Brand Voice

{{COMPANY}} Brand Voice Skill

Before writing or editing any content, read this file fully. Then consult the relevant reference file(s) in references/ based on content type.

This is a template. Everything in {{DOUBLE_BRACES}} is a placeholder for you to replace. Sections marked [FILL IN] need your specifics. Sections marked [DEFAULT] are opinionated starting points that work for most B2B brands — keep, edit, or delete them.

One exception: the Liquid snippets in references/email.md ({% if %}) are real email-service syntax, not placeholders. Leave those alone.

1. Brand Positioning [FILL IN]

Everything downstream depends on this section being specific. Vague positioning produces vague copy.

One-sentence description:

{{COMPANY}} is a {{CATEGORY}} for {{PRIMARY_AUDIENCE}} — helping them {{CORE_OUTCOME}}, without {{THE_PAIN_YOU_REMOVE}}.

Core differentiators (list 4–8, each concrete enough that a competitor could not copy-paste it):

• {{DIFFERENTIATOR_1}}
• {{DIFFERENTIATOR_2}}
• {{DIFFERENTIATOR_3}}

What {{COMPANY}} is NOT (this list prevents more bad copy than the one above):

• Not a {{ADJACENT_CATEGORY_1}}
• Not a {{ADJACENT_CATEGORY_2}}

Why this matters: writers reach for adjacent-category language when they do not know the boundary. Naming what you are not keeps claims honest and stops feature drift in copy.

2. Voice and Tone [FILL IN]

The short version: {{ONE_LINE_VOICE_SUMMARY}}

A useful trick: name a brand whose writing you admire, then name what you do differently. For example, "{{REFERENCE_BRAND}}'s precision, with warmth {{REFERENCE_BRAND}} lacks." This gives a writer a target and a correction in one line.

The voice is:

• Direct. Say the thing. No throat-clearing, no "In today's digital landscape…"
• Knowledgeable but not jargon-heavy. Technical terms only when they add clarity, always paired with what they mean for the reader.
• Warm without being gushing. Care shows in specificity, not exclamation points.
• Practitioner-facing. Write as a peer who knows {{AUDIENCE_DOMAIN}}. Not as a salesperson.
• Specific. Prefer "{{CONCRETE_EXAMPLE_SENTENCE}}" over "{{VAGUE_VERSION_OF_IT}}."

The voice is not:

• Corporate: no "leverage synergies," "end-to-end solution," "cutting-edge innovation"
• Hype-driven: no superlatives ("the best," "the most powerful," "revolutionary")
• Emoji-heavy: {{YOUR_EMOJI_POLICY}}
• Detached and cold: {{WHO_IN_YOUR_AUDIENCE_NEEDS_WARMTH}}

3. Hard Rules (non-negotiable)

Hard rules are the highest-value part of this skill. They are the things a general-purpose writing assistant gets wrong every single time unless told otherwise. Be ruthless and specific here.

Your signature rule [DEFAULT — recommended]

⛔ NO EM DASHES IN PROSE. EVER.

Em dashes (—) are banned in all prose: blog posts, emails, social captions, in-app messages, landing pages, scripts, newsletters. No exceptions. If you drafted a sentence with an em dash, rewrite it. Use a comma, a period, or restructure the sentence entirely. The only permitted use is in attribution lines: — Jane Doe, Acme Co. Before submitting any draft, find "—" and eliminate every instance not in an attribution.

Kept as the default because the em dash is the single most reliable tell of AI-generated marketing copy. If your brand likes em dashes, delete this block and put your own signature rule here. Every brand has one thing it gets wrong constantly. Name it, put it first, and make it loud.

Terminology [FILL IN]

That last row is worth attention. Categories often get named after whichever competitor got there first. Using their brand name as a generic verb markets them, for free, in your own copy.

Banned phrasing [DEFAULT]

• No superlatives: "best," "most powerful," "unmatched," "unparalleled"
• No "not X but Y" constructions
• No AI tell-tale phrasing: "delve," "it's worth noting," "in conclusion," "game-changing," "transformative," "let's dive in," "I cannot stress enough"
• No "genuinely," "honestly," "straightforward" as openers or filler

Factual constraints [FILL IN]

List every claim that has a legal, contractual, or accuracy limit. This is the section that keeps marketing out of trouble, so write it even if it feels obvious.

• Customer references: {{WHAT_YOU_MAY_AND_MAY_NOT_SAY_ABOUT_CUSTOMERS}}
• Compliance claims: {{WHAT_YOU_SUPPORT_VS_WHAT_YOU_GUARANTEE}}
• Security claims: {{HOW_TO_DESCRIBE_YOUR_SECURITY_MODEL_ACCURATELY}}
• Unreleased features: never imply a roadmap item ships today

Partners vs. competitors [FILL IN]

Partners ({{PARTNER_LIST}}): Names may be used when relevant. Before including one, check intent:

• Partner spotlight, integration guide, or co-marketing piece where the name adds value → use freely
• Name appears incidentally in a piece about {{COMPANY}} → ask the author: "Do you want to reference {{PARTNER}} specifically here, or keep the focus on {{COMPANY}}?" Do not remove it without asking.

Competitors ({{COMPETITOR_LIST}}): Never name a competitor in customer-facing content unless the author explicitly instructs it. Do not list {{COMPANY}} alongside competitors as equals. If a draft contains a competitor name, flag it and ask before removing. Default is to replace with a generic reference ("other {{CATEGORY}} platforms").

4. Persona-Aware Messaging [FILL IN]

Adjust emphasis, never voice. The voice is constant; what you lead with changes.

Two columns, not one. "Lead with" alone produces copy that is on-topic and still alienating. The "Avoid" column is where the real audience knowledge lives.

When content is general, default to: accessible, practitioner tone that works for non-technical readers without insulting technically literate ones.

5. Format Rules by Content Type

Read the appropriate reference file for detailed guidance:

• Email / Newsletter → references/email.md
• Social media captions → references/social.md
• Blog posts → references/blog.md
• In-app messages / product microcopy → references/inapp.md
• Landing pages / website copy → references/landingpage.md
• Video scripts → references/videoscript.md

If the format is not listed, apply these general rules [DEFAULT]:

• Lead with the reader's situation or need, not with {{COMPANY}}
• Sentences under 25 words when possible
• Use the Oxford comma
• Active voice; passive only when it genuinely reads better
• Short paragraphs, one idea each. Lists only when items are genuinely parallel.
• CTAs should be specific: "Save your spot" beats "Click here." "See how it works" beats "Learn more."

6. Proof Points to Draw From [FILL IN]

Verified and repeatable only. If it is not on this list, it does not go in copy.

Customer quotes: {{APPROVED_QUOTE_WITH_NAME_TITLE_ORG}}

Case study wins: {{OUTCOME_WITH_REAL_NUMBERS}}

Mark anything hypothetical as illustrative in the same line, not in a footnote. Numbers travel without their context. An unmarked example metric will end up on a landing page as a real result.

Integrations / platforms: {{LIST}}

Partners: {{LIST_WITH_RELATIONSHIP_TYPE}}

7. Quick Checklist Before Submitting Any Draft

• Signature rule respected (default: no em dashes in prose outside attribution lines)
• "{{FULL_COMPANY_NAME}}" used throughout, never "{{SHORTENED_NAME}}"
• Preferred terminology used; banned variants absent
• No competitor brand names used as generic verbs
• No superlatives
• No AI tell-tale phrases
• Factual constraints respected
• Any illustrative numbers labeled as illustrative, inline
• Voice: direct, warm, practitioner-facing. Not corporate, not hype.
• Lead paragraph earns its place (no "In today's world…" openers)
• CTA, if present, is specific and action-oriented