Brand Voice8 min read

How to Build a Brand Voice

Define three voice dimensions. Every piece of writing is a point on the triangle.

1. Problem

"Our brand doesn't have a consistent voice."

2. Why It Happens

Brand voice inconsistency happens when voice is treated as a style choice rather than a system. Without rules, every writer defaults to their own voice, and the brand speaks in ten different registers. Consistency requires a shared model, not just shared adjectives.

3. Framework

The Voice Triangle

Define three voice dimensions — for example, formal–casual, serious–playful, technical–accessible. Every piece of writing is a point on the triangle. Consistency means staying in the same region, not hitting the exact same point every time.

4. Step-by-Step Method

1
Choose three voice dimensions that matter for your brand.
2
Define where your brand sits on each dimension.
3
Write rules for each position on each dimension.
4
Create before/after examples that show the rules in action.
5
Train every writer on the triangle and how to use it.

5. Checklist

You've defined three voice dimensions
Your brand has a clear position on each
Each position has testable rules
Each rule has at least one example
Every writer knows the triangle and how to use it

6. Before / After

Before

Some emails are formal, some are casual, some are playful — depending on who wrote them.

After

Every email sits in the same region of the voice triangle, with variation for context.

Why it works: The first has no system — consistency is accidental. The second has a framework — consistency is structural, with room for context.

7. Common Mistakes

Choosing too many voice dimensions — three is enough; more becomes unmanageable.
Dimensions that don't help writers make decisions.
No examples — dimensions without examples are just adjectives in disguise.
No enforcement — a triangle nobody checks is a triangle nobody uses.