Your company’s voice sets the tone for all of the marketing you do. It’s a persona that customers can equate with your brand and what you offer. Your voice can be a humorous one, offering funny ad campaigns and social media messages. It can be a sombre one, having a business-like air that is always serious.

Many brands who cater to younger people adopt a casual voice that makes their customers feel like they’re being talked to by one of their own. Using current cultural references and adopting the speech patterns of young people who use social media can help to build that brand’s voice into a young one who understands today’s market.

When choosing a voice for your brand, it can be helpful to start by building a persona. This is an imaginary person who has many of the characteristics of your customers. It may be a middle-aged woman short on time, a college student in search of adventure or any other combination of traits that relates to your target demographics.

Once you have this persona in place, you know more about who it is you’re targeting with your marketing. What would that person want to hear? What type of marketing would he or she respond to? Your business’ voice will then be tuned into the customer base that wants to hear it.

As time goes on, the persona you created should change as well. With new technology out there to solve some of this person’s problems, his or her life will change. When you’re in tune with those changes, you will better know how to market to that person in a way that makes him listen.

Once you have your persona and voice in place, you have the perfect starting place for new marketing campaigns. You’ll know who to reach and what they are willing to listen to.