Do-Re-Me-Fa-So Let's See What's With This "Tone of Voice" Thing

"Are you talking to me?"

Everybody who's seen Taxi Driver, or at least remembers that scene with Robert De Niro remembers this iconic line, and just as iconic delivery (the exception that proves the rule maybe Morgan Freeman).

Tone of voice carries a lot of weight in art, pop culture, and movies, but - let's be honest, its importance has been greatly exaggerated lately in copywriting and content writing, at least from a macro standpoint:

You see it everywhere:

"We need is written in our tone of voice."

"What's our tone of voice?"

"That content doesn't sound like our tone of voice."

"you have to do copywriting in X tone of voice

"write your content in Y tone of voice."

"Can you write in our tone of voice? "

So, there are lots of voices and lots of tones. Just like an opera lover doesn't go to the opera expecting music by Queen, so does a country music aficionado turn on a country music radio station to listen to hip-hop music.

One of the problems, I think, of today's marketing and content world, is twofold: One, the over-segmentation - perhaps due to overuse of analytics, or just plain overthinking. And the "tone of voice" thing is part of it. We didn't particularly think of different tones of voice 20 years ago, and yet products and services sold, and sold well. Second, is terminology "dryness:"

The graph above is the bare-bones, down-to-the basics "tones of voice." But how formal is formal? How much wittiness does your content warrant? Can you be hilarious or just a 'tad humorous? When you think outside of the "tone of voice box," you're talking about things like sleek, timeless, warm, helpful, etc., etc. And then there's the other types of 'tones of voices I think people should be aware of...

The Talker/The conversationalist

"Hi,

The 'straight shooter'

In this white paper/case study/brochure, you'll find all the information you need to understand how [our service/product] can empower you/your company to achieve [whatever]

The Whisperer

'Can you keep a secret? Good, because few people know about what we/I am about the amazing benefits that....'

The Teaser

'Pssst! We have a great offer, but it's only for a limited time, and for a select members of our customers. Want to know what it is? Click here, before it's too late!

The Rhymer

'What rhymes with lime, is for a limited time, you can get it right now - for a price that's really, like 'wow!'

The Laugher

[funny image] along with a text such as 'another one who failed to [do this in time/use product properly/order service].' Don't be unprepared!' For example.

The Shocker

a) Shocking image followed by...'Brace yourself!/We don't want to alarm you (which you really are)/ 'Be a killer salesman today!'

b) Shocking statistic, like: 'Over 5,000 monkeys got hooked on Disney movies since the summer. Let's help them recover.'

The Screamer - aka the "hard seller"

'Buy our product/service today. You won't regret it/you will regret it if you don't.'

And of course, there's...

The Tone Deaf

'We don't care who/what/where you are or what/why you're doing it...stop what you're doing right now!'

So you see, "tone of voice" is not all cut-dry or black-or-white. It all depends on the subject, context, audience, and timing.

The tone of voice has to serve a purpose - even if it's hidden...