Even without investing in a full brand rhetoric strategy, you can apply these quick fixes to build your Ethos as a business.
Your brand rhetoric is responsible for forming people’s opinions and perceptions of your business, both directly and indirectly. Your Ethos as a brand is often the first and most important facet of rhetoric that people pick up on—it’s responsible for conveying your authority, respectability, and ethical position. Without a strong Ethos, your customers might not view you as a credible or reliable source.
Building a strong Ethos in your brand voice takes time, but there are some quick fixes you can apply to improve your Ethos appeal almost immediately:
· Frame your sentences with credentials. Whenever you speak about your capabilities or products and services you offer, begin or end the sentence with some sort of verifiable credential. It could be as simple as mentioning your history, such as starting a sentence with “Since 2008…”
· Use third person whenever possible. Instead of saying “we” or “our,” refer to your brand in the third person. It sacrifices a bit of personal appeal but makes you look more distinguished.
· List your accomplishments without directly selling them. Mention positive things your company has done, without making it an effort to sell yourself. Information and value are very well received.
· Look to the past. The past is one of your most powerful resources when building Ethos, as long as you have had a solid history. Mention it often.
Put these practices to use in your brand rhetoric strategy and your Ethos will immediately improve. Keep consistent with them, and work on your overall strategy, and eventually you’ll have a much stronger, more consistent voice.
