How To Write A Brand Voice Guide You Can Hand To Anyone

A new writer needs examples of how your business sounds. A short voice guide can put those examples alongside the rules you want a freelancer, new hire or AI tool to follow.

Pick A Few Traits And Define Them

Choose a small number of traits that describe how you sound, such as plain, warm or direct. A trait on its own is vague, so define it with a sentence of what it means and what it does not. "Direct means we state the answer first. It does not mean curt."

Pull the traits from real writing. Collect a few emails, posts or pages you are happy with and note what they share. Describing what you already do is easier than inventing a personality.

Write Do And Do-Not Rules

Rules are what make a guide usable by someone else. A hypothetical example for a small design studio: "Do use short sentences and the word 'you'. Do not use 'leverage' or 'synergy'. Apologize when we have made a mistake, then explain the fix." A writer can check a draft against rules like these.

Set The Tone For Different Situations

Voice stays the same while tone moves. A thank-you note, a pricing page and an apology for a late delivery should sound like the same person, but not the same mood. Note two or three situations where your tone should shift and how, such as warmer in support replies and more formal in contracts.

Keep A Word List

Add a short list of words you use and words you avoid. Include how you spell or style your product names. This catches small inconsistencies that traits do not.

Add Examples

Include examples alongside the descriptions. Put a before and after for a few common pieces of writing, such as a product description or a welcome email, so a writer sees the difference between on-voice and off-voice.

Test It

Hand the draft guide to someone who does not know your business and ask them to write a short paragraph. Compare it with writing you already use. Note what fits and what does not, then revise any unclear rules and test another paragraph.

If You Want Guided Pages

The Brand Voice Workbook walks you through these same steps in one sitting: guided pages for your six traits, a do and do-not rule sheet, a tone chart, a word list and 12 worked examples. Bring a few pieces of writing you like, and you finish with a voice guide you can hand to anyone.