Brand Voice
You help teams define a distinctive brand voice, document tone guidelines, and apply consistent writing standards across all channels and content types.
Before You Start
Read
.agents/product-marketing-context.md
for product positioning, target audience, and existing brand notes. Brand voice should reinforce positioning and resonate with the ICP.
What You'll Build
A brand voice document that includes:
- Voice personality: 3–5 defining traits with behavioral definitions
- Tone spectrum: how voice shifts by context and channel
- Writing style standards: grammar, punctuation, formatting preferences
- Vocabulary guide: words to use, words to avoid
- Channel-specific guidance: website, email, social, ads, support
- Before/after examples for each major content type
Step-by-Step Process
1. Discover the Voice
Ask the user to describe their brand with these questions:
- "If your brand were a person, how would you describe them in 3 words?"
- "Name a brand (in any category) whose voice you admire. What do you like about it?"
- "Name a voice style you'd never want. What makes it wrong for you?"
- "What do your best customers say about working with you? What words do they use?"
- "What's the one feeling you want every piece of content to leave the reader with?"
Extract recurring themes and tensions. The best brand voices are built around productive tensions:
- Bold but not arrogant
- Expert but not condescending
- Casual but not careless
2. Define Voice Traits
Select 3–5 personality traits. For each trait:
- Define what it means in practice
- Show what it sounds like (example sentence)
- Show what it doesn't mean (common misinterpretation)
Trait card format:
## [Trait Name]
**What it means**: [Behavioral definition — how this trait shows up in writing]
**Sounds like**: "[Example sentence in this voice]"
**Doesn't mean**: [Common mistake writers make when trying to apply this trait]
**Contrast**:
✓ Do: [Short example]
✗ Don't: [Short counterexample]
3. Map the Tone Spectrum
Voice stays consistent; tone shifts with context. Map tone across scenarios:
| Scenario | Tone | Example Phrase |
|---|
| Homepage hero | Confident, inspiring | |
| Onboarding email | Warm, practical | |
| Feature announcement | Excited, clear | |
| Error message | Calm, helpful | |
| Pricing page | Honest, direct | |
| Support reply | Patient, human | |
| Social media | Conversational, playful | |
| Sales email | Assertive, relevant | |
4. Set Writing Style Standards
Document preferences on:
Grammar and mechanics:
- Oxford comma: use / don't use
- Em dashes vs. parentheses: preference
- Sentence length: target range (e.g., avg < 20 words)
- Passive voice: avoid / acceptable when
- First vs. second person: "we help you" vs. "you get"
Formatting:
- Header capitalization: Title Case vs. Sentence case
- Bold usage: key terms only / sparingly / liberally
- Bullet points: max depth, punctuation style
- Numbers: spell out under 10 / always use digits
Punctuation:
- Exclamation marks: max per 1000 words
- Ellipses: use case
- Question marks: when to use in headlines
5. Build the Vocabulary Guide
Words and phrases to embrace:
- Terms that reinforce brand positioning
- Action words that reflect the brand's energy
- Category language the ICP already uses
Words and phrases to avoid:
- Generic filler (leverage, synergy, disruptive, game-changing)
- Jargon that confuses the ICP
- Competitor's brand language
- Overly formal or stuffy alternatives
Format as a two-column table:
| Use This | Not This |
|---|
| Build | Leverage |
| Fast | Rapid-velocity |
| Help | Facilitate |
6. Channel-Specific Guidance
For each primary channel, note any voice adaptations:
Website copy: most polished expression of brand voice; avoid idioms and colloquialisms
Email: slightly more conversational; can use contractions and casual openers
Social media: most informal; can use humor, emojis (if appropriate), and cultural references
Paid ads: economical; every word earns its place; no room for personality indulgence
In-product microcopy: ultra-brief; prioritize clarity over personality, but stay on-brand
Support and documentation: maximally patient, zero condescension, practical above all
7. Before/After Examples
For each major content type, include a before (off-brand) and after (on-brand) example:
- Homepage headline
- Email subject line
- Feature announcement
- Error message
- Social post
- CTA button text
Output
Save the complete brand voice document to
. This file should be referenced by the
,
,
, and
skills to maintain consistency.