CMO · Playbook · Intermediate · Saves 50+ hours
Brand Voice Operating System
A comprehensive guide to defining, documenting, and implementing brand voice across all channels and content types. Goes beyond "we sound professional" to create a distinctive, ownable voice.
What's included
- Voice Definition Framework - Process for identifying your voice across
- Tone dimensions (formal/casual, serious/playful, etc.)
- Vocabulary standards
- Grammar and style decisions
- Personality traits (if your brand were a person...)
- Voice Guidelines Document - Template covering
- Do's and don'ts with examples
- Channel-specific adaptations
- Audience-specific adjustments
- Common mistakes and corrections
- Word choice guide (words we use / words we never use)
- Content Type Specifications - Voice guidelines for
- Website copy
- Email marketing
- Social media (by platform)
- Sales collateral
- Customer communications
- Error messages and UI copy
- Voice Training Materials - Resources for team alignment
- Quality Checklist - Review criteria for all content
Best used when
- Hiring writers or agencies
- Scaling content production
- Post-rebrand implementation
- Improving content quality
- Training new team members
Why this is Gold
Voice guidelines usually get ignored because they're too abstract. This system includes specific examples for every content type, training materials for team alignment, and a quality checklist that can be used in actual review processes.
The template
Step 1: Define Your Voice Dimensions
Rate your brand on each scale (1-5):
| Dimension | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Your Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | Buttoned-up, corporate | Balanced | Casual, relaxed | |||
| Serious | Grave, weighty | Balanced | Playful, light | |||
| Respectful | Deferential | Balanced | Irreverent | |||
| Enthusiastic | Reserved | Balanced | Passionate | |||
| Technical | Expert jargon | Balanced | Plain language |
Step 2: Brand Personality Traits
If your brand were a person, they would be:
| Trait Category | Our Brand Is... | Our Brand Is NOT... |
|---|---|---|
| Demeanor | ||
| Communication style | ||
| Relationship approach | ||
| Problem-solving style | ||
| Sense of humor |
Three words that define our personality:
Step 3: Voice Attributes Deep Dive
For each of your three personality words, define:
ATTRIBUTE 1: _______________
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does this mean for us? | |
| How does it show up in writing? | |
| What does it sound like? | |
| What does it NOT sound like? |
Example - DO: _______________________________________________
Example - DON'T: _______________________________________________
ATTRIBUTE 2: _______________
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does this mean for us? | |
| How does it show up in writing? | |
| What does it sound like? | |
| What does it NOT sound like? |
Example - DO: _______________________________________________
Example - DON'T: _______________________________________________
ATTRIBUTE 3: _______________
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does this mean for us? | |
| How does it show up in writing? | |
| What does it sound like? | |
| What does it NOT sound like? |
Example - DO: _______________________________________________
Example - DON'T: _______________________________________________
PART 2: VOICE GUIDELINES DOCUMENT
Grammar and Style Standards
| Rule | Our Standard | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Contractions | Use / Avoid / Depends | we're vs. we are |
| Oxford comma | Yes / No | apples, oranges, and bananas |
| Sentence length | Short / Medium / Varied | |
| Paragraph length | 1-2 sentences / 3-4 sentences | |
| Lists | Bullets / Numbers / Depends | |
| Capitalization | Title Case / Sentence case | |
| Exclamation points | Never / Sparingly / Often | |
| Em dashes | Use / Avoid |
Word Choice Guide
Words We Use:
| Instead of... | We say... | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Utilize | Use | Simpler |
| Leverage | Use/Apply | Less corporate |
| Solutions | [Specific noun] | More specific |
| Synergy | Partnership/Collaboration | Clearer |
Words We Never Use:
| Word/Phrase | Why We Avoid It |
|---|---|
Industry Terms:
| Term | Use it? | If not, say instead |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/No/Define first | ||
PART 3: CHANNEL-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
Website Copy
| Element | Voice Approach | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Headlines | ||
| Body copy | ||
| CTAs | ||
| Error messages | ||
| Empty states |
Tone Adjustment: Website is more [formal/casual] than average because _____________
Email Marketing
| Type | Voice Approach | Example Subject Line |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter | ||
| Product updates | ||
| Promotional | ||
| Transactional | ||
| Win-back |
Tone Adjustment: Email is more [formal/casual] than average because _____________
Social Media
| Platform | Voice Approach | Example Post |
|---|---|---|
| Twitter/X | ||
Tone Adjustment: Social is more [formal/casual] than average because _____________
Sales Collateral
| Type | Voice Approach | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch decks | ||
| One-pagers | ||
| Proposals | ||
| Case studies |
Tone Adjustment: Sales is more [formal/casual] than average because _____________
Customer Communications
| Type | Voice Approach | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Onboarding | ||
| Support tickets | ||
| Success check-ins | ||
| Renewal notices |
Tone Adjustment: Customer comms are more [formal/casual] than average because _____________
PART 4: QUALITY CHECKLIST
Before publishing any content, verify:
Voice Alignment
- Does this sound like us?
- Would a customer recognize this as our brand?
- Does it reflect our three personality words?
Clarity
- Could a new visitor understand this?
- Is jargon explained or eliminated?
- Is the main point obvious?
Consistency
- Does this match our style standards?
- Are we using our standard terms?
- Does punctuation follow our rules?
Tone Appropriateness
- Is the tone right for this channel?
- Is the tone right for this audience?
- Is the tone right for this situation?
Impact
- Does this motivate action?
- Does this build trust?
- Does this differentiate us?
PART 5: BEFORE/AFTER EXAMPLES
Example 1: Website Headline
- BEFORE: "Leverage Our Best-in-Class Solutions to Drive Business Outcomes"
- AFTER: _______________________________________________
- WHY: _______________________________________________
Example 2: Email Subject Line
- BEFORE: "Important Update Regarding Your Account"
- AFTER: _______________________________________________
- WHY: _______________________________________________
Example 3: Error Message
- BEFORE: "Error 404: Page Not Found"
- AFTER: _______________________________________________
- WHY: _______________________________________________
Example 4: Social Media Post
- BEFORE: "We are excited to announce..."
- AFTER: _______________________________________________
- WHY: _______________________________________________
PART 6: VOICE TRAINING QUIZ
Which version sounds more like us?
Option A: _______________________________________________ Option B: _______________________________________________ Answer: ___
Option A: _______________________________________________ Option B: _______________________________________________ Answer: ___
Option A: _______________________________________________ Option B: _______________________________________________ Answer: ___
Use this quiz to onboard new writers and verify voice alignment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Brand Voice Operating System?
A comprehensive guide to defining, documenting, and implementing brand voice across all channels and content types. Goes beyond "we sound professional" to create a distinctive, ownable voice.
Who is the Brand Voice Operating System for?
It is built for CMOs and their teams working on Brand & Positioning. The AI coach adapts it to your company, stage, and goals.
What's included in the Brand Voice Operating System?
8 working sections: Step 1: Define Your Voice Dimensions; Step 2: Brand Personality Traits; Step 3: Voice Attributes Deep Dive; PART 2: VOICE GUIDELINES DOCUMENT; PART 3: CHANNEL-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES; PART 4: QUALITY CHECKLIST; PART 5: BEFORE/AFTER EXAMPLES; PART 6: VOICE TRAINING QUIZ.
How long does the Brand Voice Operating System take to use?
It saves roughly 50+ hours versus building from scratch. Our AI coach can tailor the playbook to your situation in minutes, then hand you a step-by-step plan.
Is the Brand Voice Operating System free?
Yes. You can read the full playbook and start getting coached through it for free. Sign in to save your tailored version and track your next steps.
How does the AI coach help with the Brand Voice Operating System?
The coach teaches you the framework, asks a few questions about your business, tailors the playbook to you, and gives you measurable next steps to execute.