At P&A, we know getting your story into the world (and in front of the right eyeballs) starts with setting the stage. Just like people, companies have personalities, too, and you have to figure yours out before you can start using it to communicate. This is especially important if you plan to have employees or literally anyone aside from you write on your behalf!

So, even if you want to get AI to do all the writing for you, you need to set it up for success. And you can’t set anyone up for success—especially not robots—without going through the exercise of creating your voice guide.

And because thinking of companies as having personalities can be hard for some of us to wrap our heads around, we invite you to think of your business as a person. Who is that person? How do they talk? What greetings do they use? Do they like emojis?

But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s answer your biggest questions first.

What is Brand Voice?

Brand voice is your company's personality expressed through words. It's the consistent character that comes through in every piece of content you create (pro tip: You could name her like Beyonce did with Sasha Fierce), from website copy to social media posts to customer service emails. Your brand voice reflects your core values, mission, and the relationship you want to build with your audience.

Think of brand voice as your company's DNA—it remains constant across all communications. Whether you're writing a blog post or responding to a snotty DM, your brand voice should be recognizable and authentic. A tech startup might have a thought-leadery and more casual voice, while a law firm might maintain a professional and authoritative voice.

What is Brand Tone?

Brand tone is how you adapt your voice for specific situations, audiences, or contexts. While your voice stays consistent, your tone shifts based on the message you're delivering and the emotional response you want to create. Tone is the emotional inflection you apply to your brand voice.

Your tone might be celebratory when announcing a product launch, empathetic when addressing customer concerns, or educational when explaining complex topics. The same brand voice can express urgency in an emergency notification, excitement in a marketing campaign, or reassurance in an FAQ section.

This is where the words you use really matter because you need to be careful about how your tone lands. We thought this meme was a fun illustration, andddd it reminded Whitney of the fight she had with her dad every morning in high school on their way out of the house (he drove her to school until she got her license) :)

What is the Difference Between Brand Voice and Brand Tone?

The key difference lies in consistency versus adaptability. Brand voice is your permanent personality—it never changes. Brand tone is your temporary mood—it shifts with context and purpose.

Brand voice answers "Who are we as a company?" while brand tone answers "How should we sound in this specific moment?" A healthcare company might have a caring and knowledgeable voice that remains constant, but their tone could be urgent during a health crisis, gentle when discussing sensitive topics, or excited when sharing breakthrough research.

Your voice builds long-term brand recognition and trust. Your tone ensures each message resonates appropriately with your audience in that specific situation. Master both, and your communications will be consistently on-brand while remaining contextually relevant.

Two Things That Set P&A Brand Voice Guides Apart

When we onboard a client at Popa & Associates, we not only take them through our Brand Voice Questionnaire (that you can totally DIY for $35 if you want to), but we also offer an Akashic Records reading with our resident intuitive, Kim. The combination of these two things gives us deep and unparalleled insight into you, your soul mission, and how your business fits into the bigger picture.

To be fair, most of our clients are business owners, so their businesses reflect them. And whether your business needs an intuitive reading or not (Kim offers them for the business, too, not just for owners), every business should have a personality. That’s what your brand voice guide builds.

What’s The Brand Voice Guide Creation Process Like?

Typically, what’ll happen is:

A new client accepts our proposal, signs their contract, and pays their deposit
We send them the link to a voice guide questionnaire tailored to them. It takes about thirty minutes to fill out and asks all kinds of questions, like the voice/tone prompts we mentioned above, and which well-known person they want to be their spokesperson
Optional: Client sits for Akashic Records reading
We cull through the questionnaire, ask any follow-ups, and build a visual representation of the guide that we send to the client to keep on file

Your Brand Voice Guide To Keep On File

We may be writers, but we love a full brand picture. We love pretty things like fresh manicures and gardens full of fluffy flowers. So, once we have the answers to your questionnaire and a summary of your Records reading (should you choose to sit for one), we create a visual representation of it.

These guides are essential for your brand kit. You can send them to anyone you hire as you grow, so they stay on-brand as they write about your company.

On Brand All the Time

Your brand voice guide is a foundational tool that ensures your messaging is clear, cohesive, and instantly recognizable (e.g. so you). Whether you're scaling your business, outsourcing content, or building a team, having a documented voice guide keeps everyone aligned and writing as your company voice.

With a strong (and beautiful) brand voice guide in your brand kit, you make it easy for designers, copywriters, and marketing pros to reflect your personality and values in everything from Instagram captions to website copy. Think of it as a roadmap for your people to building trust and recognition across every touchpoint.

If you're serious about brand consistency like we are, investing in a voice guide is one of the smartest steps you can take. Keep it on file, and share it often—it’s one of the best investments you can make as you build a brand that sounds (and feels) like you, every single time.

Wanna talk more working with P&A to find your voice? Reach out here.

How To Build Your Brand Voice Guide