Tone of voice
Our tone of voice is as important to our identity as our visual look and feel.
It helps everyone who talks, writes and communicates for the Schools, Houses and the Foundation to speak with one voice.
Overview
This is your guide to sharing who we are with the world. Each element reinforces the other, creating brand consistency.
Expressing our brand with one voice makes us believable, avoids confusion and helps our audiences understand who we are and what we stand for.
House style reminder
Use and (not &). Use pupil (not student).
Quick check
Before you publish or send, ask: is this authentic, accessible, aspirational, assured and authoritative?
What does our voice sound like?
When we communicate, our verbal, visual and written communication should be:
- Authentic – real, genuine and trustworthy.
- Accessible – easily understood and free from jargon. Use plain English.
- Aspirational – inspiring and motivating.
- Assured – open, warm and welcoming – we are a supportive community.
- Authoritative – confident and backed up with solid facts – we have a reputation for excellence.
Along with our values (Moral Integrity, Ambition, Responsibility and Kindness), we should aim to consistently demonstrate these attributes.
We need to tell our story. Be real. Be emotive. Be it our history, recent developments, our plans, our successes, pupil successes, or more.
What our voice is not
- Parental: we should talk to our audiences, never at them.
- Bland: bring facts and messages to life with energetic, enthusiastic language and engaging stories.
- Arrogant: stick to the facts and substantiate claims so we never sound arrogant; it is okay to say we are the best, if we can prove we really are.
- Over-friendly: be warm, but professional. If you try too hard to be friendly it can sound patronising.
The elements of our tone of voice should always be considered together: authentic, accessible, aspirational, assured and authoritative.
Adapt our tone to reflect the subject being communicated, the channel and the audience.
So, what does this sound or look like in practice?
Put yourself in the shoes of your audience
- Who are you talking to? Do they already know about us and the subject you are writing about?
- What do they need to know and how is it relevant to them?
- What do you want to achieve from this communication? To complete an action, to be informed or something else?
- Words, combined with any images, must engage, influence and or motivate your reader to action.
Write and speak in plain English
- Be clear and concise, and avoid jargon, obscure terminology and cliché – no matter how technical or academic the subject.
You should
- Address your audience directly. Where appropriate, engage the reader by talking to them as you rather than parents or pupils.
- Be active, not passive – use Durham School, Chorister School, or the Foundation, and refer to we where appropriate.
- Explain any unusual words or technical terms – do not use overly familiar language, slang, or acronyms.
- Use verbs instead of nouns.
- Use positive language.
- Ensure our brand values shine through.
Need help?
If you would like a quick sense-check of copy before you send or publish, contact the Marketing team.
