It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It
Let me tell you what happened at ACME Inc. last week.
Their latest product update email started with “Hey rockstars! 🎸” and ended with “Catch you on the flip side!” Jessica, their email marketing manager, thought it would make their brand seem more approachable.
It did not go well.
Their enterprise customers were confused. Their technical users were annoyed. And their support team spent the next week explaining that yes, this was a real email from ACME, not a phishing attempt.
Meanwhile, over at EMCA Inc., they’re sending the same type of update with a different approach: “Important updates to your enterprise installation.” Simple, clear, professional. Their users know exactly what to expect.
This is where most email programs go wrong. They think there are only two options: completely formal or totally casual. But there’s actually a whole spectrum of voices you can use, each perfect for different situations.
Let me show you what I mean.
The Professional Voice: When Business Means Business
Think about walking into a high-end law firm. Everyone’s wearing suits, speaking in measured tones, being respectful but not distant. That’s your professional voice.
ACME Inc. tried to jazz up their enterprise security update: “Hey there! 👋 Guess what? We’ve made some AMAZING changes to your security settings! You’re gonna love them! 🔐”
EMCA Inc. kept it professional: “We’ve updated your enterprise security settings to enhance your account protection. These changes require your review.”
See the difference? One sounds like a teenager who just discovered emojis. The other sounds like a trusted business partner.
The Technical Voice: Just the Facts
Here’s where it gets interesting. Technical voice isn’t just about being technical – it’s about being precise when precision matters.
ACME Inc.’s API update: “Good news! We’ve made some cool changes to our API! You might need to update some stuff, but no worries – it’s all good! 😎”
EMCA Inc.’s version: “API v2.1 deployment completed. Legacy authentication deprecated. Documentation updated. Action required within 30 days.”
Every word serves a purpose. No fluff, no filler, just exactly what their developers need to know.
The Service Voice: Help Without the Hype
This is where most companies either get too casual (“Oh no! Sorry about that blooper! 🙈”) or too formal (“We acknowledge receipt of your support inquiry…”).
EMCA Inc. strikes the perfect balance: “I see you’re having trouble with file syncing. Let’s get this fixed. First, we’ll check your connection…”
It’s helpful, human, and focused on solutions.
[Continue with similar real-world examples for Casual and Educational voices…]
The Voice Switching Game
Here’s where it gets really fun – knowing when to switch voices mid-email. Yes, you can do that! But like everything in email, there’s a right way and a wrong way.
ACME Inc. tried this in their latest email:
“Dear Valued Customer, [Professional] OMG, you won’t BELIEVE what we just launched! [Casual] Please find attached the technical specifications… [Formal] XOXO, The ACME Team! [Very Casual]”
It’s like they’re having an identity crisis in email form.
EMCA Inc. shows how it’s done:
“We’ve completed the scheduled maintenance. [Technical] Here’s what this means for your daily workflow… [Educational] If you notice any issues, here’s how to resolve them… [Service]”
Each transition flows naturally because it follows the user’s thought process.
Finding Your Voice
The secret isn’t picking one voice and sticking to it religiously. It’s knowing which voice serves your purpose best at each moment.
Ask yourself:
- What does my reader expect right now?
- What’s their state of mind?
- What needs to happen next?
The answers will guide you to the right voice every time.
Want to see how this works in practice? Let’s look at some real examples…
Real Examples in the Wild
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “But we have a brand voice guide that we have to follow!”
Excellent! That’s actually perfect. Your brand voice guide is like the overall tone of your company – think of it as your accent. These different voices we’re talking about? They’re like different volumes or contexts of that same accent.
Let me show you how EMCA Inc. does this.
Their brand voice guide calls for “confident expertise with approachable warmth.” Watch how they maintain this while adapting to different scenarios:
Product Launch
Their brand marketing team wrote this masterpiece: “Introducing the next generation of project management – built for teams who think bigger.”
Nice, very on-brand. But watch how they adapt this for different audiences:
To Enterprise Clients (Professional Voice): “Your enterprise workflow is about to become significantly more efficient. Our latest release brings specific improvements to your most-requested features…”
To Technical Teams (Technical Voice): “Release v4.0 introduces: API improvements, enhanced security protocols, updated integration endpoints. Full documentation below.”
To New Users (Educational Voice): “Ready to streamline your workflow? Let’s explore how our new features make your daily tasks easier…”
Same product, same brand voice, different situations.
When Things Go Wrong
This is where voice selection really matters. EMCA Inc. had a service outage last month. Look how they handled it for different audiences:
Initial Technical Update (Technical Voice): “Investigating: API latency issues detected in US-West region. Updates every 15 minutes on status page.”
To Enterprise Accounts (Professional + Service Voice): “We’ve identified performance issues affecting US-West deployments. Our senior engineering team is implementing a solution. Your dedicated account manager will contact you with specific impact details.”
To Small Business Users (Service + Casual Voice): “We know some of you are having trouble accessing your projects right now. Our team is fully focused on fixing this. Here’s what you need to know…”
Notice how they maintain their brand voice of “confident expertise with approachable warmth” throughout, but adapt the delivery to each audience and situation.
The Hybrid Approach
Sometimes you need to combine voices in the same email. Here’s how EMCA Inc. does it in their onboarding sequence:
Subject: Welcome to EMCA - Let's Get Started
Hi Sarah,
Welcome aboard! We're glad you're here.
[Casual Voice - Warm Welcome]
Your account is configured and ready for your first project.
[Professional Voice - Status Update]
Here's what happens next:
1. Set up your workspace (2 mins)
2. Connect your first integration (3 mins)
3. Import your existing data (varies)
[Educational Voice - Clear Instructions]
Need help? Our support team is ready to assist.
[Service Voice - Support Availability]
Best,
Mark
Each section serves its purpose while flowing naturally into the next.
Working With Your Brand Guidelines
The key is understanding that your brand voice guide isn’t a straitjacket – it’s a foundation. Most good brand guides already include different contexts and situations.
Can’t find voice guidance in your brand guide? Look for:
- Customer personas
- Use case examples
- Tone variations
- Situation guidelines
These often hint at how your brand voice should adapt to different scenarios.
If your company doesn’t have specific voice guidelines for email (many don’t), this is your chance to help create them. Start documenting what works and what doesn’t. Keep track of which approaches get better engagement.
Remember: The goal isn’t to break brand guidelines – it’s to apply them effectively in email’s unique environment.
