Voice and tone

What you will be able to do

• Define your brand voice in a we-are, we-are-not chart with example lines
• Set the right tone for seven common client situations, from first reply to complaint
• Rewrite a client email for clarity using plain-language rules and a simple sentence-length check

Most clients meet your words before they meet you. The inquiry reply, the proposal, the Instagram caption and the text on the morning of the event all speak for your business, and if each one sounds like a different person, clients notice. A defined voice makes you recognizable in writing. A sense of tone makes sure you say the right thing at the right moment, whether you are congratulating a newly engaged couple or explaining that the tent supplier has cancelled.

Read the transcript

Voice and tone.

Most clients meet your words before they meet you.

The inquiry reply, the proposal, the Instagram caption and the text on the morning of the event all speak for your business, and if each one sounds like a different person, clients notice.

Voice is constant, tone adapts.

Think of a person you know well.

Their personality is the same at a celebration and at a funeral, but the way they speak changes completely.

Define your voice in a chart.

Choose three or four traits, then pin down what each one means by saying what it is not.

The "not" column stops a good trait from sliding into a bad one.

Tone for seven common situations.

Write down how your voice should adjust in the moments that matter most.

Share the list with anyone who writes for you.

Plain-language rules that suit every voice.

Whatever your personality, a few rules make writing easier to read on a phone, which is where most clients read it.

Lead with the answer, then explain.

Worked example: one email, rewritten.

Here is an inquiry reply Lantern and Lane used to send.

Before: "Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your upcoming nuptials.

That is the lesson. The worksheet and the quiz are just below this video.

Voice is constant, tone adapts

Think of a person you know well. Their personality is the same at a celebration and at a funeral, but the way they speak changes completely. That is the difference between voice and tone.

• Voice is your brand’s personality in words. It does not change from one message to the next. Lantern & Lane is always calm, warm and clear.
• Tone is how that voice adjusts to the situation and the reader’s mood. Calm and warm sounds bright in a congratulations message and steady in an apology.

A voice is not a gimmick. It grows out of your positioning and the people you serve. A DJ who plays university formals can be playful and quick. A planner for corporate board retreats should sound composed and precise. A caterer for multi-generation family events needs to sound respectful to grandparents and relaxed with the couple, often in the same email.

Define your voice in a chart

Choose three or four traits, then pin down what each one means by saying what it is not. The “not” column stops a good trait from sliding into a bad one. Add an example line for each, because examples teach faster than adjectives.

Test the chart by reading three of your recent messages against it. Wherever a message breaks a “we are not” rule, you have found a habit to change.

Tone for seven common situations

Write down how your voice should adjust in the moments that matter most. Share the list with anyone who writes for you.

Plain-language rules that suit every voice

Whatever your personality, a few rules make writing easier to read on a phone, which is where most clients read it.

• Lead with the answer, then explain.
• Keep most sentences under 20 words.
• Use the active voice: “We will confirm the florist”, not “The florist will be confirmed”.
• Use the client’s words. Couples say “our weekend”, not “the engagement”. Explain industry terms such as load-in, run of show or banquet event order the first time you use them.
• Use Canadian spelling consistently: colour, centre, cheque.
• Cut phrases that say nothing: “please do not hesitate to”, “at your earliest convenience”, “we are delighted to inform you”.

Worked example: one email, rewritten

Here is an inquiry reply Lantern & Lane used to send.

Before: “Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your upcoming nuptials. We are delighted to inform you that we have availability on the date in question, and we would be more than happy to provide you with a comprehensive proposal outlining our full suite of planning services at your earliest convenience. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions or concerns.”

After: “Thank you for writing, and congratulations. We are free on Saturday, August 14. Before we send prices, we would love to hear about your weekend. How many ceremonies are you planning, and which families are involved? Here is a link to book a 30-minute call with Priya. If email suits you better, just reply here.”

Now count. The old version has 66 words in 3 sentences, an average of 22 words a sentence, and asks the couple nothing. The new version has 55 words in 6 sentences, an average of about 9 words, confirms the date in the second sentence and asks two questions that start a conversation. It is shorter, warmer and more useful, and it sounds like a person.

Keeping the voice when more people write

The voice is easiest to lose when the business grows. A new assistant, a freelance social media manager or a business partner each brings their own habits. Protect the voice with three tools: the voice chart and tone table on one page, a set of approved templates for the most common emails, and a quick review of new writers’ first ten messages. Read new templates aloud. If you would not say it to a client across a café table, rewrite it.

The same discipline applies to performers and solo vendors who write everything themselves. A magician’s voice should sound the same in a booking confirmation as on stage, a little theatrical but always clear about times and fees. A rental company’s voice can be brisk and practical in delivery notices and still warm in a thank-you. Consistency, not cleverness, is what clients remember.

In Canada and the GTA

Write in Canadian English. Clients notice American spellings such as “color” and “center” on a Toronto business’s website, and some read them as a sign that the content was copied from somewhere else. Set your word processor and your website editor to Canadian English, and pick one style for dates and times. Many Canadian businesses write “Saturday, August 14” and “2 p.m.”, which are clear to everyone.

The GTA is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world, and language can be part of your voice. If your team can serve families in Portuguese, Gujarati, Tagalog, Mandarin or Arabic, say so in those languages, not only in English, and have a fluent speaker check every translated line. A warm voice in English can turn stiff or rude in a careless translation. French matters for organizations that work in both official languages; if you sell into Quebec, get advice on French-language requirements before you advertise there.

Plain language is also an accessibility practice. Under the AODA Customer Service Standard, every Ontario organization with one or more employees must provide accessible ways to give feedback and must provide information in accessible formats on request, promptly and at no extra cost. Short sentences, clear headings and documents that work with screen readers make that far easier.

When tone meets the rules

A friendly voice does not change what the law requires. Three rules come up most often.

Comparisons and humour about competitors. Clause 6 of the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards says advertisements must not unfairly discredit, disparage or attack other products, services, companies or entities, or exaggerate the nature or importance of competitive differences. A cheeky caption about “those other DJs who play the same ten songs” is a poor fit for your brand and may fall foul of the Code. Clause 1 judges truthfulness by the general impression, so a joke that leaves a false impression is still misleading. Read the Code online.

Liquor promotion. Bars, caterers with liquor licences and anyone holding a Special Occasion Permit should check their tone carefully. The AGCO’s advertising guidelines say liquor advertising must not promote excessive consumption or depict excessive or prolonged consumption, must not appeal to people under the legal drinking age, and must not link drinking to social, professional or sexual success. A playful caption such as “Drink until you forget your ex” breaks the first rule in seven words. Private Special Occasion Permit events may not be publicly advertised at all. The AGCO’s liquor advertising guidelines set out the rules.

Commercial email. A warm, personal newsletter is still a commercial electronic message under CASL if one of its purposes is to encourage the reader to buy. It needs your business name, a current mailing address, a phone number, email address or website, and an unsubscribe mechanism that is quick and free. The tone can be personal; the identification cannot be left out. Module 10 covers CASL in detail.

Replies to reviews. Your tone in public review replies is read by every future client, so stay calm and specific. Do not reveal details about the client or their event that they have not made public themselves. Under PIPEDA, information about an identifiable individual is personal information, and a defensive reply that discloses a guest count, a payment dispute or a family conflict can create a privacy problem on top of a reputation one. Offer to continue the conversation privately.

Finally, match tone to the calendar. GTA clients respond better to a lighter tone in the busy spring booking season than in the weeks of major religious observances, and a corporate client’s tone shifts during their fiscal year-end. Knowing the moment is part of a good voice. This is general information, not legal advice.

Worksheet

Download the worksheet and complete it for your own business, using Lantern & Lane as the model where it helps. Keep it with your marketing plan. It takes about 10 minutes.

Download the worksheet (PDF)