Tone of Voice & Storytelling

When you sell direct, you’re not just listing products – you’re building a relationship. That relationship is shaped as much by how you speak as by what you sell. Your tone of voice and storytelling make the difference between being just another shop and being a brand customers trust and return to.

What Do We Mean by “Tone of Voice”?

Tone of voice is the personality of your brand in words. It shows up everywhere: your website, your product descriptions, your customer service emails, even your packaging notes.

For manufacturers moving into ecommerce, the challenge is often shaking off corporate jargon or technical specs and finding a way to speak like a human being while still sounding professional.

👉 At Qoob, we call this Smart Casual:

• Professional but not stuffy.

• Confident, but approachable.

• Solution-focused, but empathetic.

• Clear and direct, avoiding unnecessary jargon (and explaining it if you must use it).

Why Storytelling Matters

Your story is what sets you apart from the global giants and cheap imports. Customers aren’t just buying a product; they’re buying into your purpose, your craft, and your values.

Strong brand stories usually include:

• Heritage: Where you come from and how you started.

• Values: What you stand for (sustainability, quality, innovation, community).

• People: The makers, the founders, the family behind the business.

• Mission: What you’re here to improve or protect.

Bringing Tone & Story Together

Here’s how it works in practice:

• Website Copy: Instead of “Our mission is to provide quality furniture at scale,” try:
  “We’ve been hand-finishing furniture in Northamptonshire for over 50 years, creating pieces built to last a lifetime.”

• Product Descriptions: Go beyond specs. Don’t just list “Oak, 80x60cm, weight 12kg.” Instead:
  “Crafted from sustainable oak, this table is designed to withstand family life and look good doing it.”

• Customer Emails: Instead of “Your order has shipped,” try:
  “Good news – your order is on its way! Packed carefully in our workshop this morning, it should be with you by Thursday.”

Quick Wins

• Write down three words you want your brand to sound like (e.g. confident, warm, practical). Use them as filters for all your content.

• Review your product pages: do they read like catalogues, or like solutions to customer problems?

• Add a short “About Us” paragraph to your homepage that tells your story in human terms.

• Encourage your team to use the same tone in customer service replies – consistency builds trust.

Common Pitfalls

• Too generic: “High quality and great service” won’t cut it.

• Too technical: Specs matter, but benefits matter more.

• Too inconsistent: A friendly Instagram post followed by a cold automated email breaks trust.

Template to Try

Our Tone of Voice:
“We are [adjective], [adjective], and [adjective]. We speak clearly, focus on customer outcomes, and show empathy while sharing our expertise.”

Our Story in One Sentence:
“We are [company name], [what you do], based in [where], with a mission to [purpose]. Customers buy direct from us because [unique benefit].”