Marketing Voice and Copy

One of the most sensitive aspects of any business is its marketing voice and choices in copy. Everyone surrounding the company is bound to have opinions on its voice and copy.

Voice includes the key points that are made in the company’s messaging. In our company we talk about faster code and productivity to developers. We often debate how to emphasize those points and how to articulate them. For instance, I’ve written before about our debates over slogans.

Copy includes the words spoken. Punctuation, formatting, colors, layouts, and fonts matter too. I think great startups obsess about these particulars and are really polished.

It is important for team members to understand that voice and copy are never settled. They will change. No one will ever fully agree with everyone else on these decisions. But iterative improvements are great. Sometimes consensus building works. Sometimes dictatorial approaches are better. It is good to have one owner though that makes the final judgment call. It is important for voice and copy to be consistent across the company’s messaging.

What tips do you have for managing the marketing voice and copy of your startup?