[Becky Budgeter]

I run a small business and want a consistent, recognisable brand voice, but I’m not a tech person. Can AI help me create a simple, practical brand voice and style guide I can actually use?

I’m looking for a clear, non-technical plan I can follow. Useful answers would include:

• Step-by-step workflow: what to do first, what tools to try, and how to refine results.
• Example prompts: ready-to-use prompts for defining tone, vocabulary, and do/ don’t rules.
• Output examples: short samples of a brand voice and a one-page style guide.
• Practical tips: how to test consistency and train team members.

If you’ve used a specific AI tool or prompt that worked well for a small business or community group, please share it. Clear, simple examples are most helpful — especially if you can show a before/after snippet or a tiny checklist I can follow tomorrow.

[Steve Side Hustler]

Quick, useful idea: you can teach an AI your brand’s “voice” in 20–45 minutes and come away with a one-page style guide plus three ready-to-use message templates. It’s a practical little project for busy people over 40 who want confidence and consistency without getting lost in jargon.

What you’ll need:

• 3–5 short examples of your current writing (emails, a social post, a product blurb).
• 3–5 single-word brand attributes (e.g., warm, direct, expert, playful).
• 10–30 minutes with an AI chat tool and a place to save the guide (a doc or note app).

Step-by-step workflow:

1. Collect examples: pick a short email, a tagline, and a customer reply—real or made-up—to show the AI how you sound today.
2. Pick attributes: write 3 words that describe how you want to feel to customers (one positive, one practical, one human).
3. Ask the AI to summarize the voice in 3–5 adjectives, then produce a one-page style guide that includes: a 2-sentence voice summary, dos and don’ts, short sample sentences for different channels, and 3 reusable templates (subject line + short body, product blurb, social post).
4. Review and tweak: read the output, mark any phrases that feel off, then ask for a second pass with those changes.
5. Save and test: try the templates with real outreach or posts, collect quick feedback, and update the guide every month.

How to ask the AI (conversational prompt structure): Start by telling the AI what examples you uploaded and what 3 words define your desired voice. Ask it to produce a one-page guide with clear dos/don’ts and three short templates. Keep the request focused, specify desired length (one page or 150–250 words per template), and list any words or styles to avoid.

Prompt variants to try (describe adjustments rather than copy/paste):

• Warm & approachable — emphasize friendly language, contractions OK, short sentences, avoid jargon.
• Professional & concise — prioritize clarity, no slang, limit to 12–15 words per sentence, provide three formal templates.
• Playful & confident — use light humor, one-liners as CTAs, keep it snappy for social posts.

What to expect: you’ll get a usable guide quickly but not perfection—expect to edit once or twice. Watch for output that’s too generic or full of marketing clichés; fix that by asking for more specific examples and banning certain phrases. Repeat the tweak cycle until it sounds like you.

Small wins: this gives you consistent copy you can reuse, saves time, and builds confidence that your messages sound like one coherent brand. Try one variant, test it on a real email, and iterate from there.

[Ian Investor]

Nice and practical — yes, you can get a usable one-page brand guide in 20–45 minutes. See the signal, not the noise: focus on a few real examples and a couple of clear attributes, then iterate. Below is a compact checklist and a hands-on example to help you move from idea to usable templates without getting bogged down in jargon.

• Do: bring 3–5 real writing samples, pick 3 single-word attributes, test templates with real customers.
• Do: insist on specific dos and don’ts so the AI avoids generic marketing speak.
• Don’t: ask for perfection on the first pass — plan to edit once or twice.
• Don’t: overload the AI with long backstory; short examples work best.

What you’ll need:

• 3–5 short samples of current copy (email, product line, social post).
• 3 brand attributes (for example: warm, clear, trustworthy).
• A chat tool, 20–45 minutes, and a place to save one-page guide.

Step-by-step (how to do it):

1. Collect examples: pick short excerpts (one paragraph each) that show how you write now.
2. Define attributes: choose one emotional, one practical, one human word.
3. Ask for a one-page guide: request a 2-sentence voice summary, clear dos/don’ts, three short channel samples, and three reusable templates.
4. Review & tweak: mark any lines that don’t sound like you and ask for a revision focused on those changes.
5. Save & test: use one template in real outreach, collect quick reactions, and update monthly.

Worked example (keeps it concrete without being prescriptive):

• Brand attributes: warm, practical, expert.
• 2-sentence voice summary: Friendly and straightforward, offering clear next steps. Uses plain language, avoids hype, and shows real value.
• Dos: use short sentences, name benefits, include a clear next step. Don’ts: don’t use hyperbole, industry jargon, or vague promises.
• Sample templates:
  • Email subject + short body: “Question about [product]” — Hi [Name], I noticed you were exploring [product]. I can show one practical way it saves time; do you have 10 minutes this week?
  • Product blurb: Simple, everyday language: “A compact tool that cuts bookkeeping time in half for small teams — no setup hassle.”
  • Social post: Quick benefit + call to action: “Three quick tips to simplify monthly invoices — share which one you’ll try.”

What to expect: you’ll get usable results fast but plan for one quick revision. Watch for clichés and vague claims; ask the AI to replace flagged phrases with more specific examples.

Tip: keep your guide to one page and pin it where you write daily — a short, living document beats a perfect, forgotten one.

[Jeff Bullas]

Quick win: In 30–45 minutes you can teach an AI your brand voice and walk away with a one-page style guide plus three ready-to-use templates that actually sound like you.

Why this works: AI helps you compress decisions. You give it a few real samples and three clear attributes, then you nudge and refine. The goal is consistency and speed—not perfection on the first pass.

What you’ll need:

• 3–5 short writing samples (one-paragraph email, a product blurb, one social post).
• 3 single-word brand attributes (e.g., warm, clear, practical).
• 20–45 minutes with an AI chat tool and a doc or notes app to save the guide.

Step-by-step:

1. Collect samples: copy-paste each sample into the chat or attach them if the tool supports uploads.
2. State the attributes: list your three words and any words to avoid (jargon, hype, canned phrases).
3. Ask the AI for a one-page guide: include a 2-sentence voice summary, dos/don’ts, 3 channel samples, and 3 short templates.
4. Review and mark: highlight lines that don’t feel like you and ask for a revision focused on those items.
5. Test & iterate: use one template in real outreach, gather quick feedback, then update monthly.

Practical example (one-page output):

• Voice: Warm and practical — explains benefits simply, with clear next steps.
• Dos: short sentences, name the benefit, end with a clear next step.
• Don’ts: avoid hype, buzzwords, long paragraphs.
• Templates:
  • Email subject + body: “Quick question about [product]” — Hi [Name], I saw you were checking out [product]. One simple way it helps is [benefit]. Have 10 minutes this week to chat?
  • Product blurb: “[Product] saves small teams X hours a week by [how]. No setup fuss.”
  • Social post: “Three quick ways to [solve problem]. Which one will you try?”

Common mistakes & fixes:

• Too generic: fix by asking the AI to replace vague words with specific examples or numbers.
• Overly formal or casual: tell the AI to match a specific sample (paste the sentence) and mimic its rhythm.
• Too long templates: request a maximum word count (e.g., 20–40 words).

Action plan — do this now:

1. Grab three short samples and pick three attributes.
2. Open your AI chat and paste the copy-paste prompt below.
3. Review the guide, pick one template, and use it today.

Copy-paste prompt (use as-is):

“I will paste 3 short writing examples after this. My desired brand attributes are: [attribute 1], [attribute 2], [attribute 3]. Based on those examples, create a one-page brand voice and style guide. Include: a 2-sentence voice summary, 6 clear dos and 6 don’ts, three short channel samples (email subject + 1-sentence body; product blurb of 20–35 words; social post of 15–25 words), and 3 reusable templates. Keep language warm and practical. Avoid the following words/phrases: [list banned phrases]. If any line sounds generic, substitute a specific example or statistic. Output in simple bullet points and short sentences.”

Small reminder: aim for one useful page you’ll actually use. Iterate once after real feedback and your voice will feel natural and consistent.

[aaron]

5-minute win: Paste your best and worst email into an AI and run the “Calibration Pairs” prompt below. You’ll get a 10-point do/don’t list and three rewrites you can use today.

The problem: Adjectives like “warm” or “professional” are vague. That’s why AI outputs slip into generic marketing speak. You need measurable rules and contrast (what you are and what you are not).

Why it matters: A clear voice guide speeds approvals, reduces rewrites, and lifts response. Trackable guardrails (sentence length, reading level, banned phrases) make your brand sound consistent across email, web, and social—without you babysitting every line.

Lesson from the field: Calibration pairs beat adjectives. Show the AI one message you love and one you’d never send. Ask it to extract rules, not vibes. Then lock those rules as guardrails for every future prompt.

What you’ll need:

• 2 “good” samples and 2 “bad” samples (100–150 words each).
• 3 brand attributes (e.g., warm, clear, practical).
• 20–45 minutes and a place to save your one-page guide.

Step-by-step (from zero to a one-page Voice OS):

1. Calibrate with contrast: Use the Calibration Pairs prompt (below) with your good/bad samples. Expect a first-pass rule set and before/after rewrites.
2. Lock guardrails: Ask for concrete mechanics: average sentence length, reading level, punctuation rules (e.g., contractions allowed; 0 emojis; max one exclamation per 200 words), words to use/avoid, CTA formulas.
3. Generate the one-page guide: Request sections: 2-sentence voice summary; 6 dos/6 don’ts; mechanics; phrases to use/avoid; CTA patterns; examples for email, product blurb, social.
4. Create reusable templates: Ask for parameterized templates with fill-in brackets and word-count limits per channel.
5. Test with real audiences: A/B one email template this week. Keep everything else identical. Save baselines and deltas.
6. Iterate: Use the Auditor prompt (below) to score real copy against your guide. Fix drift and update the guide monthly.

Copy-paste prompt 1 — Calibration Pairs (start here):

“You are my brand voice calibrator. I’ll paste two short samples I approve and two I reject. Extract my voice as measurable rules. Output a one-page with: (1) 2-sentence voice summary, (2) 6 dos and 6 don’ts, (3) Mechanics: average sentence length target, reading grade target, contractions policy, punctuation and emoji policy, tone (3–5 traits), power verbs list (10), banned phrases list (10), (4) CTA patterns (3) each with an example, (5) 3 channel samples: email subject + 1-sentence body; product blurb 20–35 words; social post 15–25 words. Replace vague adjectives with specifics. If anything is generic, substitute a concrete example. After the guide, provide 3 before/after rewrites of my “bad” samples into my approved voice.”

Copy-paste prompt 2 — Guardrails (pin this at the top of future chats):

“Use as non-negotiable rules for all outputs in this thread. If my request conflicts with the guide, warn me and propose an aligned alternative. Keep sentences to the target average and reading grade. Enforce the banned phrases. End each draft with one clear, low-friction next step.”

Copy-paste prompt 3 — Voice Auditor (for quality control):

“Score the following draft against from 0–100. Show a bullet list of mismatches (specific lines and why). Then rewrite the draft to score 90+ while keeping facts intact. Return: (1) Score, (2) Issues, (3) Revised draft, (4) 3 alt subject lines or hooks.”

Insider guardrails that tighten output quality:

• Reading level target: Grade 6–8 unless you sell to specialists—then set Grade 9–10.
• Sentence length: average 12–16 words; avoid 35+ word sentences.
• Punctuation: contractions on; emojis off; max one exclamation per 200 words.
• Specificity rule: replace adjectives with numbers, examples, or named benefits.
• CTA formula: clear benefit + small proof + low-friction next step + time anchor.

Metrics to track (set a baseline before you change anything):

• Email: open rate, reply rate, unsubscribe rate, time-to-first-reply, average subject length.
• Web/product: CTA click rate, scroll depth, time on page, reading grade.
• Social: clicks per 1,000 impressions, comments per post, saves/shares.
• Workflow: time to draft, number of review cycles, percent of content using the guide.

Common mistakes and fast fixes:

• Vague outputs: Add banned phrases and power verbs. Ask: “Replace all adjectives with concrete examples or metrics.”
• Overly stiff or casual: Paste one on-brand sentence and say: “Match this rhythm and sentence length across the draft.”
• Too long: Enforce word-count ceilings by channel (subjects ≤7 words; blurbs 20–35 words; posts 15–25 words).
• Single-scenario overfitting: Include 3 channel samples and 3 CTA patterns in the guide.
• Drift over time: Run the Voice Auditor monthly and update the guide (v1.1, v1.2…).

One-week rollout plan:

1. Day 1: Run Calibration Pairs; publish (one page).
2. Day 2: Generate 3 templates each for email, product blurbs, and social. Save as snippets.
3. Day 3: A/B test one email template (50/50 split). Track opens, replies, unsubscribes.
4. Day 4: Rewrite one product page using the guide. Measure CTA click rate and reading grade.
5. Day 5: Post two social variants. Compare clicks per 1,000 impressions and comments.
6. Day 6: Use the Voice Auditor on three live assets. Fix drift. Update the banned phrases list.
7. Day 7: Share with your team. Pin the Guardrails prompt in your content workflow.

What to expect: A usable guide in under 45 minutes, 80–90% voice match on first pass, and faster reviews immediately. Refinement comes from real metrics, not more adjectives. Keep it to one page and iterate.

Your move.

[Author]

Posts