BRAND VOICE for RENEGADES
Mold-breaking strategies for small teams with big missions in a busy market.
Oh hey there! World-changing looks good on you.
Since you’re here, there’s a good chance you’re someone who started your business with a purpose.
With a mission.
Likely, you noticed a problem - or a gap.
And instead of standing around twiddling your thumbs, you DID something about it.
In fact, you created a whole business dedicated to doing something about it!
And now you’re faced with the important task of getting the word out about what you do, why it’s uniquely spectacular, and why – in a world full of charlatans – people can trust you to be true to your word.
If you’ve been looking for a way to market what you do, in a way that lets you stay true to your vision and values, I have one very particular set of skills to contribute.
I excel at helping renegade businesses align their marketing with their mission by developing a kick-ass brand voice.
As much as there may be other businesses doing *similar* things to you, none of them *are* you.
YOU have something to offer that no one else does.
A tone. A style. A perspective. A voice.
Maybe you’re known for your wit + inclusivity + dark humour.
Or maybe you lean more towards outspoken + disruptive + opinionated.
Or even stubbornly optimistic + puns + sass.
Whatever your flavour of personality, here is my promise to you:
I won’t sell you out.
I won’t tell you to “tone it down”.
I won’t bring you cookie-cutter templates.
I won’t put you in a box.
I will champion you.
Listen to you.
Ask questions to understand you.
I will amplify you.
Sharpen you.
Think creatively with you.
I will help you build more than a brand. I’ll help you start a movement.
“Julia has an uncanny ability to see people differently.
Her perceptive insights help you stand out and put your best foot forward… and it will almost certainly be in a way you weren’t expecting.
She makes you sound like the best version of you, but better.”
- Justin Blackman, founder of Brand Voice Academy
Here, business is personal.
“It’s not personal; it’s business” has to be one of the dumbest lines ever uttered. Here, business is personal. Very, very personal. And I believe your brand voice ought to be personal too.
Here, we blend art with science.
Brand voice can be deeply personal and intuitive. It can *also* be completely measurable (when you know what you’re looking for). Instead of relying solely on intuition, I use a linguistic model to make your voice not only charismatic, but also quantifiable. By blending art and science, I help you create a voice that’s both authentic and scale-able.
Here, we are loud.
So often, in order to “be professional”, we’re taught to tone it down, toe the line, smile and nod. Yet frankly, if you can’t use your business as platform to say what you want, how you want, then what is even the point of having an independently-owned business?! Here, acquiescence is not a virtue. Blending in is not the goal.
“Brilliant!"
-Daniel Throssell, Australia’s Best Copywriter
Do I need a brand voice strategy?
If you’ve got a business, you’ve got a brand voice (whether you know it or not!).
And while thinking about how to actually *explain* your brand voice can make you feel like tearing your hair out, it doesn’t have to.
In fact, we can have your brand voice done and dusted in as little as 4 hours (and even have FUN doing it!).
If that sounds like something you could use, let’s connect. You can reach me by email at julia@juliamichelleagency.com.
Orrrr you can book a time with me with the button below…
The 3 Ds of Brand Voice Badassery…
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As brand voice legend Justin Blackman has been quoted as saying, “Intuition doesn’t scale”.
You may know exactly what you want to sound like in your writing it, but as long as that definition lives only in your brain, it’s going to be awfully hard to scale your business up up and away.
By using a combination of linguistic frameworks, intentional questions, and active listening, I’ll work with you to tease out exactly what you mean when you say “I don’t know, it just doesn’t sound right…”
We’ll define your voice across 4 MEASURABLE elements: your Tone, Words, Cadence, and Style.
And I’ll be damned if we won’t also have a heck of a lot of fun along the way!
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Once you’ve defined your brand voice, the next step is (of course) to write down the dimensions of your badassery.
Admittedly, most so-called brand voice guides suck.
Mine don’t.
I’m not interested in handing you something that looks pretty but is doomed to collect dust in some lost corner of your Google Drive.
The brand voice guide I create with you will be something you and your team actually USE. A lot.
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Once you’ve defined and documented your brand voice, delegating it becomes a sinch!
You will, after all, have an (almost fool-proof) recipe for how to write in your voice, and any marketer/copywriter worth their salt will thank their lucky stars you’ve done that foundational work.
Delegating in my world doesn’t mean handing off your writing and hoping for the best.
It means developing a system for everything from the submission to the editing process.
I can even help you create a rubric that lets you give actionable, objective feedback to whoever you’re working with.
Interested in learning more? Let’s do it!
First call is free. You can find a time on my calendar with the button below…
“Working with Julia was a pleasure and I'm thrilled with the result.
I was impressed with how she captured the essence of my passion, and the good questions along the way felt like a bonus business brainstorming session!
I definitely recommend working with her if you want a thoughtful, well-written, and textured voice for your business."
-Lindsay Langdale, House Fairy Mindful Design Services, Owner
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Julia!
In my own business and in my clients’, I’ve seen the power that comes from having a brand voice identity that’s right for you.
After all, it’s YOUR business, so it should damn well be something you’re proud of!
And when it comes to your voice, there are (almost) ENDLESS options.
You can be sassy, you can be sweet.
You can be complex, you can be clear.
You can be supportive, you can be insubordinate.
You can be… anything you want, simply by modulating the four elements of your voice: Tone, Words, Cadence, and Style.
So.
What brand voice is right for you?
The world voice is your oyster.
I’m a Canadian living in Maine, and am passionate about giving people the permission and tools to use their voice to the fullest extent in their business (and in their lives!).
As a former ER nurse, I’ve experienced my own voice being ignored, and witnessed that happen to many others as well - particularly women and other minority groups.
So, I decided to do something about it.
In my work as a brand voice strategist, I’ve made it my mission to amplify the voices of those who are often unheard.
Along the way, I’ve discovered just how much variety there is in what makes people and businesses tick, and have had the pleasure of bringing people to tears from the feeling of finally being seen and heard.
“Within 24 hours of my new website being live, I already received 5 new client inquiries.
Since the website has been live for just over 2 weeks, I’ve received dozens of inquiries and compliments on my new website, which is validation that this was worth the investment tenfold!
Thank you for everything. You rock!”
- Rebecca Lanier, LMFT
SERVICES
Brand Voice Blitz
This is a 4-hour intensive. We’ll get more done for your brand in half a day than most people get done in a year.
The first 2 hours we’ll sift through over 100 tone words till we find the ones that suit you best. We’ll then extrapolate those tones to create a brand voice identity that’s yours and only yours.
Next, I’ll take an hour to document your brand voice in a guide format, while you grab a snack or a drink (I won’t judge!)
The last hour we’ll go through the guide together, and edit some key content of yours (think emails, website) so that it’s in your new brand voice.
You’ll leave with enormous brand clarity, an organized google doc, and the tools to implement your brand voice across all marketing channels.
Investment: $2500
Brand Voice Editing
This is an ongoing service I offer for clients who have done a Brand Voice Blitz with me.
Basically, you’ll have me available to review and edit copy you want to get *just right*.
You can send me what you’re working on, and I’ll give you practical pointers in terms of the words, tone, cadence, and styling choices you can change to make it sound the way you want.
Investment: Starting at $250/month
Brand Voice Training
If you have team members that help you with marketing or content creation in your business… this one’s for you!
I’d love to work with you and your team so you can use your brand voice to it’s full potential.
This can involve simple training, and/or I can create additional tools for you and your team (like copy submission SOPs, feedback rubrics, etc.).
This way, everyone on the team will be on the same page, and you can delegate with confidence.
Investment: Starting at $1000
I’m also happy to put together some custom services for you and your team! I love getting creative :)
What to expect when we work together…
Perhaps the first thing to note about working with me is that my level of involvement with you and your team is completely customizable.
I think it's *dumb* when people pretend that every business needs the exact same level of support… which is why all my brand voice consulting services are tailored to YOU!
Sometimes I’ll come in for a 4-hour intensive, and that’s all that’s needed. Other times I’ll stay on for a couple weeks to help train new team members.
Really, it’s whatever is most useful to you and your team!
I use the same foundational system with every client, but work with you to make sure you're getting only what packs the most punch for you – no fluff, no fillers.
My role as a consultant is to AUGMENT what’s already working for you - to offer new perspectives and empower you to be the absolute badassiest version of what you want your business to be.
I also know how big of a deal it is to trust someone with your brand voice - the very identity of your business.
I take that honour seriously, and vow to bring my absolute A-game to you and your brand.
How much does all this cost?
(Great question! I’m glad you asked…)
I offer all my services on a sliding scale pricing model.
Why?
Well, mostly the decision to offer a sliding scale came down to wanting to do business in a way I feel good about!
I wanted a way to be able to work with clients who “can’t afford” me, while ALSO keeping my prices in a range that reflects the value of the work that I do.
And so… inspired in particular by Birth With Katie (a doula service) and Worts and Cunning (a witchy herbalist), I’m now implementing a sliding scale for me and my clients to work off of.
A few things to note about this sliding scale:
It’s meant to be used as a GUIDE, not as any hard and fast rules.
I see a sliding scale as a tool of economic justice, and it’s one I’m in a privileged position to be able to offer my clients.
I also see it as being about trust.
Hiring me to come in and help shape the very foundation of your brand means trusting me with an incredibly important part of your livelihood and purpose.
In offering the sliding scale, I trust you’ve considered the value of the services I offer, as well as your own finances, and that you’ve come to a decision that honours both.
Plus, I am OVER the narrative that money shouldn’t be talked about!
So, here we are :)
Of course, each client I work with is different, but to give you an idea of what to expect, my full-price services usually range from around $2K-10K.
I also take on a limited number of pro bono clients, so if any amount is too much for you, please don’t let that stop you from getting in touch!
More nice things people have said about working with meeeeee…
CONTACT ME
Have a question, want to know more, or just want to say hi?
I’d love to hear from you!
While I’m fond of carrier pidgeons, there are easier ways for us to get in touch (eg. filling out this form or sending me an email directly!)
Julia@JuliaMichelleAgency.com
Portland, ME
PS. Know someone who’d benefit from brand voice support? Send them my way! If they book a paid project with me, I’ll send you 10% as a thank you :)
I hate other people’s rules. That’s why I make my own.
It’s also why I made a list of 23 (or so) ways you can set YOUR own rules for your brand voice :)
And if you put in your email address, I’ll send you the list!
Fill out the box below and you’ll be breakin’ and makin’ rules in no time.
Please note that by entering your email in the box below, you’re giving your word of honour that:
You want to get emails from me on a somewhat regular basis (weekly-ish? Whenever the mood strikes, really)
You know how to use an unsubscribe link (found at the bottom of every. single. email!)
That’s it. Those are *my* rules ;P