Why Tone of Voice Is Important For Your Brand
Every word you put into your content, website, social media and marketing collateral defines how your business is perceived. Writing can emphasise who you are as a brand through the blogs on your website or product descriptions. However, content alone won’t build you long-lasting customer relationships. It’s all in how you engage your audience by having a tone of voice in your copywriting. So whether you like it or not, writing is branding. In this blog, we’ll share about: What is ‘Tone of Voice’? It’s what you choose to describe your brand’s personality and values to your audience, and it remains consistent across all the content you create. The tone, however, is changeable to convey different attitudes. It adds flavour to your voice and keeps your content fresh. Your brand can have one voice as well as many different tones to refine that voice. Your tone of voice plays a significant role in brand identity. Think of it like this, your content as the “what” and your tone of voice as the “how”. As different purposes call for other measures, your tone of voice may vary from time to time. Now, what does that mean for your business and brand? How can your company benefit from a clear and defined tone of voice? Considering how crowded the digital landscape is, there’s chatter from both businesses and individuals alike. Everyone is competing to differentiate and stand out in the crowd. Moreover, there’s just so far you can go with a great logo, content and product features. Instead, you need to give your written content as much attention and consistency as the other elements of your brand profile. Why you need a tone of voice for your brand 1. Establishes your brand2. Builds trust3. Creates an emotional connection with your audience (humanises your brand)4. Keeps your messaging fresh5. Gives you a competitive edge Establishes your brand The most memorable brands that pop up in our minds are often the more established brands, with a distinct logo, story and personality behind the brand. Imagine your brand identity as a person, each having their own conversational quirk, personality and style flair. When you identify a clear tone of voice for your brand, people will come to find it trustworthy and dependable. How can you achieve that? Start by establishing consistent communication and tailor your messages to reflect your brand’s image while simultaneously addressing your customers’ needs. Don’t forget to be authentic and genuine, as well! In fact, 86 percent of consumers say that authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support. Around 91 percent of consumers have stated that they would prefer to buy from an authentic brand, and 63 percent of buyers surveyed would buy from an authentic brand over a brand that isn’t perceived as honest. That’s a large percentage of consumers that prefer authenticity over what you think they want to hear! While it’s no surprise that authenticity builds trust and trust increases sales, many brands still diverge from their brand identity. Whether inauthenticity is intentional or not, many consumers can sniff out even the tiniest missteps, and that alone can turn into the biggest debacles, like Everlane’s promises about transparency. So, bear in mind about being truthful with your customers–own up to any mistakes made and avoid sugar coating. My advice is to care about your consumers and remain true to your brand’s core values. Be communicative and understand your customers’ needs. And don’t forget to deliver messages that are relevant to your buyers. To stand out among your competition, focus on establishing your brand personality and building authentic relationships with your audience. Builds trust Have you ever heard this saying, “trust is earned”? It is not given, nor can it be bought, which leads me to build trust vital to a brand. To prove your brand’s “why” to convince people to buy, believe, and promote your brand, you must first gain your consumers’ trust. Building brand trust will also grow loyalty, engagement and advocacy amongst your customers, which means trust can drive sales. That’s why it’s imperative to use your tone of voice to express your brand identity with transparency when communicating with your customers because that will earn their trust better over time. Building trust and relationships with your customers encompasses way more than customer service and mere interactions with them. Instead, building relationships is about the concept of shared values. Since everything you do is a form of communication to your customers, there are plenty of ways to express your brand’s philosophy and better gain trust and resonate with people. A study by Harvard Business Review found that of the consumers who said they have a brand relationship, 64% cited shared values as the primary reason. No matter the industry or audience, we should remember that building and maintaining brand trust isn’t easy or guaranteed. It takes transparent messaging, consistency and authenticity in understanding and communicating with your audience. That being said, brands must instil and build a trustworthy tone of voice into every piece of content they create. Even mistakes and hiccups from your organisation can turn into a great opportunity to build trust if you get it right. Mainly because the trend for honesty and transparency is still going strong in today’s day and age. Creates an emotional connection with your audience Although everything has moved towards digitalisation, it’s still nice to have a personal touch with people in our interactions. Knowing that we live in a digitally connected but socially disconnected world, brands with a distinct tone of voice can connect emotionally with their audience. It gives people the feeling that there is a human voice behind the content. With the right style, you can elicit a range of emotions from your readers. Another thing worth mentioning is the importance of engaging with people through emotions. According to the Harvard Business Review, emotionally connected customers are more than twice as valuable as highly satisfied customers. These customers buy more of your products and services, visit you often, follow your advice, recommend you
Instagram Shopping: Why It’s Essential For Your Brand
Social shopping…it seems like one of the biggest buzzwords for businesses lately. Many successful brands have moved into the world of social commerce when we take a look at popular platforms like Instagram. It makes sense if you take a minute to think about it–most customers are on social media platforms constantly. It’s a natural inclination for most of us; the desire to keep up with our friends or stay updated on the latest trends, news, products, and etc. Brands that understand their customers and their actions understand that social shopping is so much more than what it is upon first glance. It’s a blend of social media and online shopping. Mostly, it’s revolutionizing the way we shop. By shifting your customers’ entire shopping experience to social, marketing and branding has a greater chance of transforming it as a direct gate for sales. On your best days, it may be the best base to grow your following and sales. For users, it allows them to experience a seamless shopping journey, from consideration to conversion. 90% of Instagram users follow business accounts, and 60% of Instagram users have reported that they find new products on Instagram. Interestingly enough, 30% of online shoppers say they would be more likely to make a purchase from a social media network. What is Social Shopping? Social shopping, in its most simplistic form, is a dialogue between you and your customer about your brands and products. This act of using social media to discover reviews and recommendations about certain products (regardless of whether its introduction is intentional or happenstance) can be both a challenge and an advantageous opportunity for companies. Now, you’re probably wondering: why should I care? Paves the Way for a Better Shopping Experience If you’re looking for ways to grow your online revenue stream, the best place to start is on your Instagram account. There’s a big chance that people are already talking about you on social media. Your customers may be using their platform to compare your products and share their opinions with their peers. This can be a powerful medium in which you can contribute to the dialogue. 56% of Instagram users follow brands on social media to see their products, which also means they’re ready to purchase within the app itself. With over 87% of people saying that social media platforms help them decide what to buy, it certainly gives brands a way to complete the entire buyer’s journey in one fell swoop. Helps Build Customer Loyalty and Authenticity Another way that Instagram helps businesses increase potential buyers is by providing the necessary analytics for brands to understand how they can build authentic trust among their audience and community. By utilizing social listening and big data analytics, marketers can infer their target audience’s preferences and motivations. Information like this could increasingly become an essential component in bridging the gap between marketing and sales. Generates Brand Awareness A crucial aspect of Instagram’s social marketing dexterity is its inherent ability to generate rapid brand and product awareness, especially when influencers are added to the mix. According to Digital Marketing Institute, 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations when making purchase decisions. Instagram aids by allowing influencers to add a checkout feature on their sponsored posts. When you combine the clout of influencers with the accessibility of Instagram’s Checkout on every part of the app, you’ll have an integrated tool that allows sales to grow through a marketing channel. Personalized Product Suggestions Lead to Higher Conversion Rates The great thing about Instagram shopping is that it only shows your products that are for your targeted audience. Imagine being able to walk into a store where everything was curated exactly according to your tastes. Due to Instagram’s thorough algorithm–which is all based on previous engagement of other users–you’ll be able to offer products to the customers who are more likely to purchase them. Essentially, it’s safe to assume that if a user stumbles upon your purchasable posts located in their Instagram Shop feed, there’s a viable opportunity of converting new (or old!) customers. The Bottom Line The strategies of bolstering online sales are evolving. Today, many customers are now shifting their buying behavior toward Instagram, where the beloved social platform makes shopping effortless and quick. As more and more businesses restructure their sales and marketing strategies to include social shopping, it’s suffice to say utilizing channels like Instagram will be imperative in aiding brands in reaching their target audience, building brand awareness, fostering customer relations, and boost eCommerce sales. With the large number of daily active Instagram users, it’d be an agile move to begin your own social shopping strategy!
Social Media Shopping and How It Influences Us
What is social media shopping? Is it social media marketing? Social media shopping, also known as social commerce, refers to the process of selling products directly to consumers on social media. To clarify it differs from social media marketing, which often uses content to drive traffic to websites or boost brand awareness. Rather, it involves having the entire shopping experience occur within the social media platform. For example, brands and businesses can set up online storefronts through the platform where consumers shop directly, rarely having the need to leave the app. They can browse through curated collections by brands, learn about their product details or be redirected to the brand’s website. With how rampant change is, it does not take much to assume that those figures are much higher now. How does it shape the way we shop? It influences our purchasing decision process (especially with social media commerce these days). Shopping is all about the social experience. I cannot possibly list all the reasons why I, or we, love to shop. However, in essence, it is a lot about learning what the trend is, which brands and products we identify ourselves with and how we fit into society as a whole. We play a part in our social circles to share good recommendations, and vice versa, we would trust it when coming from reliable friends and sources. We discover brands that we would never hear of, and we can easily learn about them instantly. There is no better time to be shopping online than right now through social media or online shopping. More so, because we have to adapt and accept the norm of living through this digital age alongside the pandemic. With brands pivoting their ecommerce strategies to fit this current situation, shoppers are now being presented with more intentional visual content, which often leads to them to discover more about said product or service. The easy accessibility they provide to product reviews is definitely attractive to us shoppers, which is something that I sure can relate to. After all, that is the appeal of being a social media user! Here are 4 ways that social media is shaping our buying habits: 1. It grows our love for shopping – with convenience One of the overarching themes of how and why we shop nowadays, is convenience. If a shop has an online presence, we are more likely to buy from them because we can do so with convenience. To sit cosy at home browsing for discounts and sales, screenshot and save for later or pay with a click of a button, is the norm. We no longer find ourselves in crowded places in-store or waiting in a long line to make our payment. In a time where we’re advised to stay at home, “convenient” shopping is everything. Plus, we are always on our phones and they seldom leave our sides. Living in this era, where smartphones and connectivity is the expectation, mobile shoppers are highlighted as a growing segment. Statista estimated that by the end of 2021, 73% of e-commerce sales will take place on a mobile device. From online grocery shopping to buying a complete look through an Instagram post, we have plentiful choices to buy what we want with the click of a button. Social media shopping features of shoppable posts, product tags paired with swipe up links are in place to make our lives easier. 2. It becomes a source for product discovery Social media has influenced the way we like to discover new brands, places, products and so on. Many of us turn to social media or the internet for help in our search process. Did you know? 70% of shopping enthusiasts turn to instagram for product discovery. Admittedly, I have done that too, personally scouting the feeds and stories of people I follow for their favourite skin care products they recommend. When we are on social media, ideas and inspiration can be sparked by looking at our feeds or sponsored posts. Since our brains are hardwired for visual content, it is no wonder we respond well to social media content. Subsequently, it leads us into shopping, saving or sharing. 3. Our reliance on it for product research Similarly, social media has also changed the way we talk. We become more aware of products, brands and trends! People nowadays are more savvy and in the know of happening trends, through the power of social media. And so word of mouth goes a long way, Search Engine Watch wrote that 81% of consumers’ purchasing choices are influenced by their friends’ posts on social media. Nowadays, people have learnt to be more smart with their buying decision making. With more information readily available, we learn to research more thoroughly. With so many voices on social media, it has become our go-to for recommendations, specific information for product research and advice. As we stumble upon a product we think we like, we take into account different considerations, most of which are in the hands of past users or friends. Reviews matter, and people know it. “According to the Global Web Index, 42% of internet users look for information about products on social networks.” There is a trust factor with other users and friends. We want to hear about their experience with a brand or product firsthand before we decide on our next steps, and we’re likely to count on it. If a brand’s customer service is good, you’d hear about it in the form of positive ratings and reviews. On the other hand, the power of reviews over a poor experience could leave a brand’s image and in trouble. Here are some interesting data around reviews: 4. Social proof is a greater force for buying decisions Naturally as social beings, we like the feeling of belonging in a greater community. We gain a lot from what is shared online, from our peers and those we aspire to be. There is power and influence in word of mouth sharing. Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to be influenced,
How to Deliver Effective Virtual Training Over Zoom
Looking back in these past 9 months, we have delivered more virtual programs, online coaching, and virtual engagements than in our 20 years of business existence. What’s most interesting is that our customers who were previously skeptical about effectiveness of conducting online, have turned around. In fact, they are now our strong supporters, widely accepting the way forward to engage and up-skill people. I would say the industry have been propelled another 5 years into the future in terms of digital learning acceptance. Having gone through so many hours online (my Zoom report says I have been clocking an average of 8,000 minutes a month ), I would like to share several tips to run live online programs/meetings successfully as a host or lead facilitator. Since there are so many things we can talk about, in this post, we will focus on 3 powerful tips on logistical matters prep, lighting, music, etc. Here’s part 1 of How to Deliver Virtual Training/Meetings Effectively over Zoom (3 for 3 series: 3 Powerful Tips in 3 mins): 1. Lighting You’ll want to have three lights, preferably identical. Place one light directly in front of you, one at around 45-degrees to the left and one 45-degrees to the right. While yellow lights (3,000 Kelvin or 3K soft) gives a warm feel, LED white lights (5,000 – 6,000 Kelvin or 5K-6K daylight) is better overall for producing video-friendly color temperature. Make sure the lighting is placed from the top rather than direct, to reduce shadows. Also, put the lights behind the cameras to reduce having too much light into the camera lens. 2. Playing quality Music on Zoom Take note that Zoom has very powerful features to help deliver quality voice or music over the Internet. In order to have the best sound quality when playing music or video over zoom, especially if you are inputting a separate source via your phone or any sound card, there are few key things to keep in mind. 3. Use two Zoom accounts One as a host and another as a participant. There are 2 reasons for this: A. So that you can view what your audience is seeing and it helps you to know what’s going on without having to ask our participants eg. Can you see my shared screen? This gives you the ability to quickly fix things as a host and keeps you looking professional! B. If you log in via their separate account with your tablet, you can use this as your tactile whiteboard and have more accurate handwriting (use ppt, word, note-taking app like penultimate, etc). This allows you to quickly switch screens with your slides or other app windows that you are sharing with your host account. Of course, you can also use your main host account and connect a separate drawing tablet (eg. Wacom, Gaomon, Huion, XP, etc) and use it to annotate on your shared ppt or whiteboard too! But I find using the logging in separately with an iPad and Apple Pencil enables me to write most legibly and the written notes are stored ready to be reused again for a recap or sending as a post-session resource for my participants. The verdict I hope that what I have shared will help trainers and facilitators deliver more effective and engaging Virtual engagements. Be alive in your Passion!
Top 5 Work from Home Tips for Digital Marketers
Working from home can be awesome for some people, but it can also prove to be…challenging for others. Before the insanity of 2020 struck, some modern professionals thrived from the luxury of occasionally working from home. But now that all of us are stuck at home, which environment is actually beneficial for our productivity? Our home office or our actual physical office? While being in the office, your coworkers tend to be the biggest threat to your productivity. However, at home, I’ve often found that it’s easy to become your own worst enemy. When you’re not surrounded by the backdrop of your colleagues and your boss, the drive to accomplish everything can dwindle. (Especially when you’re working in your pajamas and have a severe bedhead.) That just means it’s up to you to motivate yourself and complete your tasks–like you would in your physical office. As such, here are some tips from me and my team to help you keep yourself accountable and productive. Get an early start and commit to doing more Not a morning person? I feel you. In fact, I’m pretty much dead before my first cup of coffee or tea. But I’ve definitely benefited from the simple act of waking up to kick off the workday. Start off your day right by productively diving into your to-do list the first thing in the morning. Even the simple act of getting a project started can be the key factor in making effective progress on tasks or campaigns. While you’re riding high on that productivity train, attempt to also overestimate the number of things you’ll get done in a day. Because at the end of the day, even if you come up short of your initial goal, you still would’ve gotten a solid list of tasks done. And that’s a special kind of gratification that no other acclaim can fill. Plan out your daily tasks and schedule Working from home, while similar in the schedule of a typical office job, often requires strong self-discipline and accountability. Now, that doesn’t mean that your entire day centers only around work––because it’s especially important to take breaks for a much-needed refresher in order to retain some semblance of your sanity––it just means that any non-work-related activities need to be scheduled for your own knowledge. Therefore, when you’re creating your schedule, be sure to pencil in other commitments (i.e. kids, marriage, sports, volunteering, etc.) in order to motivate yourself to get work done before or after these extraneous responsibilities. Once you’ve set a clear schedule, make it accessible and visible to your other colleagues through a shared calendar (it can be a simple iCal or Google Calendar). By maintaining a schedule, you and your coworkers are aware of when to schedule a meeting. I find this extremely helpful to one’s mental health because it’s hard to know when to stop working and when to start. When you employ a schedule, it’s easier to keep track of what you need to get done and when it needs to be completed. Utilize the resources at your disposal Technology is a wonderful thing at times, isn’t it? Especially when one lives in the midst of a global outbreak. Since most of us are stuck at home, why not spend this time setting up an independent work area for yourself? Invest in a Spotify Premium account (maybe listen to some hype music to psych yourself up), use tools like Trello or Slack, jump on video calls with your fellow WFH colleagues, and etcetera. This is a great way to stay-in-sync throughout the day whilst simultaneously keeping personal contact with others. Embrace shared cloud technology like Google Docs or marketing automation systems to help you get your job done. Attend as many virtual marketing events as possible If you’re like me, then you’re a big fan of self-improvement and skills development. If you’re not really into, I’d suggest attending at least one marketing summit to hone your marketing skills and knowledge. Leverage this time to attend virtual marketing events to understand more about what your target audience is going through and how their behaviors, attitudes, and psychology is changing due to current events. Harnessing all the information available is a surefire way to keep up with current trends, metrics, and analytics so that you can tailor your messaging to fit contextually. Check out some marketing events like Content Marketing World or Adobe Max. Most importantly…take breaks! While most of us generally understand the necessity of taking breaks, I cannot help but emphasize it more. Taking breaks can be extremely beneficial in boosting your productivity levels, but it is also crucial to your mental health, as it can prevent fatigue or burnout. But don’t just take my word for it. According to a research report by Stanford University, taking breaks and going on a walk can bring exceeding positive results for productivity and creativity. Some other practical ways you can take breaks is by implementing the Pomodoro Technique. It enforces productivity by driving 25 mins of intense productivity then staggering it with 5 minute breaks in-between. As more intervals of tasks increase, so does the amount of break time. You could also practice the ‘Pulse and Pause’ technique. The technique focuses on taking longer breaks after 90 minutes of productivity. During this break, you could have a healthy snack or watch some funny Youtube videos. A personal favorite of mine is to schedule a workout. Studies have shown that physical activity like running, yoga, Zumba, boxing, and etcetera is immensely benign for mental and physical health as well as brain function. The verdict While working from home certainly has its perks––zero long commutes and flexibility in schedule––it can lead to some fatigue as well, as the novelty of remote working dies down. However, this unprecedented time shall pass and you’ll be back in the office before you know it.
