To Stand Out, Find Your Voice — Here's How

Have you ever noticed that businesses in the same field often sound alike when you visit their websites, blogs or social media feeds? When you speak in the same "brand voice" as your competitors, you're not giving prospective customers a reason to choose you. But how do you find your voice — the one that will make you stand out from the crowd and that will wow your dream customers? Read on for our tips.‍

Do You Know Who You Are? (Are You Sure?)

‍If you sound just like your competitors, it could be a warning sign that you haven't done enough to get clear on what your business really is and what differentiates your offerings. If that's the case, you may need to backtrack a little. Our past articles on clarity and focus can help.

‍Is Your Messaging 'So You' or 'So-So'?

‍Once you are clear on what makes your business distinctive, take a look at how you talk about your business. Examine all your channels for communicating with customers: website, blog, social media, email marketing — you name it. Does your business's unique personality come through, or does your messaging feel generic? If you’re having some trouble in this area, it helps to develop your Unique Selling Proposition. Check out our guide to writing your USP.

‍Are You Speaking in Jargon and Cliches?

‍When we hear the word jargon, most of us think first of obnoxious "management speak" like "core competencies" or "shift the paradigm." But every niche — from law firms to beauty blogs — has its own jargon, buzzwords and overused phrases. When you over-rely on your field’s lingo, you aren’t standing out or connecting in an authentic way with your audience. Try this exercise: Take a look at websites of several businesses similar to your own. What words and phrases keep coming up?

‍How Can You Change Things Up?

‍Now that you've seen how the competitors talk about themselves, think about how you can say things differently — and in a way that shows your uniqueness. Let's say you own a gym and your clients love you because your sense of humor keeps them laughing so hard that they don't even notice their quads burning when they do leg presses. Can you infuse the info that needs to be on your website (like your background and how you work with clients) with your sense of humor?

Push yourself to get very specific as you define what you want your voice to be. For example, by "helpful" do you mean helpful like a friendly store clerk or helpful like a wise therapist?

As you find your voice, you might face a little fear. After all, you're going against what a business in your field is "supposed" to sound like. But by communicating the real you, you'll help your ideal clients or customers discover you.

Finding your voice is one of the most important things you can do as a business. Having an outside partner to guide you through the process can help. That's one of the many ways we help our clients build memorable brands at DesignGood. Contact us to learn more.