The basis of all human interaction is effective communication, be it in-person encounters, written correspondence, or, say, digital marketing initiatives. When we think about the conversation, exchange, or campaign itself, most of us usually consider the content to be its most critical aspect. But the content isn’t all there is to it. A not-so-underrated part of the act of human communication is the manner with which people deliver or present their content. In this article, we’ll break down the tone of voice. What is it really? Why is it so important? And in what kinds of situations do we find it, and how can we best use it?
The Tone of Voice: A Look at Its Many Aspects
What exactly do we mean when we talk about “tone of voice”? It’s a term you’re probably familiar with, and you likely have an intuitive understanding of what it refers to. It’s an essential part of any conversation and, in many ways, an essential part of life. The “tone of voice” you use determines how your words will be received by the person or people you’re communicating with, whether in a private or public setting, and it’s not something you can easily fake. But what makes a good tone? What makes a bad tone? Can someone have a “good tone” as part of their personality? Can someone have a “bad tone,” even if they use it as part of some kind of character?
Verbal Communication’s Tone of Voice
The way words in speech are directed can greatly change their meaning. When giving a phrase like ‘great job,’ a speaker could sound truly supportive, sarcastic, or even like a dismissive parent. Key factors leading to such vocal variety include:
Loudness and Softness
Just how loud or soft should a speaker be when delivering a message, especially one that is significant enough to warrant a do not miss or pay close attention command? It is usually a good idea to avoid extremes, though going to one end of the continuum has its advantages. Speaking loudly can be heard, obviously, and a loud voice usually comes across as fully engaged and present. On the other hand, a quiet and soft voice can be soothing and easy to pay attention to in a different way. When should you go loud or soft?
Speaking Clearly
Speaking clearly is vital in all aspects of your communication, but especially when you are trying to make a particular point or persuade an audience to agree with you. Inflection refers to how high or low your voice sounds. High-pitched tones can come across as uncertain or overly enthusiastic, while low-pitched voices may sound too serious. The best speakers know when and how to use their pitch and inflection to keep the audience engaged and also make the audience feel certain emotions or emphasize particular points.
Written Communication’s Vocal Aspect
In written communication, tone is about the way a message comes across to the reader, not just what it says. It is the emotional quality that makes writing feel formal, friendly, professional, or humorous. You achieve tone through the use of pitch (as in word choice), intensity (as in sentence length), rhythm (as in punctuation), and even spatial arrangement (as in paragraphs), all of which create a particular kind of vocal integrity of an individual or organization.
Formal and Informal Tones
A formal tone employs exact language and a refined structure; it is commonly found in academic writing and in professional correspondence. An informal tone, on the other hand, might employ casual expressions, use of the word “you,” and a conversational structure, which makes it suitable for personal essays, blogs, or content on social media. Yet even a conversational essay can have an informal tone while still being well-structured and reasonably precise.
The Emotional Aspect of Writing
Despite the fact that we miss the subtleties of spoken communication, written content can still convey emotional undertones. Factors such as punctuation, for example, can add excitement or drama. And then there’s the matter of plain old word choice. Words can build a sense of optimism or authority, and they can also build empathy between the writer and the reader.
Why Does Tone of Voice Matter?
Why does tone of voice matter so much? It serves as a bridge between intention and reception. It’s the emotional subtext of a message; the part we pick up on without even realizing it. And this makes it a crucial element for building trust, conveying clarity, and getting the reaction you want. Let’s take a little walk through why tone matters in several areas of life.
Strengthening Bonds with Tone of Voice
Personal relationships require more than just words to express feelings. The inmost emotions are shared best when your spoken words are harmoniously aligned with your true feelings. What I’m driving at is this: A dismissive tone of voice hints at an emotion that could create distant ripples through your most cherished relationships. But a calm, nurturing, or encouraging tone can make the best kind of waves—those that tightly bond you to the ones you love.
Constructing a Professional Image
In workplaces, factors like your image and professionalism can often determine the amount of respect you are granted and the level of collaboration you can achieve. Image is built mostly through interactions and communications with people you work with, both individually and in groups.
Marketing and Branding’s Voice and Tone
Marketing and branding use a voice and tone strategy to define a company’s identity and build relationships with an intended audience. The voice and tone reflect the brand’s values, character, and emotion, and they give hints about what kinds of things a customer can expect to live with when choosing that brand.
Aligning Tone and Brand
It is vital that a brand’s tone of voice aligns with its identity if it is to create any kind of experience for its audience—cognitive, emotional, or otherwise. Take, for example, a hypothetical tech company. Its audience is predominantly in the range of 18 to 35 years old. When this company speaks, should it use a casual, somewhat irreverent, or even witty tone? Or should it adopt a more serious and, in a certain light, a more trustworthy tone, as one would expect from a financial institution?
Here are some instances of brand tonal styles. They use friendly and approachable tones. These are for lifestyle and wellness brands. They are excellent at fostering a sense of community. They use an inspirational and optimistic tone. Fitness and outdoor adventure companies use this tonal style. It is excellent for companies trying to motivate and not just get their customers to think but also to act. They use authoritative and professional tones. These are for financial, healthcare, and educational brands. They communicate with a level of respect for their audience that is difficult to achieve without being stuffy.
Uniformity Throughout Channels
For enterprises, keeping a steady tone of voice across channels, be it a webpage, a social media missive, or a customer service email, is integral to projecting an image of credibility and reliability. It’s as though all these various platforms are singing the same song in harmony, something that’s obviously easier to achieve if you’ve got lyrics written down (i.e., guidelines) that everyone can follow.
Developing and Refining Your Tone of Voice
When you think about your tone of voice, it is crucial to not only consider what you want your voice to “say,” but also to whom you are “speaking,” and with what kind of “context.” Following are a few steps you can take to either establish or improve the tonal quality of your vocals.
Knowing Your Audience
Pinpointing your ideal audience is paramount to selecting the appropriate tone. Consider their age, interests, and what they hold in common. For instance, a base of millennial users expects a certain level of casualness, directness, and even humor in their communiqués. They also want the kind of transparency that allows them to see through to the kind of society you do business in.
Watch and Query
Pay attention to how your target audience expresses itself. Is their communication casual, formal, humorous, or to the point? Make use of surveys and focus groups to engage directly with your audience and to glean valuable insights into your audience’s preferences.
Carrying Out Experiments and Practicing
Figuring out the correct tone of voice takes some hands-on experimentation. Use small communications as laboratories in which to test different voices. See what resonates with your audience. Even in a mode where your deafness to critique is adamant, be open to the possibility of adjusting your voice as you receive different tones of feedback.
The Social Media Tone of Voice
Social media allows for direct and immediate communication with users, making tone of voice absolutely crucial. In this chapter, I share some of my wisdom about the tone of voice on the platform and some good and bad examples of accounts that have either nailed it or totally messed it up.
Instruments for Efficient Governance
Using instruments like WoopSocial can make governance of your social media accounts more efficient. And that’s essential, since all the different parts of your public space need to work together in a coherent manner. With WoopSocial, you can schedule and publish various kinds of content—text, image, and video—that makes your governance more efficient and enables a unique, if not as yet fully fleshed out, style.
Real-Time Reaction and Interaction
Social media is ever-changing, and unscripted real-time responses can sometimes hold more weight than pre-planned communications. When it comes to addressing an audience on social media, your concern and empathy can come across even better if you’re not reading from a script. And in most instances, addressing the audience and “saying what you mean and meaning what you say” can be done without it being a total derailment of your brand’s social media strategy.
To sum up, the way you communicate is a direct reflection of your values. This is true for not just the personal relationships we cultivate but also the professional ones we are endeavoring to create. And as far as mankind has gotten—communicating via words, sounds, and lights—your tone of voice signifying how you hold certain values is a cornerstone for even contemplating the next steps in an argument toward reaching a resolution or effecting change.
