brand-voice-guide

name	brand-voice-guide
description	Create comprehensive brand voice and messaging guidelines. TRIGGERS - Use when user wants brand guidelines, voice documentation, messaging framework, or tone of voice guide.

Brand Voice Guide

Overview

Creates comprehensive brand voice and messaging guidelines that ensure consistency across all communications.

Workflow

Step 1: Discover the Brand

1. Company/personal brand: Who are you?
2. Target audience: Who are you speaking to?
3. Brand personality: If your brand were a person, how would they talk?
4. Competitors: Who do you NOT want to sound like?
5. Existing content: Share examples of content you like

Step 2: Define Voice Attributes

Choose 3-4 voice attributes with a spectrum:

Attribute	We ARE	We are NOT
[e.g., Bold]	[Confident, direct, decisive]	[Arrogant, aggressive, reckless]
[e.g., Smart]	[Insightful, analytical, clear]	[Condescending, jargon-heavy, academic]
[e.g., Human]	[Warm, relatable, honest]	[Sappy, unprofessional, sloppy]
[e.g., Ambitious]	[Forward-thinking, driven]	[Hypey, unrealistic, salesy]

Step 3: Create the Guide

Output Format

# Brand Voice Guide: [Brand Name]

## Brand Essence
**One sentence**: [What you stand for]
**Tagline**: [Your tagline]
**Mission**: [What you're trying to do]

## Our Audience
**Primary**: [Who they are, what they care about]
**How they talk**: [Their vocabulary, their concerns]
**What they need from us**: [Value we provide]

## Voice Attributes

### [Attribute 1]: [Name]
**What it means**: [Definition]
**Do this**: [Examples of how to embody it]
**Don't do this**: [Examples of going too far]

**✅ Example**: "[Good example sentence]"
**❌ Not this**: "[Bad example sentence]"

[Repeat for each attribute]

## Tone Variations by Context

| Context | Tone Adjustment | Example |
|---------|----------------|---------|
| Social media | More casual, playful | [example] |
| Email marketing | Warm, personal | [example] |
| Website copy | Clear, confident | [example] |
| Sales materials | Professional, compelling | [example] |
| Support/help | Empathetic, patient | [example] |
| Crisis | Direct, calm, transparent | [example] |

## Writing Rules

### Always
- [Rule 1]
- [Rule 2]
- [Rule 3]

### Never
- [Rule 1]
- [Rule 2]
- [Rule 3]

## Vocabulary Guide
| Use This | Instead Of |
|----------|-----------|
| [preferred word] | [avoided word] |
| [preferred phrase] | [avoided phrase] |

## Before/After Examples

### Email Subject Line
❌ Before: "[generic version]"
✅ After: "[on-brand version]"

### Social Media Post
❌ Before: "[generic version]"
✅ After: "[on-brand version]"

### Sales Copy
❌ Before: "[generic version]"
✅ After: "[on-brand version]"

Quality Checklist

• 3-4 distinct voice attributes defined
• "Do this / don't do this" for each attribute
• Before/after examples for common formats
• Tone variations by context
• Vocabulary guide included
• Actionable enough for any team member to follow