PPB November 2020

Writer.com As with brand voice, tone is something that may not be static throughout the life of a business. and appeals to its younger demographic. According to the Nielsen model, this tone also tends toward casual, funny, irreverent and enthusiastic. The productivity platform, Slack, has a tone of voice that is respectfully matter-of-fact. The tone used on the company’s “tips” page ((see bottom image below)) is almost neutral but conveys a subtle, positive slant to the messaging. By speaking directly to their audience’s interest in productivity in this manner, Slack gives the impression that it, too, values getting things done well, but also quickly. The brand voice— which focuses on clarity and conciseness—aligns with this tone. Nielsen’s scales would tip toward serious, casual, respectful and matter-of-fact, for this example. Common Tone-Of- Voice Mistakes There are many opportunities to get tone wrong, especially if you don’t take a balanced approach: Mistake 1: Being inconsistent. Tonal inconsistencies can create questions and even mistrust within your audience. That’s why it’s vital to create a tone guide for your brand. Mistake 2: Offending the intended audience. Companies that go for the irreverent and funny sides of Nielsen’s scales, for example, can take things too far if they don’t define how far is too far. Mistake 3: Creating a forgettable tone. Just like you can go too far at the opposite ends of Nielsen’s sliding scales, choosing “neutral” positions could also backfire. Tone is meant to provoke an emotional response in the reader and failing to do so means being forgettable and irrelevant— something all companies want to avoid. Devon Delfino is a writer, independent journalist and contributor to Writer.com, an AI writing assistant that helps craft clear, consistent and on-brand content for companies. 42 | NOVEMBER 2020 | INNOVATE