One of the cool things about living in another country for a year is the exposure to other cultures and languages.
My daughters are one of the few in their classrooms who don’t speak another language at home.
Over the years, Big Picture has worked with quite a few multilingual founders and teams—my copy has even been translated into Italian and Spanish. (So cool!)
I love working with multilingual founders, and it’s taught me something unexpected that has changed how I extract and document brand voice.
When brilliant minds think in multiple languages, their true voice doesn’t always shine through in traditional conversation. Sometimes, a founder’s authentic voice lives in their head, not their mouth.
Every BP client has to complete my Brand Strategy MEGA Questionnaire prior to our project kickoff session. But I’ve started allowing clients who navigate multiple language worlds to choose how they complete their prep work.
They can write or record their answers and send me the transcript.
I find that when I have to sit and write out my thoughts, I gain greater clarity and my answers are more precise because I’m forced to slow down.
But that’s me. So I’m toying with the idea of extending this option to all of my clients.
This insight extends way beyond language barriers.
It can help you, your contractors, or your team put your brand voice to work, IRL.
Every single person on your team processes and expresses your brand voice differently.
Some team members think best out loud. Others need quiet time to write and reflect before they can truly capture your brand’s essence. Neither approach is wrong, they’re just different learning styles.
And let’s be honest, most brand voice guidelines are…well, kind of useless in practice. We assign our brands a bunch of meaningless buzzwords and then wonder why nobody can implement them IRL.
Take the word “witty” for example. Does that mean:
- Quick, clever comebacks that make people smile?
- Subtle, intellectual humor that rewards careful readers?
- Playful irreverence that challenges industry norms?
See the problem? Without context and examples, these words mean nothing.
My multilingual clients helped me discover that we can’t expect everyone to learn and apply brand voice the same way. Some team members will grasp your voice immediately from written guidelines. Others might need to hear it spoken, see it applied, or practice it with feedback.
How To Train Others To Use Your Brand Voice Guidelines
Before expecting yourself or your team to embody your brand voice, give them multiple ways to understand and internalize it. Let them write it, speak it, listen to it, and brainstorm with others.
1. Document Your Voice in Multiple Formats
Create written guidelines, but supplement them with:
- Audio examples of the voice being read aloud
- Video explanations with real-world examples
- Interactive workshops where team members can practice and receive feedback
2. Provide Concrete Examples
Instead of saying “our voice is conversational and authoritative,” show exactly what that means:
Too formal: “Our proprietary methodology delivers optimal results.”
Too casual: “Our stuff totally works better than anything else!”
On brand: “Our proven approach consistently outperforms the competition.”
3. Create Before/After Examples
Create “translation” exercises showing how the same information could be communicated in different voices. This helps team members understand not just what to say, but how to say it in a way that matches your brand.
4. Acknowledge Learning Differences
Ask your team: “How do you best learn new ways of communicating? Through writing, speaking, listening, or practice?”
For verbal processors: Schedule a discussion session and read examples out loud.
For written processors: Give comprehensive guidelines with plenty of examples.
For experiential learners: Provide practice exercises and give specific feedback.
I recently urged one of my global clients to share a recording they made of a sales rep speaking to a prospective customer. I created several sound bites from this recording and incorporated them into their guidelines because the rep’s tone nailed the direction the company wanted to take moving forward.
For some, it wasn’t until they heard these talking points in action that they understood why the chosen brand attributes and talking points worked.
Your brand voice isn’t just a style guide collecting dust on your Google Drive. It’s a living language that each person on your team needs to learn in their own way.
Next time you share brand guidelines, ask your team/contractor: “How do you best learn new ways of communicating? Through writing, speaking, or both?” Then adapt your training to match their learning styles.
Then ask yourself, do you prefer to write things out or talk things out? Do you prefer to consume information via reading or listening?
