforms that you have and make sure it represents you.

Take a few pieces of content and audit them! Do they align with the strategy you laid out for yourself? If not, how can you tweak them and make sure they do?

Finding your brand voice can be challenging and at times tough and complex… but this does not have to be the only way.

If you need an extra pair of eyes to support you and help you in uncovering your true brand voice, you are in the right place. Get in touch or book a call to find out how we can work together and build a brand you can be proud of!