Communications Summary
There’s what we say, our message. And there’s how we say it, our voice.
The GOJO voice is how we talk to people. It’s the interplay of personality, substance, tone, and style.
Though our voice is constant regardless of who we’re talking to or what we’re saying, we adapt our tone — from serious to empathetic to lighthearted — to fit the context and the audience's state of mind.
Our voice hinges on crisp simplicity. Bigger ideas and fewer words. Less head, more heart.
Our voice is:
Personal, relatable, and optimistic – We’re natural. We know when to be conversational and when formal language is appropriate. We are personal and professional.
Crisp and clear – We use clear, simple language that speaks plainly in a way easily understood by audiences.
Humanistic and caring – We’re people who care about other people, and we show it.
Good writing is not just information sharing. It also builds trust, elicits emotions, and drives people to take action. Always keep your reader and objectives in mind as you carefully craft communications.
Think of things from your readers’ point of view, with empathy for the experience you are giving them. Anticipate questions and provide answers before they are asked. Talking to our audience in a way that’s warm and relaxed, crisp and clear, and helpful reflects our identity as people who care about other people.
A few key elements of writing in the GOJO voice:
Get to the point fast. Start with the key takeaway. Put the most important thing in the most noticeable spot. Make choices and next steps obvious. Give people just enough information to make decisions confidently, but don’t provide so much information that it gets in the way of your audience’s ability to make decisions or take next steps.
Talk like a person. Write like people talk. Communicate in a way that let's your readers know there are real people behind the company and brands they know and trust. Choose optimistic, conversational language. Use short everyday words, contractions, and sentence-style capitalization. Avoid jargon and acronyms. Never miss an opportunity to find a better word.
Simpler is better. Everyone likes clarity and getting to the point. Break it up. Step it out. Layer. Short sentences and fragments are easier to scan and read. Prune every excess word.
Remember that writing is a skill. If writing isn't a functional role your team has, consider bringing in a GOJO communications expert and sharing a draft.