Communication
Voice & Tone
Principles
Plain over fancy
Say what we mean in the fewest words that still feel human. No jargon, no buzzwords, no agency-speak. If a sentence sounds like it could appear on five other agency sites, rewrite it.
Confident, not boastful
We've done the work — say it directly without superlatives. 'We've helped folks' beats 'we deliver world-class transformative solutions.'
Warm and a little playful
Honest folks doing honest work. Use contractions. Land a joke when it's earned. The strikethrough on 'Industries we've disrupted served' is the move — confident enough to undercut our own jargon.
Specific over abstract
Name the actual client. Name the actual deliverable. Numbers and concrete outcomes beat vague claims about ROI or 'engagement.'
Do
- Use contractions (we're, don't, it's)
- Address the reader directly when natural ('You're not creating for robots')
- Land warmth with concrete language, not adjectives
- Lean on the philosophy: 'Honest folks doing honest work'
- Acknowledge our own jargon and undercut it when warranted
Don't
- Don't use 'world-class', 'best-in-class', 'cutting-edge', 'transformative', 'thought leader', 'next-gen', or any other agency-website table stakes
- Don't open with 'We are a...' — start with what we do or who we serve
- Don't use exclamation points except in obvious quotes or playful contexts
- Don't write in third-person about ourselves on owned surfaces
- Don't promise things we can't measure
Writing rules
- Brand Name. Use ampersand (&) in 'Grain & Mortar' — never 'Grain and Mortar'.
- Abbreviation. G&M is acceptable shorthand in informal contexts and internal docs. Avoid in client-facing prose where the full name is warmer.
- Capitalization. Sentence case for headings, not title case.
- Numbers. Spell out one through nine in body copy. Use numerals for ten and above. Always use numerals for measurements, percentages, money.
- Contractions. Use them. 'We're', 'don't', 'it's' — never the formal forms in body copy. Contractions land warmer and more honest.
Examples
Great work gets us hired, but our process, character, and relationships keep us in business.
We are a world-class digital agency delivering transformative solutions for ambitious brands.
We're an experienced, tight-knit team of strategic thinkers helping create order out of chaos. And loving it.
Our team of seasoned professionals leverages industry-leading methodologies to optimize client outcomes.
Industries we've ~~disrupted~~ served.
Industries where we've driven category-defining innovation.
Get yourself a good partner.
Contact us today to start your transformative journey.