Tone of Voice guide

Tone of voice guide

Our tone of voice guide Welcome to Avant’s tone of voice guide.

This guide explains how we write copy which aligns with the Avant brand, evokes trust, persuades, and leaves a lasting impression. Think of this less as a book of rules, and more of a gateway to crafting excellent words which are enjoyable to read for our audiences.

Why tone of voice matters

Our tone of voice helps us get our messages across clearly, ensuring that every piece of Avant communications is easy to read and consistent. This helps us be more inclusive, modern, and relevant and defines us from our competition. Whether it’s in an email, SMS, brochures or on the web, it’s important to convey the same attitude and tone in every communication. We believe in our vision of quality homes, for everyone and our copy should reflect this, showing that we are proud of what we do and the product we build.

How we speak in customer facing communications At Avant we build affordable homes to help our buyers achieve their dream home, in the areas they want to live. To give you a better idea of how we should sound, we’ve created our tone of voice personalities. You don’t need to squeeze all of them into every sentence – this would sound forced. Just keep them in the back of your mind to steer your writing, which will help create our unique overall tone.

Considered

We put a lot of thought into what we do, from making well-built homes to making it possible for customers to afford them. Put as much consideration into your writing by thinking about who you’re talking to and how it will benefit them. Put yourself into the buyers shoes and give them the key information they will want to know in a simple way.

Empathetic

We know it’s tricky to get onto the property ladder or afford a bigger home. Show people our communications come from a person that cares, not just a company. Just be careful not to get overly sentimental.

Relatable

We understand home buyers – and more importantly, our audience.

To help people warm to our brand, introduce everyday expressions and insights that they will relate to. We are an authority in making homeownership possible, and can relate to those looking to buy.

Straightforward

It’s a cliché, but true: ‘less is more’. Don’t over complicate things, avoid jargon and keep your copy to a minimum. Avoid fluffy, flowery language.

Practical

People need to know the facts about how we can help them afford a quality new home, such as enablers, offers and schemes. Tell it like it is.

There’s no need to over complicate things. We’re not building a premium product, so we don’t need to ‘over-egg’ our homes and the places we build.

Youthful

Just because we’re practical, doesn’t mean we’re fuddy-duddy. Likewise, we aren’t trying to be ‘cool’. Sprinkle your writing with words that our audience would use to appeal to them.

In a nutshell

• We use the language our audience uses • We make the technical stuff about buying a home simple • We are positive and always focus on guiding people through the buying process • We are open and accessible, illustrating how we make homeownership affordable and achievable • We put people first in our copy – whether it be our buyers, colleagues, suppliers, or sub-contractors • We are considered and sympathetic with our words, buying a home is a big deal and can be a little stressful!

Do’s

• Use clear and simple words and phrases • Use snappy sentences of less than 20 words • Use contractions where appropriate e.g.: it’s, we’re • Use positive language at all times • Have an active voice - e.g. We’ll reply as soon as we can.

• Use more verbs (doing words) than nouns - e.g. change • Have a friendly and helpful tone in all copywriting

Don’ts

• Avoid stuffy, old fashioned language

• Avoid overly complex words and phrases

Styles we adopt Swap formal for informal

Instead of...

We say

Amend

Change

Assist

Help

Contact

Get in touch

Purchase

Buy

Provide

Give

So instead of this…

If you don’t know how to buy a new home, and need further advice on mortgages contact a Sales Advisor.

We say…

If you’re unsure about the first steps of buying a new home, and need mortgage help, get in touch with our Sales Advisors today!

Styles we adopt

• Give the most exciting information first. Get your reader hooked with the first sentence or two and they’ll want to know more.

• Refer to homes, avoid the broad use of plots or houses home

house

plot

Please note the use of plot is ok if referring to a specific plot e.g. plot 74

• Write and as a word – avoid use of ampersands and

&

• Capitalise job titles (apart from where journalistic conventions apply) Site Manager

site manager

• Always explain the location of developments, don’t assume people know where they are.

Use the convention when appropriate...

[development name], [location], [larger location (town or city)] e.g. Earl’s Park, Holmewood, Chesterfield

Styles we adopt

• Use bullet points, rather than long sentences to list key features.

• Title case should be used only when grammatically correct. Avoid use of capitals throughout sentences.

Make your dream home a reality Make Your Dream Home a Reality • When using numbers – one through to nine are written in full.

Numbers from 10 are shown as digits. Except for headlines, percentages (5%) and offers. Or when we say X bedroom home show homes

showhomes

homeownership

home ownership

first time buyers

first-time buyers

2 bedroom home

2 bed home

Styles we adopt

• When writing internally or about Avant’s people: colleagues

staff or employees

• Avoid capitals for emphasis, use bold instead • To help with readability*, always use the % symbol instead of spelling out the word: 50%

50 percent

*apart from where journalistic conventions apply

• Break up mobile phone numbers into a 5, 3, 3 convention for readability e.g. 07904 847 246 • The odd exclamation mark or emoji is great, especially on social • The same goes for superlative words like ‘great', ‘amazing and ‘stunning'. Sprinkled throughout our words they brighten everything up.

• And, it goes without saying, always include a call to action!

Writing for corporate audiences If you are writing on behalf of Avant targetting corporate audiences, such as journalists, suppliers, local authorities, or landowners, please make sure you adopt your tone of voice appropriately.

Top tips are: •

Maintain professionalism - avoid casual expressions.

•

Be clear and concise - communicate your message in a straightforward way, avoiding jargon or complex language unless required.

•

Double check your grammar and spelling to ensure corporate copy is accurate.

Our corporate key messages to include are: •

Multi-tenure strategy - Avant Homes is committed to securing sustainable growth through private for sale, private rented (PRS) and additional affordable housing. Our vision is quality homes, for everyone.

•

ESG strategy - Our approach to ESG ensures everything we do supports our commitment to protect the environment, support our people and create thriving communities.

•

Building in the areas our customers want to live - Across England and Scotland, serving communities and making a new home affordable and accessible.

•

Valuing our people - Our people are at the heart of Avant. We aim to nurture our colleagues by keeping them safe, prioritising wellbeing, developing their skills, and providing a means to fulfil their individual ambitions in a diverse and inclusive environment.

Writing for the web •

Digital content is not the same as print content. People encounter and read it differently – they scan it, so you need to write it differently. Divide your copy into smaller chunks with subheadings.

•

Don’t go crazy with bolding, italicising and capitals. Never use underlining to highlight because it will make your text look hyperlinked and confuse your reader.

•

Always ensure you use the correct spelling and grammar, download Grammarly as an extension on your laptop to double check! Sloppy spelling will undermine the credibility of the Avant brand.

•

Write to be found. What words would people type into Google to find Avant? Use those words in your copy. For any additional SEO advice, please speak to Group Marketing or your Space and Time Performance Director.

Examples of great copy

Examples of great copy

Our brand is in your hands!

We hope our tone of voice guide has been useful for you. If you have any questions about our tone of voice and writing style, please contact Group Marketing by emailing marketingteam@avanthomes.co.uk or calling Alicia Hattersley, Group Head of Marketing on 01246 957 730.

Avant Homes 2024 Version 1.0.0

avanthomes.co.uk @avant_homes @avanthomes @avant.homes