Giving Voice to Your Brand (Opinion)

No matter where in the world you live, tourism is big business.

In fact, it’s estimated tourists spend more than $900 billion each year in the United States alone. With so much at stake, the fight for the hearts and minds of those tourists gets tougher each year.

Needless to say, advertising agencies worldwide are diligently working to position their tourism clients in unique and memorable ways. Whether it’s Jamaica (“Once you go, you know.”), New York City (“I ♥ New York”) or our own beloved state of Arkansas (“The Natural State”), as communications professionals, our job is to find the message that encapsulates the essence of the destination, while promoting it in a way potential visitors will find appealing.

In the communications business, we call this positioning process finding your brand voice.

A company’s brand voice (or brand personality) is truly the heart and soul of its communication and marketing efforts. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re a tourism destination, a startup business or a consumer product fighting for attention, your brand voice/personality has to define who you are and set the tone for how you talk to and connect with your target audience through all your different marketing touch points.

Speaking the Right Language

Whatever tone your brand message takes, it’s critical it resonates with your target consumer and be delivered in consistent and creative ways.

The first step in building this messaging platform is to ensure you are clear about your company’s mission, audience and value-add. This can and should include the major differentiator or your unique selling proposition. Once this is firmly in place, it is time to finesse the message and create your voice so the brand’s personality can come to life.

With your voice established, it is time to start talking to your audience. Some clients embrace being irreverent, while others have an audience that responds to a more formal conversation. Whatever your brand’s personality, your voice must be authentic or your customers won’t buy it. Literally.

Getting Started

Sounds simple, right?

OK, not really. But it’s not rocket science either. Whether you choose to hire a marketing and communications firm to take you through the process, or go it on your own, the following steps should help get you started.

Identify your challenges and opportunities. From this will come your goals and objectives.

Find your customer’s sweet spot. No matter how much you want it to, your brand isn’t going to appeal to everyone. Your first step is to do the research and identify your target audience, and then learn what appeals to them on a very deep emotional level. From here you will find your voice that speaks to your customers.

Find the right message and media to reach your target. After all, what good is your message if nobody hears you talking? Making sure your message both resonates and reaches your customers is critical. There is no shortage of communication channels today, which is why you have to know where your audience is plugging in. Miss this step and you will most certainly miss the sale.

Be true to your brand. Once you go through all of these steps, it is critical to be consistent in your overall voice, personality and style. Things can change, but the core beliefs, mission and goals of your organization should stand the test of time and since these are the foundation for your brand, your message will always resonate.

Bringing It Home

Today’s consumers are the most sophisticated we have ever known. They are getting more information in a few hours than our grandparents had access to in a year, and this information is shaping their world view, their opinions and their purchasing decisions.

The role your brand’s message plays in your company’s success cannot be underestimated. It tells your customers what they should think of you, what they can expect from you and why they should engage with you. It is almost as important as what you are selling. Thankfully, while much has changed, some things have not.

People ultimately still want to do business with brands they trust, they like and they feel provide value to their daily life. The challenge today is cutting through the noise and creating the message that resonates, evokes action and creates brand loyalty while remaining consistent across channels. w

Carrie McKnight is director of public relations for CJRW, a full-service strategic communication firm with offices in Springdale, Little Rock and Dallas. Their 30-year relationship with the Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association has the distinction of being the longest running tourism relationship in America. She can be reached at 479-684-2734.