How to Find Your Authentic Brand Voice (Even if You're Just Starting Out)
Picture this: You walk into a crowded networking event. Everyone’s dressed the same, making similar comments, leaving the same forgettable impression. No one stands out—and minutes later, you’ve already forgotten who you met. That’s what it’s like in today’s market, where too many brands sound like carbon copies of each other.
At Fifteenth Page, we’ve helped dozens of small businesses develop brand voices that stand out—without sounding forced. As former journalists, we know how to get to the heart of a story, and at the core of every great brand is a voice that feels real. Not borrowed. Not buzzword-heavy. Just genuinely you.
A strong, consistent brand voice isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s what turns brief interactions with potential customers into lasting connections—and it can drive sales: A 2021 Marq report found businesses that present their brand consistently across platforms say they see up to a 20% increase in revenue.
The problem? Many small business owners either overthink their voice until it feels unnatural—or fall into copying what competitors are doing. Neither approach works. Your authentic voice is already there. It just needs to be uncovered, refined, and applied with consistency.
So whether you're preparing for a launch or refreshing your existing messaging, our no-nonsense guide will help you build a brand voice that feels true to you and resonates with your audience. And no—you don’t need to be a seasoned copywriter to develop a compelling brand voice. You just need a system.
Four Steps to Find Your Authentic Brand Voice
Step 1: Figure Out Who You Really Are
This is where many brands miss the mark. They start with what they sell. But a strong brand voice doesn’t come from your product—it comes from your purpose.
You know the brands who did this well. Think of Patagonia, for example. Their voice isn’t shaped by down jackets or hiking gear. It’s shaped by their mission: protecting the planet. That’s why their tone feels serious, grounded, and unapologetically bold. Their voice reflects who they are, not just what they do.
To uncover your own voice, ask yourself:
Why did you really start this business? What motivates you beyond profit?
What do you believe that others in your industry might not?
What makes you different—beyond your features or pricing?
What do your customers rave about when they talk about your brand?
Step 2: Get Clear on Who You're Talking To
Your brand voice isn’t just about you—it’s a bridge between who you are and who you're trying to reach. The goal isn’t to mimic your audience, but to meet them where they are, in a tone they trust and respond to.
Look at Glossier. Their voice mirrors their millennial and Gen Z customers: relatable and approachable, yet effortlessly cool and rooted in community. But they didn’t guess their way there—they listened first, then built a voice that felt like a conversation, not a pitch.
To tune into your audience:
Talk to 5–10 of your best customers. Ask why they chose you, how they'd describe your brand, and what problems they were trying to solve. Pay close attention to their exact words.
Lurk in Facebook groups, Slack channels, and Reddit threads in your niche. Observe how people express their needs, frustrations, and desires.
Review testimonials, customer emails, and support tickets. Look for repeated phrases or emotional cues.
Just starting out? Use Instagram Story polls, Typeform surveys, or even casual DMs to gather early feedback and voice-of-customer language.
The more you listen, the easier it becomes to speak in a way that resonates without losing your authenticity.
Step 3: Define Your Voice Traits (with Guardrails)
Now we get tactical. Choose 3 to 5 voice traits that capture both who you are and what your audience connects with. These are the core qualities that shape how your brand sounds across every touchpoint.
But here’s the key: don’t just name them—define them. And just as importantly, clarify what they don’t mean.
Why? Because vague traits get misinterpreted. One person’s “friendly” is another person’s “chatty and unprofessional.” “Professional” can easily slip into cold, stiff, or corporate if you’re not careful.
Setting clear definitions and boundaries ensures consistency—whether you're writing a social caption, crafting a pitch deck, or handing the reins to a new team member. Think of these traits and guardrails as your brand’s tone-of-voice compass. They help everyone stay aligned, no matter who’s writing.
An example of what a voice traits guide could look like for a brand.
Step 4: Create Real Examples (Because Abstract Brand Voice Guidelines Don’t Stick)
Voice guidelines without examples are like maps without landmarks—technically helpful, but practically useless. To make your brand voice actionable, you need to show, not just tell.
For each of your voice traits, create:
Do’s and Don’ts: Simple rules that make expectations crystal clear.
Before & After Examples: Transform generic or off-brand writing into your voice.
Word Banks: Include go-to phrases, words to avoid, and any signature language.
Sample Copy: Real snippets that model how your voice should sound across emails, web pages, and social posts.
Let’s say one of your traits is conversational. Don’t just say “be casual”—show how a formal, stuffy sentence becomes relaxed, clear, and engaging in your tone.
Once you’ve built these examples, make them easy to access and share. Whether it’s a Notion page, Google Doc, or PDF playbook, keep your brand voice in a place your team (and future collaborators) can actually use.
The goal? Take the guesswork out—so anyone writing for your brand can sound like you, not just like “a business.”
Testing Your Brand Voice (Without Overthinking It)
You don’t need a massive audience to validate your brand voice—you just need the right signals. Here’s how to gut-check it quickly and effectively:
The Mirror Test: Read your copy out loud. If it feels robotic, overly polished, or like something you’d never say in real life, it needs work. If it sounds natural—like you talking to a real person—you’re on the right track.
The Team Test: Ask a few team members to write content using your voice guidelines. If the tone sounds consistent across the board, great. If not, revisit your examples and definitions.
The Reaction Test: Share a small piece of content in your updated voice with a segment of your audience. Look beyond likes and clicks—pay attention to the quality of the responses. Are people more engaged? Are they commenting, replying, or reaching out?
Common Brand Voice Pitfalls to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, these mistakes can sabotage your brand voice efforts:
Sounding like everyone else: Mimicking competitors to feel “industry standard” usually just makes you forgettable.
Being too rigid: Over-engineering your voice can suck all the personality out of it.
Inconsistency across platforms: Yes, your tone can flex slightly by channel (see: Wendy’s on Twitter vs. their website)—but it should always feel like you.
Using buzzwords your audience doesn’t use: Jargon isn’t clarity. Speak like your people.
Creating a voice guide… and never using it again: Your brand voice only works if it’s applied.
Your Brand Voice Will Evolve (And That's a Good Thing)
Your voice isn’t set in stone. It should grow with your business, your team, and your audience. What felt right in year one might feel off in year five—and that’s normal.
Schedule a quick voice review every 6–12 months and ask:
Does this still feel like us?
Does it reflect where we’re headed as a brand?
Is it saying what our audience needs to hear—clearly and confidently?
The Bottom Line…
Finding your authentic brand voice isn’t about inventing a marketing persona. It’s about uncovering and amplifying the clearest, most honest version of who you already are.
When you get it right, something powerful happens:
Writing becomes easier
Sales feel like conversations
Your brand becomes instantly recognizable—even without the logo.
Ready to uncover your authentic brand voice and create copy that connects and converts?
Start with our FREE guide—it walks you through the exact steps we use with clients.
And if you’re stuck? We’re here. Email us at hello@fifteenthpage.com. We’ve helped dozens of small businesses find their voice—and we’d love to help you, too.
