Brand Voice & Tone of Voice Guide

Write a practical Brand Voice and Tone of Voice Guide for the following brand:

Brand Name: [INSERT BRAND NAME]
Industry: [INSERT INDUSTRY]
What the brand does: [1-2 sentence description of the product, service, or mission]
Target Audience: [DESCRIBE THE IDEAL CUSTOMER — who they are, what they care about, what problems they have]
Brand Personality in 3 words: [INSERT 3 WORDS — e.g. confident, approachable, clear]
Brands we admire for their voice (optional): [INSERT 1-3 EXAMPLES — or write "none"]
Brands we do NOT want to sound like: [INSERT EXAMPLES — or write "none"]

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STRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS

Brand Voice Overview (150-200 words)
Describe the brand's overall personality and voice in clear, plain English. Write it as a description, not a list. Explain how the brand wants to make its audience feel.

Core Voice Characteristics
Define 4-5 voice characteristics. For each one:
- Bold characteristic name (e.g. "Clear, Not Clever")
- 2-3 sentence definition of what this means for the brand
- DO: one concrete example of this characteristic in action (a sample sentence or phrase)
- DO NOT: one example of what to avoid with a contrast sentence

Tone Variations by Context
Explain how the tone shifts across different contexts. Include guidance for:
- Marketing and ads (punchy, benefit-led)
- Website copy (clear, trust-building)
- Social media (conversational, engaging)
- Customer support or emails (warm, helpful, reassuring)
- Error messages or bad news (calm, empathetic, solution-focused)

Words and Phrases to Use
List 10-15 words or short phrases that feel on-brand. Briefly note why each one fits.

Words and Phrases to Avoid
List 10-15 words or phrases that feel off-brand or overused in the industry. Briefly note why to avoid each.

Quick Reference Checklist
Create a simple yes/no checklist (10-12 items) that any writer can use to quickly check whether a piece of copy feels on-brand before publishing.

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ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Write the guide itself in the brand's voice where possible
- Be specific and practical throughout — avoid vague statements like "be authentic"
- Do not use em dashes
- The guide should be immediately usable by a freelance writer, in-house copywriter, or AI writing tool with no additional briefing needed