Branding 101: How To Make Marketing Your Small Business WAY Easier
Why Brand Voice is Your Absolute Best Marketing Tool
So, you started a business. Maybe you’re a web designer, a life coach, a candle maker, or you’ve finally decided to sell those crocheted frogs everyone keeps begging for. Whatever it is, you’ve got the skills, the passion, and maybe even a DIY logo from Canva.
But now, it’s time to actually put yourself out there.
The big scary M word.
Marketing. And suddenly, your brain short-circuits.
“What do I even say?”
“How do I sound professional but also not boring?”
“Should I use emojis?”
“Maybe I’ll just copy what [insert big name in your industry] is doing…”
STOP. RIGHT. THERE.
Your brand voice isn’t something you steal from someone else. And let me be clear that this isn’t about ethics (okay, it is a little about ethics)...
I don’t want you to do that, because you’d actually be selling yourself short!
Whatever it is that you do, I’m sure that you’re great at it. And the world doesn’t need another one of someone else, the world needs you!
Trust me, having a clear brand voice that feels aligned with who you are and what you do makes marketing a million times easier.
If you know how your business should sound, writing social media posts, website copy, and emails stops feeling like pulling teeth. Comparison is the thief of joy, and if you’re constantly comparing yourself to others, it’s going to sap the life out of you.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through what a brand voice is, why it matters, and a step-by-step process to find yours.
Here’s the best news. It’s not something you have to invent from scratch. You already have a voice! We’re just gonna free it.
Photo caption: *actual photo of how people feel when trying to market themselves before they’ve nailed their branding
What Even Is a Brand Voice?
Your brand voice is the personality and style of communication that makes your business recognizable. It’s the way you:
✔ Write your website, bios, and marketing materials
✔ Sound in emails and social media captions
✔ Choose fonts, colors, and visuals (yes, your visual branding affects your voice, too!)
✔ Talk to others about what you do (Are you fun? Serious? Playful? No-nonsense? A networker? Or more of a ‘let’s go grab a beer’ kind of person?)
Think of it like this:
Brand Voice = The Vibe You Bring To The Function (aka business personality)
Brand Tone = The Mood You Set in Each Situation
Your voice stays consistent, but the tone might change slightly depending on context.
For example: A quirky, fun brand might sound playful in an Instagram post and stay warm and professional in a customer service email. They probably aren’t scared to use an emoji or two in a subject line, either.
The goal? Create a voice that feels natural, consistent and uniquely yours.
Why Does Your Brand Voice Matter?
Imagine your best friend calls you, but their voice is totally different. Weird, right?
That’s how your audience feels when your marketing is all over the place.
Without a clear brand voice, your business might sound:
❌ Too generic (“We provide high-quality solutions.” Blah, blah, blah…)
❌ Inconsistent (Serious one day, goofy the next? Confusing!)
❌ Forgettable (If you sound like everyone else, why should people choose you?)
But when you nail your voice?
✅ Trust & Connection: Your audience feels like they know you, and they can trust you.
✅ Recognition: Your business becomes instantly memorable.
✅ Marketing Confidence: You stop second-guessing every word you write, and dreading people asking you what you do.
Example of a Strong vs. Weak Brand Voice
🚫 Weak: “We sell high-quality candles.” (Snooze.)
✅ Strong: “Hand-poured candles that smell so good, you’ll never want to leave your house again. (Not that you wanted to anyway.)”
See the difference? The second one has personality and relatability. That’s the power of a great brand voice.
How to Find Your Brand Voice (Without Overthinking It)
Ready to define your voice? Try this activity out… it’s just four steps!
If you still have no idea where to start, go back and read a few instagram posts or outbound emails where you felt like you really nailed it, or reflect on a time someone asked you what you do and you felt like you communicated it well. See where you’re already at, and go from there!
Step 1: Pick Your Core Adjectives
Start by choosing 5-10 adjectives that best describe the way you want people to think about your business from the list below.
Read through the words and write down any that resonate.
100 Words to Define Your Brand Voice
Professional & Trustworthy
Polished • Reliable • Authoritative • Sophisticated • Knowledgeable • Strategic • Dependable • Disciplined
Bold & Edgy
Confident • Fearless • Unapologetic • Powerful • Disruptive • Energetic • Daring • Adventurous
Minimalist & Modern
Clean • Simple • Functional • Sleek • Uncluttered • Timeless • Modern • Understated
Creative & Artistic
Imaginative • Visionary • Playful • Expressive • Bold • Inspiring • Groundbreaking • Elegant
Friendly & Relatable
Warm • Approachable • Genuine • Caring • Cheerful • Honest • Joyful • Down-to-earth
Quirky & Fun
Unique • Witty • Playful • Cheeky • Spunky • Lively • Whimsical • Optimistic
Inspirational & Empowering
Uplifting • Encouraging • Passionate • Ambitious • Hopeful • Enthusiastic • Resilient • Compelling
Step 2: Narrow It Down
Now, narrow your list to just 3-4 words. These are the core of your brand voice.
💡 Example:
A fun stationery brand might choose playful, quirky, colorful, and witty.
A high-end interior designer might go for sophisticated, polished, timeless, and elegant.
Step 3: Apply It to Your Writing & Design
Now that you have your 3-4 core brand voice adjectives, it’s time to actually use them in your marketing.
Remember. Your brand voice should show up everywhere—from your website copy to your Instagram captions.
Let’s look at an example:
Imagine you’re a bold personal trainer. Your brand voice is confident, high-energy, and no-nonsense. Here’s how that would show up in different areas:
📌 Website Headline:
🚫 “Get fit and feel great with customized workouts.” (Meh.)
✅ “No more boring workouts. No more excuses. Let’s do this.” (Bold & direct!)
📌 Instagram Bio:
🚫 “Helping you reach your fitness goals.” (Yawn…)
✅ “Helping you get strong AF—without the diet culture BS.” (Instantly more personality!)
📌 Email Newsletter Intro:
🚫 “Hi there! I hope you’re doing well. Here are some fitness tips for you today.”
✅ “Alright, listen up: If you’ve been skipping workouts lately, consider this your wake-up call.”
Now look, this might not be your thing. But see how consistent it is? No matter where someone finds you, they instantly know what you’re about and feel either pulled in, or know that you’re not for them. No bait & switch here!
Step 4: Test & Tweak Your Brand Voice
Your first version of your brand voice doesn’t have to be perfect. Nor does the second, or third or fourth! Just start intentionally thinking about it, noticing it, working with it, and then tweak it based on what feels right to you, and what your audience responds to.
Here’s a way to try it out:
Read your content out loud. Does it sound natural, or forced? If it feels weird to you to say, it’s probably off.
Compare something you’ve written to your brand voice words. If your tone doesn’t match your chosen adjectives, adjust it.
See what resonates. Watch how your ideal clients engage with your writing and your posts —are they responding more to a certain style? Do they consistently mention things that they liked or were drawn in by?
Human check!
People are not robots. Tiny businesses & non-profits are run by PEOPLE, and people are 100% entitled to grow and change. I never, ever want you to feel caged in by your brand voice, or like you’ve outgrown it and now you’re just going through the motions.
Your brand voice can (and probably will!) evolve over time, and that’s okay! The biggest secret to not dreading marketing is making sure it always feels authentic to you.
Here’s a little close up of a whiteboard I keep behind my desk. My brand voice is all about fun, encouragement, and something I like to call “silly authenticity”. I think this captures that vibe pretty well.
How to Keep Your Brand Voice Consistent Across Platforms
Okay, so you’re pretty sure you’ve identified your brand voice—yay!
Now comes the process of consistently using it everywhere you show up online.
Your website, Instagram, TikTok, email newsletters, and even your customer support emails should all sound like more or less the same person. Otherwise, you risk confusing your audience (or worse—making them feel like they’re talking to a completely different business each time).
Here’s how to make sure your brand voice stays consistent, no matter where you’re posting:
1. Create a Brand Voice Guide (AKA: Your Marketing Cheat Sheet)
Think of this as a quick-reference guide for you (or your team, if you have one). It doesn’t have to be fancy—just a simple doc where you outline:
Your core brand voice adjectives (playful, witty, professional, etc.)
Examples of how you “sound” in different contexts (social media, website copy, email responses)
Words or phrases you always use (ex: “Hey friend!” instead of “Dear customer”)
Words or tones you avoid (ex: “We never sound corporate or overly formal”)
I highly recommend you hang this up on your desk, create a document that you open every day in Google Drive… reference it whenever you’re writing content or feeling stuck!
2. Adjust Your Tone (Without Losing Your Core Voice)
Your tone can (and should!) shift slightly based on the context, but your voice should always feel the same. Here’s what that looks like in action:
Instagram Post (Casual & Fun)
"Running a business is basically just googling ‘how to do marketing’ 400 times a day. Good thing you’re here—I’ve got the answers! 🎉"
Website About Page (Still Fun, But More Structured)
"Let’s be real: marketing yourself is hard. That’s why I help small biz owners like you create a brand voice that feels natural—so you can stop overthinking and start connecting."
Customer Email Response (Friendly, But Professional)
"Hey [Name]! Great question—I’d love to help, and I know a lot of people struggle with this one. Here’s what I recommend… Let me know if you have any other questions!"
See how each one has a slightly different tone, but still feels like the same person? That’s the goal!
3. Use the Same Key Phrases Everywhere
Do you have certain words, phrases, or taglines you use often? Stick with them! (If you haven’t noticed, mine is Awesome Websites!)
You can engineer these from scratch, or look back at what you’re already doing and find something you like that already feels natural to you!
It’s a great idea to periodically go back through your communications and see if you’re using consistent language. Remember - it’s normal for there to be some variations. No robots here! This is just a regular check in to see if you want to tweak how you’re showing up moving forward.
I used to use Amazing Websites, and some point unconsciously switched to Awesome Websites. And guess what? I think that was a great, if unintentional, choice and I decided to stick with it!
4. Check for Consistency Before Posting
Before you hit “publish” on anything, do a quick brand voice check:
Does this sound like me (or my brand)?
Would my audience recognize this as mine?
Does this match the vibe I want to put out into the world?
If something feels off, adjust the wording until it feels on-brand.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Evolve
Your brand voice isn’t set in stone. As you grow, your voice might naturally evolve—and that’s okay! The key is to make small shifts over time rather than a sudden, jarring change.
Some interesting trends I see…
Usually, career switchers, or people who are turning their hobby into a job, start off pretty casual. “Yeah, I could build that for you, I guess…” They hone their language as they hone their business and craft over time.
Folks who are coming out of the corporate world, or who are branching out to do something on their own that they used to get paid for, tend to start out very formal, professional and authoritative, and soften a bit over time.
It’s all good. Just remember that if you realize you’ve drifted, take some time to gradually adjust your messaging across different platforms so that moving from your instagram to your website doesn’t feel like a bait and switch to your audience.
Truly, I could be any one of these, on any given day and based on my caffeine consumption.
Common Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
Mistake #1: Trying to Sound Like Everyone Else
Fix: Take a deep breath. Say 5 nice things to yourself. Try to put what “big brands” or influencers in your space are doing out of your mind. Your audience wants YOU- especially when you are a tiny business or non-profit!!
Mistake #2: Being Too Formal (When You Don’t Have To Be)
Fix: Unless you’re a law firm, you probably don’t need to sound like one. For most people I work with, I find that it’s okay for them to loosen up a little!
Mistake #3: Ignoring Your Brand Voice in Visuals
Fix: Your design, colors, and fonts should match your voice. A “bold & edgy” brand shouldn’t have pastel script fonts!
I’ll let you in on a secret: there’s a reason my blog images are usually memes, movie references, or photos of my actual, messy desk.
My brand voice is fun, quirky, and embraces all my ADHD-brainness! Picking images that make me giggle and that will break up the day with a smile for other people, too, helps tell my story that I’m fun to work with and will help you feel great about the work you do!
Final Thoughts: Now It’s Your Turn!
Your brand voice is already there—you just need to define it.
Need help refining your brand voice? Let’s nerd out together!
I’d love to chat with you! Schedule a time with me here!
