How, exactly, do we define tone of voice? And why does it matter?
Imagine walking into a law firm where the receptionist greets you with a “Hey, what’s up?” instead of “Good morning, how can I help?” Chances are, you’d question their professionalism (and possibly wonder if you’d walked into the wrong building).
This, in a nutshell, is the power of tone of voice. In the world of marketing and professional communications, tone of voice is the way in which we say things, as opposed to the actual content of what we say. It’s not just about what you communicate but how you communicate it.
And the thing to remember is, how you communicate your message can make a huge difference to how you’re perceived professionally.
Key elements of tone of voice
So what should we be thinking about when it comes to tone of voice?
Consistency
Think of a consistent tone of voice as your brand’s signature. You’re aiming for one that’s instantly recognisable, unique to your organisation, and appropriate for your clients. In legal and professional services in particular (though this is true of all sectors and businesses), consistency in tone helps establish a reliable, professional brand identity.
Clients should know whether they’re reading your website, your emails, your socials, or your latest blog article, that they’re interacting with the same organisation.
Trust and credibility
Leading on from this, consistency, and familiarity, builds trust – something that you’ll already be well aware is critical in the legal space. Your tone of voice plays a key role here. The right tone can convey authority and expertise, reassuring clients that they’re in the most capable hands.
That’s not to say you can’t inject feeling into your tone of voice – compassion, empathy, and even humour – but it has to be done thoughtfully and in the right way to resonate with your ideal clients.
Client relationships
Building strong client relationships is at the heart of success in legal and professional services – and this is where resonating with your audience really comes into play. Your tone of voice should make clients feel valued, and that their needs are (or will be) understood.
It’s about striking the right balance – professional yet approachable, authoritative yet empathetic. This balance, done right, fosters a sense of connection and trust, meaning clients are much more likely to engage and stay loyal.
structure of tone of voice
Let’s break things down, and look at how tone of voice is structured…
Language
The choice of words is crucial. In legal communications, using precise and plain language is essential. Avoid jargon unless it’s absolutely necessary (and you’re confident your audience will understand it). Always remember, clarity trumps complexity every time.
Style
Style covers both the formality and structure of your communications. A law firm’s tone will be professional, perhaps tending towards formal, but that doesn’t mean it has to be stuffy. Adopting a more conversational style (while still maintaining professionalism) can make your content more relatable and engaging.
Personality
Your tone of voice should reflect the ‘human’ traits of your brand. What kind of law do you specialise in, and what personality traits do working in this field call for? Are you friendly, authoritative, empathetic, or straightforward?
For example, you might choose a tone that is straightforward and trustworthy, with a touch of warmth to make clients feel at ease, and confident that sensitive matters will be heard and addressed, with understanding and empathy.
Pacing and structure
How you structure your communication, from sentence length to paragraph breaks, significantly affects readability and tone. Legal documents themselves may require detailed and complex content and specific wording and phrasing. However, client-facing communications are more likely to benefit from a mixture of concise and clear explanations and copy, to maintain engagement without being overwhelming.
Developing a tone of voice
Brand Values
A good place to start is by aligning your tone of voice with your brand’s core values. If your firm prides itself on being cutting-edge and innovative, your tone should reflect that – leaning towards being more dynamic and forward-thinking. If tradition and reliability are your hallmarks, a slightly more formal and steady tone might be appropriate.
Audience understanding
Know your audience. Legal and professional services cater to clients who expect a certain level of professionalism. It’s critical to understand their needs and preferences, and tailor your tone accordingly. But as we’ve said (and we really like to hammer this home), being professional doesn’t necessarily equate to being dry and stuffy.
Guidelines and training
Once you’ve defined your tone of voice, it’s a good idea to create guidelines for your team to ensure consistency across all communications, and to dedicate time to training your team to understand and implement these guidelines if necessary. Consistency doesn’t mean rigidity – it’s about maintaining the same voice while adapting it to fir different contexts, and this can take a bit of work to implement effectively.
Feeling overwhelmed? Not sure where to start?
Tone of voice is more than just a stylistic choice. It’s a strategic tool, a science, and it can take a bit of work to get it just right.
When you nail your tone of voice, it helps build your brand identity, establish trust and credibility, and foster client relationships. Paying attention to the language, style, personality, and structure of your communications can help you create a tone of voice that truly resonates with your audience – leading to a steady stream of both new clients and repeat clients.
If you feel like you don’t have the time, resources, or are simply overwhelmed by the thought of tackling a revamp of your communications, we can help. The team at ELE offers outsourced copywriting services for law firms, chambers and other professional services organisations.
Whether you’re looking for website content, thought-leadership documents, reports, blog articles or more, you can trust our team of expert copywriters to take the problem off your desk and get it right.
If you’re looking to improve your communications, our Messaging & Content Audit might be a good place to start. It’s a strategic playbook tailored for you, providing the insights you need to make decisions that promote organisational change and business development growth.
