Our voice and tones
Energy Safe employees can access the full guide on the intranet:
[intranet link button]
This guide provides an in-depth view of the 4 tones-of-voice used in our work.
The guide below provides a general view for vendor-side talent checking project work.
Understanding tone-of-voice
‘Tone-of-voice’ is a communications tool that is achieved by combining ‘voice’ and ‘tone’. Traditionally, ‘voice’ is static while ‘tone’ shifts to suit the platform, demographic and purpose.
For our use, voice and tone are defined by the Australian Government Style Manual. The Department of Premier and Cabinet advises use of this manual.
Voice and tone in government
The style manual is explicit in its definitions of voice and tone.
- Voice: the personality – 'sometimes called a persona. It refers to the personality implicit in the content.'
- Tone: the mood – 'how you express ideas.'
Tone is created by:
- choice of words
- point of view
- grammar
- level of formality.
Further reading: https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/writing-and-designing-content/clear-language-and-writing-style/voice-and-tone(opens in a new window)
Our voice
Energy Safe’s voice is always:
- confident
- authoritative
- approachable
Our language is always:
- active
- accessible
- inclusive
- straightforward
Our primary tone
We write communications, content and product copy to be:
- semi-formal, with a customer-centric friendliness and use of contractions
- in a first-person narrative viewpoint
- confident but not cocky
- authoritative but not condescending
- approachable but also collaborative – we actively engage the community and industry.
Examples
Don’t say:
Energy Safe Victoria will keep the public informed of risks related to recent floods.
Do say:
We’re here to help you stay safe with energy when your home and community is affected by floods.
Don’t say:
Energy Safe Victoria has created a guidance document that businesses might find useful.
Do say:
Our guidance document outlines important safety procedures for your business.
Date: 27/07/2024 10:43
The currency and accuracy of this information cannot be guaranteed once printed or saved to a storage device. If in doubt, please check the Energy Safe Victoria website for the current version.
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