The Power of a POV: Why Brand Voice Still Wins
You can look the part, optimize the funnel, and automate the outreach but if your brand lacks a distinct voice, it won’t leave a mark. You can buy great design and build a killer funnel but without a clear point of view, it all blends into the noise.
Let’s talk about what that really means and how to build a brand voice that makes people feel like you’re speaking right to them.
Brand Voice ≠ Copywriting
The strongest brands don’t just sound polished, they sound intentional. They have a clear point of view that informs not only what they say, but how they say it. Messaging that’s consistent and rooted in perspective is what sets a brand apart in a noisy market.
A distinct brand voice shows up across every touchpoint - from product packaging to social media captions to investor updates. It’s not just about being “on-brand.” it’s about communicating with personality and purpose, every time.
Here are a few examples of brands with a strong POV:
Glossier champions the idea that beauty starts with skin. Their voice is approachable, minimal, and rooted in real-life routines, not perfection.
Notion reimagines productivity as something calm, customizable, and beautiful. Its brand voice is clean, thoughtful, and quietly empowering.
Patagonia doesn’t just sell outdoor gear - it leads with a belief that business can be a force for environmental and social good. That ethos shapes the way they communicate their brand.
Each of these brands has a perspective and it shows. Their messaging feels consistent not just in tone, but in values. That clarity is what builds trust and loyalty over time. In a world where AI can write copy in seconds and templates are everywhere, original thought is the new luxury. People can spot a generic caption and they’ll scroll past it just as fast.
If you're working on your own brand voice, this is the takeaway: Consistency matters. But consistency with conviction is what makes people remember you.
Your brand voice is how you stand out when everyone is saying the same thing. It’s what keeps people around when the algorithm isn’t.
TL;DR: Strategies get attention; personalities build loyalty.
POV in Practice: How to Find Your Brand Voice
Developing a clear brand voice takes time and reflection. It’s about understanding what matters to you and communicating that in a way that feels natural. Here’s how you can start discovering a voice that feels authentic and connects with your audience:
Look at your story. What’s the why behind your brand? Your history, values, and mission aren’t just background - they’re the foundation of your voice. When you tell your story honestly, your personality naturally shines through.
Think about what you believe in. What’s something your brand stands for that might ruffle feathers or turn heads? Maybe you believe wellness shouldn’t be a grind, or that software should simplify life not complicate it. That belief is your secret sauce.
Identify your brand’s vibe. Is your brand chill and friendly? Bold and edgy? Professional and reliable? Try describing it like you would a person, this helps you keep your messaging consistent and relatable.
Experiment with tone. Try writing the same message in a few different ways - funny, serious, casual, or formal. See what feels most natural and gets the best reaction from your audience.
Don’t be afraid to ditch the jargon. If you’re stuck sounding professional instead of personable, or your marketing feels like it could belong to any brand in your industry, it might be time to do a voice tune-up.
Your brand voice is a reflection of who your brand is, not just what you sell or offer. Taking the time to discover and develop it creates clarity and trust. When you speak honestly and consistently, people start to recognize and remember you and that’s the real power of having a strong point of view.
Building a recognizable brand voice doesn't happen overnight. It requires patience, consistency, and willingness to refine based on feedback and results. Some of the most distinctive brand voices took years to fully develop and become synonymous with their companies. Don't expect perfection from day one, expect progress through practice.
Your brand voice is how you say things; your message is what you say. A strong voice can make even routine announcements feel engaging, while poor voice can make groundbreaking news feel flat. Master both, but remember that voice is the consistent thread that ties all your messages together. It's the personality that makes people want to keep listening.
The Goldilocks Principle of Brand Voice - Your brand voice needs to hit the sweet spot between too generic and too niche. Too generic, and you disappear into the background noise. Too niche, and you alienate potential customers who might otherwise connect with your message. The magic happens when you're specific enough to feel distinctive but broad enough to resonate with your target audience.
As your brand grows and your audience changes, your voice can mature and evolve. What worked when you were a scrappy startup might not serve you as an established company. The key is evolution, not revolution. Gradual shifts feel natural; complete personality overhauls confuse loyal customers who fell in love with the original version of your brand.
Pay attention to how your audience responds to your content. Do they mirror your tone in comments and replies? Do they use your brand's language when talking about you to others? This mirroring is a strong signal that your voice is resonating. If customers consistently respond in a completely different tone, it might indicate a disconnect between how you want to sound and how you're actually being perceived.
Your Instagram captions shouldn't sound like they're written by a different person than your email newsletters. When your voice shifts dramatically across platforms, you confuse your audience and dilute your brand recognition. This doesn't mean every piece of content needs to be identical - context matters - but the underlying personality should remain consistent. Think of it like recognizing a friend's voice in a crowded room.
Once you've found your brand voice, document it. Create a style guide that includes not just what you say, but how you say it. Include specific examples, phrases you use and avoid, and the reasoning behind key voice decisions. This becomes especially important as your team grows - it ensures everyone can speak with your brand's voice, even when you're not writing every word yourself.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, your brand voice falls flat. Maybe it feels forced, gets poor engagement, or doesn't attract the right audience. This isn't failure—it's data. Use this feedback to refine and adjust. The most successful brands aren't afraid to iterate on their voice until they find what truly resonates with both their values and their audience.
Your Voice Is Your Competitive Advantage
In a marketplace where products can be copied and strategies can be replicated, your brand voice is the one thing that's uniquely yours. It's not just how you communicate - it's how you think, what you value, and who you are as a company. When you nail this, you're not just building a brand; you're building a relationship.
The brands that last aren't the ones with the biggest budgets or the flashiest campaigns. They're the ones that sound like themselves, consistently, authentically, and with conviction. They're the ones people remember not just for what they sell, but for how they made them feel.
