We let the target audience decide. After all we can't speak in a tone (language frequency) that we wouldn't be understood. We all go back to the drawing board and RESEARCH. ☂️How do our target audience speak? ☂️How do our target audience want to be spoken to? The ball is no longer in our court - we all get to do what the gods say🐥

Tone clashes can be for many reasons - either your content doesn't have an outcome attached to it, or brand has not sufficiently identified it's positioning and it's pillars. 1. In a team meeting, define the purpose of the content being discussed and released + check if this purpose is being met by the content piece in question 2. Identify & create a checklist what aspects of your content piece reflect messages that your brand wants your audience to know / are most important for your brand's audience to know 3. Hygiene check your content to see if it reflects the checklist you just made 4. Ensure you do not compromise on the most important message for brand - by sticking to your brand's pillars. Know your priorities to crack your tone.

It’s also helpful to have open discussions where team members can share ideas and opinions. A/B testing sounds like a smart approach to see what resonates best with the audience. Balancing creativity with a unified voice is key.

The debate over "tone of voice" is easily quieted: Tone AND voice are two different concepts. With reference to Erica Jorgensen, from whom I picked up the following analogy, the difference is quite simple: Voice is like the climate. Steady across the years; distinct for different geographies (e.g. it's hot and dry in the desert), and not really changeable immediately. Tone is like the weather. It can be rainy today, cloudy but warm tomorrow, and sizzling hot next week. It can come as a surprise. The voice of your content is cultivated over time as a compound of what you publish. That's why you want to be intentional about choosing a suitable tone for each piece of content. It adds up. But it should always be context-specific.

As a content strategist, I've encountered numerous situations where team members have differing opinions on content tone. Resolving these clashes is crucial for maintaining a consistent brand voice and ensuring effective communication with our audience. Define Your Brand: Clearly articulate your brand's personality and values. Create a style guide to ensure consistency. Know Your Audience: Develop buyer personas to understand their preferences. Tailor your tone to resonate with your target audience. Foster Collaboration: Encourage open dialogue and active listening. Find common ground and compromise where necessary. Test and Learn: Experiment with different tones and styles. Analyze feedback and adapt your approach.

- Try out different tones with A/B Testing like flavors of ice cream. - If you're a Good Cook, you already know nothing beats a perfect Mix & Match, to blend different perspectives! - Maintain Brand Guidelines to Set clear rules for voice and style, so everyone knows. - Host an "open mic night" for team members to share their tone ideas without judgment. - Finally, keep It Light. Don't let the discussions get too serious! We all make mistakes and learn from them. So sometimes, a small comprise doesn't hurt anyone!