Tone of voice guide for small business owners
Perfectly Brewed Brand Voice Blend
For lifestyle business owners ready to stop sounding like everyone else and become the obvious choice with an authentic tone of voice that turns browsers into buyers.
Rather than searching for viral hook prompts to sell your offers, you might wanna to ask who can help craft a consistent brand voice online?
Is this how we're feeling?
You've got the ideas. You've got the content calendar. You might even have a folder bursting with "inspiration" saved from Instagram.
But every time you sit down to write… The words are nowhere to be seen, or you get a nasty case of word waffilitis!
You don't know if you sound overly friendly or waaay too corporate.
You can't tell if you're being authentic or trying to fit into the latest trend.
And honestly?
You're tired of your website sounding a bit naff while everyone else seems to have it figured out.
So, what do we do…
✎ Download another template. Because this’ll be the one, right… Right?!
✎ Ask ChatGPT to make us sound like ‘we’re in a coffee shop with a friend.’
✎ Get ‘inspiration’ from someone you admire and hope it'll sound like you.
But when you read it back, it’s never quite right…
And while everyone else is obsessing over ‘how to get 1,000 followers a day’ and ‘make your website sell while you sleep’, you're stuck on repeat.
Which looks a little like rewriting the same ‘about me’ paragraph, second-guessing every sentence, wondering why content that should take 20 minutes takes two hours (and still makes you cringe).
Why you need a tone of voice guide as a small business owner
We’re blending in
Listen, I’ve been a copywriter for ten years now, and it still surprises me how little we talk about tone of voice in writing.
Even when I started Just Custard Copy over a year ago, I’ll be the first to hold my hands up and say that I’ve had my head turned by experts who promised £5k months just from posting on Insta.
Distracting me from the direction my content sorely needed.
And I’m annoyed at myself for getting sucked into that because I KNOW the importance of brand voice in marketing, it felt like I’d wasted six months when I could have been working on what would make a difference to my biz, you know?
This is why I brewed my “Brand Voice Blend”
I was soo sick and tired of sounding like everyone else and, quite frankly, sounding like someone I’d hide from if I saw them walking down the same aisle as me at M&S. I was ready to sound like the cottage-dwelling, dog-lovin’, lifestyle copywriter that I am.
And this is what most people skip and pay for in the long run…
A proper tone of voice guide.
Tone of voice meaning for your small business
Direction
So you know exactly where to start before you write a single word
Your voice is more than a random list of adjectives
Clarity
So you stop sounding like everyone else in your industry
Consistency
So your content feels like you across every platform, every time
Confidence
So hitting publish doesn't break you out in a cold sweat
This is the work everyone decides isn’t important because it's not a ‘quick win’. It doesn't promise ‘10x engagement!’ or to go ‘viral in 7 days!’
Brand voice in your marketing is the difference between
Staring at blank pages, wondering what to say. What is my opinion?! →
Having a larder of words and phrases you can reach for whenever you're stuck. Writer’s block, who?
Posting consistently because you know what to say and how you say it
Posting once and spiralling for three days about whether it sounded weird →
Being the obvious choice because you connect with your buyer, and once you have that relationship, you have it for life.
Sounding like others in your industry and making the decision for your dream buyer to choose someone else for them →
Doesn’t that sound nice and not at all frantic or stressy?
Sooo, how do we achieve this ↓
What having a brand voice does for your business
What it’s like to have an authentic tone of voice guide
You stop overthinking every single sentence, chasing your tail because you don’t really know where to start. You'll have a clear guide to follow.
Writing content no longer gives you the Sunday scaries, and words for business get so much easier. (Unheard of, I know.)Your dream clients finally get what you do without you having to over-explain in DMs or hope they'll just figure it out.
You sound different from everyone else in your industry. Not because you're trying to be quirky or clever, but because your voice is recognisably yours.
You stop cringing when someone visits your website. Because it finally sounds like you. And if they’re on your website, they’re ready to spend.
All that from focusing on YOU. Ready to become the focus of YOUR business again?
Who can help with my brand voice?
The Perfectly Brewed Brand Voice Blend
A three-day intensive to find your signature brand voice blend to help you stand out from the crowd, making writing for your business easier, and buying with you a no-brainer.
This isn't a quick fix. It's foundational work that makes everything else (captions, emails, website copy, client conversations, you name it) feel less like winging it and more like ‘daaamn, I’ve got this!’.
Over three days, we're going to untangle your message, steep your voice, and brew you a tone of voice guide you'll actually use (like, every single day). It’ll tell you exactly what to say and how to say it, so content stops being guesswork and dare I say… enjoyable.
Here’s how it works
-
(One-hour workshop together)
We tease out the what, why, and how behind your brand. This is where we harvest your signature brand voice (not the one you think you should have). Words that feel like home.
We'll brew:
✎ What makes your process unique (your secret ingredient)
✎ Who you genuinely love helping
✎ The values driving your work (not the rubbish that just sounds good on paper)
✎ The direction your content needs to take
After our call, I'll squirrel away to my writing nook to compile everything and do any extra research.
-
(One-hour creative workshop)
This is my FAVE part. We're finding the flavour of your brand voice, your signature style, your motifs, the phrases that make you instantly recognisable.
We'll steep:
✎ How you want to come across to your buyers
✎ The motifs that resonate with your brand personality
✎ Your "Word Larder" of phrases you can reach for when you're stuck
✎ How to make your voice leave a lasting impression
After this session, I will take our ideas and brew your authentic tone of voice guide.
-
(One-hour review session)
By lunchtime, I’ll deliver your Perfectly Brewed Brand Voice Blend. We review it together, make sure it's just right, and I'll tweak anything that needs adjusting.
Then? It's yours. Ready to use in every nook and cranny of your content.
What you’ll wander away with
Your Brand Voice Guide packed full of practical, usable examples. Think of it like a tasting menu of words and phrases that guide everything you write.
Inside, you'll find:
-
The thing that makes your product or service unique so you can explain what you do without comparing yourself to your competitors. You might have seen others call this messaging.
-
Why should people follow your story? You know when they say ‘people buy from people, this is what they’re talking about.
-
You can't connect with someone who doesn’t exist. We create someone who can sit in front of you when you write. Not lame corporate avatars - they’re no good to anyone.
-
The values behind your work, and how they show up in your content. These aren’t the suckers that get listed at the bottom of your website, where no one sees them.
-
A bank of words and phrases you can refer to when you're stuck. No more staring at blank pages, wondering what to say when you’ve only got 20 mins to write your content.
-
We'll pick a motif that resonates with your brand personality and subtly weave it through everything so your voice is instantly recognisable.
This isn't just a pretty document (although I’ll make it look faaabulous). This tone of voice guide is brewed with all my years of experience working with big home and lifestyle brands to make writing stop feeling like guesswork and start feeling like... well, something you can actually do without wanting to throw your laptop out the window.
Is brand voice what I need for my small business right now?
Fair question, my lovely. Let me show you what happened when others took control of their brand voice
“My brand finally has direction and a voice all of its own"
Rebecca, Founder of The Peak Edit
Bec had content to spare, drafted emails, planned posts, and case studies ready to go. But she couldn't hit publish. "I don't know where to start. I don't think I can do my clients justice."
She’s accidentally created a collection of ChatGPT content that made her cringe. Templates that felt forced. Comparing to competitors and hoping for the best.
So, we worked to really get under the skin of her business.
Just after our second session, this bloody brilliant message landed in my inbox.
“Hols, I bloody love love love it!!! I created my first piece last night.”
“I'm soo glad I went for the full brand blend package because it really has changed things for me! I feel clear on brand voice and know that no one else in my industry has the same theme. Excited”
“Made me want to buy from me"
Iona, Founder of Iona Buxton Jewellery
Iona described her copy as "happy with it, but I wrote it". She knew something wasn’t quite right, but couldn't pinpoint what. She’s used other jewellers as a reference point but was struggling to see how she stood out.
We teased out what made her different, who she wanted to help, and why she started her business in the first place.
After receiving her mini brand voice guide and website copy…
“Gobsmacked... The website copy read so well, and as I was reading it really made me want to buy from me. The brand voice and other content were way more in-depth than I anticipated."
There’s a pattern here…
Stuck and second-guessing
→ Confident and authentic
Sounding like everyone else
→ Having a unique theme no one else has
Procrastinating for months
→ Creating content the same day
"I don't know where to start"
→ "I've already started using the guide!"
Investing in your tone of voice brand guidelines as a small business owner
If I can change your mind about anything to do with brand voice
It’s not about being bubbly, or professional, or authentic, or prompting ChatGPT to ‘sound like you’re talking to a friend in a coffee shop’.
If you stop and think of every small business owner you know using these prompts everyone is going to sound the same… This is your opportunity to stand out.
What actually works
✓ Using your voice to stand out and sell your offers authentically
✓ Creating examples you can dib into when you’re stuck
✓ Having solid brand foundations so you can fill in the blanks confidently when you download expert templates
✓ Giving you direction, not just surface ‘write how you speak advice’
How disappointing is it when you take the first glug of a watery tea? That's why this is a three-day intensive, not a one-hour call. A distinct brand voice takes time to brew, my lovely.
We're doing the groundwork that makes everything else sooo much easier for you and your dream buyer.
This is for you any of these make you wince…
Custard Kinda Folk
Wing-it Wanders
Outdoor-loving, sustainable fashion folk for countryside explorers who craft clothing that lasts.
Booktroverts
Independent authors and book subscription services who want to share their stories with the world.
Home Enchanters
Interior designers and home organisers who help their buyers realise what feels like home.
Animal Confidantes
Pet services and all the animal lovers who want the best for our furry, scaly or feathered friends.
Moment Makers
Bespoke jewellers and artists who bring memories to life. All those that something-special creators.
The Crafters
Independents who love handmade fancies that make people ask, ‘where did you get that?!’
This isn’t for you if…
✗ You're looking for a quick fix or overnight results (this is foundational work, not a hack)
✗ You want someone to write all your content for you (this gives you the tools to do it yourself. Head over to The Content Cupboard for my professional copywriting services
✗ You're not ready to look at what's actually tangled in your message
✗ You're expecting a fancy doc that sits in your Google Drive gathering dust (this needs to be used)
Content confidence in just three days for
£1,497
(50/50 and pay in 3 options available)
Three one-hour workshops over three days (sometimes I run over if we’re in the flow, no extra charge hehe)
Your complete Perfectly Brewed Brand Voice Guide (with all the bits mentioned above)
A foundation that makes content easier and sells your offers better for as long as you're in business
Exclusive offer
Add a splash of content with your new brand voice blend
£499
1 Blog
4 Newsletters
8 Social Media Captions
Normally £999 → £499 when added to this package
So you won't just have your brand voice brewed, you'll have fresh content ready to pour.
By booking the call, you aren’t committing to anything. I want to make sure this is the right package for you before we get started.
What happens next?
-
I want to make sure this is 1000% the right fit for you and your business right now. No pressure, no obligation, just a quick chat to see if this is what you need.
-
Once we both know this is right, we'll lock in your dates and get you set up with everything you need before Day One.
-
Three days. Three workshops. One Brand Voice Guide that finally gives your content the direction it's been missing.
-
No more staring at blank pages. No more sounding like everyone else. Just you, your voice, and words that finally feel like home.
If you pick the content package, I’ll deliver it the day after our brand voice guide review.
Ready to brew your personal brand before 2026?
A voice that's unmistakably yours
Content that doesn't make you cringe.
A foundation that makes everything else easier
While everyone else is chasing viral hooks and the next Instagram trend, you could be brewing something that lasts.
Let's help you stand out without having to shout, my lovely.
Hols x
Don’t just take it from me…
"It felt like chats and support from a friend, who knew exactly what I needed to do.
Sarah - Founder of The Dog and Ducks Design
"Felt like she really listened and asked interesting questions I would never have thought of."
Iona - Founder of Iona Buxton Jewellery
"Super chilled, easy and enjoyable!"
Bryony - Founder of Clay & Burn
P.S. If you've read this far and you're still thinking “but what if it doesn't work for me?"
Here's what I know…↓
If you've been stuck for months (or years) rewriting the same content, trying templates that don't fit, copying others and hoping no one notices... that's not working either.
At some point, you have to try something different.
This is ‘that something’ different. Not a hack. Not a shortcut. The groundwork that makes everything else easier, but tends to get ignored or labelled as ‘fluff’.