Here’s How Real Brands Stand Out (Hint: It’s Their Messaging)

Brands are waking up to voice and tone.

(About time, right?)

We’re constantly told: It’s not just what you say but how you say it. 

But, let’s be real—that’s only half the picture.

We’ve poured all this focus into brand voice and tone while messaging strategy has slipped through the cracks.

And honestly, that's your brand's whole ecosystem.

Before we dive into what brand messaging is, let’s separate the four (almost) identical twins.

Brand Voice: Your brand’s personality. It’s the consistent way you sound—friendly, expert, bold. (But please don’t use these words to describe your brand. I beg you.)

Tone: Tone shifts depending on the context. It’s still you, just tailored to the situation. Like talking to a customer during conflict vs. graciously accepting good feedback.

Brand Message: This is what you stand for. This is your big idea, the value you bring, and the “why” behind everything you do. Kind of like your elevator pitch.

Brand Messaging: The whole experience. It’s how you communicate with customers across every interaction and touchpoint.

In this email, we’re diving into brand messaging—the one thing big companies still can’t seem to get right.

We’ve cracked frameworks for copy, conversions, sales, operations, and even scaling to the moon, but when it comes to messaging? Crickets.

It’s still such a vague concept.

Anyway. That’s why I’m here.

This is what brand messaging really is:

To break this down for you. Lo’ and behold…

✅ It’s what you say—and what you don’t say!

Is your content relevant? Sure, maybe it solves your customer’s problem.

But are you making the world better, even in a tiny way? 

If you ever catch yourself thinking your brand can’t make the world a better place, take a look at SofaGuard. Yep, they sell sofa covers. Not exactly the product you’d expect to have a grand mission, right?

But they’ve woven a purpose into their message. Their covers are made from eco-friendly materials and sustainable fabrics—better for the planet. And they don’t stop there. SofaGuard also donates a portion of the profits to local animal shelters. Impressive, right?

Brand messaging is also about what you don’t say. For example, a brand might not weigh in on politics or religion.

✅ It’s how you say it

This is where brand voice and tone come in. They’re both a part of the brand messaging strategy.

I don’t need to expand on this. Nuff’s been said already.

✅ It’s also… when you say it

Timing is a real player in your messaging. And it plays out in different ways.

a) When something’s trending? Jump on it. Calm, the meditation app, nailed this by running ads on CNN during the 2020 election coverage, reminding stressed viewers to take a breath.

b) When a customer has an issue? Don’t delay. The faster you respond, the easier it is to smooth things over.

c) And let’s be real, timing matters with content too. Knowing where your customer is in their awareness journey is half the game. It tells you when to expose your readers to certain messages.

✅ It’s where you say it

I know omnipresence is trending. But I’ll never wrap my head around it. You don’t have to be everywhere.

But wherever you are, optimize that interaction for sure.

Do people find you on Google, when they’re actively hunting down solutions? Do they find you through TikTok ads?

Sometimes, it’s not the message that needs tweaking—it’s the where and when.

✅ It’s to whom you say it

No brainer. This is your dream customer.

Brand messaging isn’t just some nice-to-have; it’s the backbone of every interaction you have with your customers.

Modern marketing has made messaging more important than ever.

But here’s the truth: messaging isn’t just some words slapped on an about page or sprinkled in your emails.

Messaging is every single touchpoint. 

Every. Single. One.

Think about it: Is your customer support team speaking the same language as the rest of your brand? There’s often a disconnect there.

Your messaging has to show up wherever your brand shows up. Kind of like my AirPods—I don’t leave home without them. 

Then there’s microcopy, where messaging can really stand out.

(I’m obsessed with brands that make the small stuff fun.)

What does your cookie pop-up say? What shows up on your 404 page?

Slack doesn’t just say “Error.” They hit you with, “Uh-oh! Something went wrong… grab a coffee while we fix it.” That little detail? Keeps the vibe.

It’s not just what you say on your main pages. It’s the friendly sign-offs in your emails and the content in your job applications (Well Copy has the nicest job application form I’ve read… It felt like I was talking to a therapist).

We’ve got brand voice and tone down to a science, but plenty of brands still miss the mark on messaging. 

Especially the big ones.

My question is, how will these brands stand out in 2025?

How did you find today’s newsletter? Reply to this email and let me know what stood out to you the most!

About The Founder…

Hi. 👋 I’m Hira, a Copyhackers certified conversion copywriter.

An email and messaging strategist.

And an avid book reader. (Even with two kids, I read like 50-pages a day.)

Last year, I raised $2M for MedTech and nonprofits, working with two agencies. Now, I’m writing daily email newsletters for an 8-figure health brand.

Want to learn more about my work?

Start with the website—there might even be a podcast episode that catches your eye.

Then head over to my guest post on The Copywriter Club and take a scroll through the insights I shared in HubSpot’s 2024 Social Media Marketing Trends Report.