Separating Your Voice from Your Brand’s Voice (And Why It Matters)

As a business owner, your brand or future brand, is like your baby. You’ve nurtured it, built it from the ground up, and put so much of yourself into making it successful. But here’s something that might feel counterintuitive: as much as your brand reflects you, your voice and your brand’s voice should remain distinct. Yes, there’s a bit of you in every part of your business, and yes, that overlap is important. But when it comes to communication and messaging, keeping your voice and your brand’s voice separate can make all the difference in creating a cohesive, professional, and clear brand identity.

So, why the need for separation? Let’s break down how to draw the line and where your voice and your brand’s voice can overlap in a way that keeps your brand feeling authentic and true to its mission.

1. Why Your Brand’s Voice Should Stand Alone

Your brand’s voice is the consistent personality and tone in all of your messaging, whether it’s on social media, email, website copy, or ads. It’s the “feel” that customers recognize, associate with your brand, and trust over time. Your brand’s voice should stay steady and familiar, making customers feel like they know and understand who they’re interacting with, no matter who on your team is communicating on behalf of the brand. A strong brand voice also allows customers to form an emotional connection with your business—this consistency breeds trust and familiarity, two essential ingredients for long-term loyalty.

When your brand’s voice is too closely tied to your personal voice, it can be inconsistent and sometimes confusing. You may want to share your day-to-day thoughts, opinions, or perspectives, but these may not always align with the goals, values, or message your brand wants to convey. Maintaining a separate brand voice allows you to filter your thoughts, choosing what strengthens the brand’s image and building a consistent narrative over time.

2. Where Your Voice and Your Brand’s Voice Overlap

While keeping a distinct brand voice is essential, it doesn’t mean your personality has to disappear from the brand entirely. In fact, a touch of you is what makes your brand unique and helps set it apart in a crowded market. The key is to strike the right balance. Here’s how your voice can enhance, rather than overshadow, your brand’s:

• Values and Beliefs: Your personal values likely inspired your brand values, so don’t hesitate to let these shine through in your messaging. If honesty, creativity, or sustainability are your values, allow your brand to adopt these as core beliefs too.

• Tone of Voice: While your brand’s tone should be consistent, you can influence it by infusing a bit of your personality. For instance, if you’re naturally friendly and conversational, make that part of the brand’s tone as well, but avoid including too many personal anecdotes or informal language if it doesn’t align with your brand.

• Personal Stories: Sharing personal stories, challenges, or lessons learned can humanize your brand, but these stories should be chosen thoughtfully. Think about how each story ties back to your brand’s mission or how it may inspire or resonate with your audience.

3. The Benefits of Keeping Your Voice and Your Brand’s Voice Separate

When you establish a clear boundary between your personal voice and your brand’s voice, you allow each to flourish independently. Here’s how it benefits your business:

• Professionalism and Consistency: By defining a specific brand voice, your messaging stays consistent and professional. This consistency is key for credibility—people know what to expect from your brand, no matter where they interact with you.

• Scalability: As your business grows, you’ll likely bring others onto your team to help with communication and marketing. A well-defined brand voice makes it easy for others to “speak” for the brand in a way that feels authentic, rather than trying to imitate your personal voice.

• Greater Connection with Your Audience: A brand’s voice often connects with a broader audience than an individual’s voice alone. By aligning the brand’s voice with your ideal customer’s preferences and expectations, you’re able to resonate with them more deeply, building a lasting relationship.

4. Defining Your Brand’s Voice

To keep things clear, take the time to define your brand’s voice in writing. Create a brand voice document that includes:

• Tone and Style Guidelines: Choose words that define your brand (e.g., “friendly,” “informative,” “bold”) and words to avoid.

• Sample Phrases and Language: Define specific phrases, greetings, or sign-offs your brand uses (e.g., “Hey there!” for friendly brands or “Dear Customer” for more formal brands).

• Dos and Don’ts: Write out what your brand voice should and shouldn’t do (e.g., “Do be conversational; don’t be overly casual”).

When you have a clear guide, it becomes easier to stick to the brand voice and keep personal expression separate.

5. Balancing Your Voice and Your Brand’s Voice: A Practical Example

Let’s say you own a wellness business, and you’re passionate about helping people achieve a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Your personal voice may be super energetic and full of enthusiasm, using a lot of exclamation marks, emojis, and informal language. But maybe your brand voice is calm, grounded, and empowering, without too much excitement or slang.

In this case, your brand could still share personal insights into your wellness journey, but you’d express them in a way that aligns with the calm, empowering tone of the brand. For instance, instead of saying, “I had the BEST meditation today!!! You guys HAVE to try this!!!” you might say, “Today’s meditation brought me a new level of calm and focus. I’m excited to share how you can experience the same with just a few simple steps.” You’re sharing the same message but presenting it in a way that’s consistent with the brand.

Remember: The Most Special Part of Your Brand Is You

Your voice, experiences, and values are what inspired your brand, and they should be woven into its foundation. But when it comes to public messaging, let your brand’s unique voice shine. Embrace the power of separating the two, so your brand can grow, build trust, and connect with a wide audience while still being inspired by you. After all, you’re the magic behind your brand, but your brand deserves a personality all its own.

In a world where every business is finding its place, let yours stand out with a voice that’s clear, consistent, and built to last.