Start with decisions, not adjectives
Lists such as “friendly, bold and modern” leave too much room for interpretation. Record the audience, the offer, the desired action and the claims that need evidence before you describe the tone.
Use examples from material your organisation already owns. A short approved paragraph is more useful than a long list of abstract personality words.
Write the boundaries beside the voice
The brief should explain both what belongs in the brand and what must stay out. That makes later review faster and reduces accidental overclaiming.
- Words, phrases and formats the brand uses consistently.
- Topics or promises that require human approval or supporting evidence.
- A clear call to action and the audience it is intended for.
- Channel-specific constraints that should not be copied across platforms.
Test the brief with one small draft
Generate or write one low-risk draft, then review it line by line against the brief. If two reviewers interpret a rule differently, improve the rule before scaling the workflow.
Keep the brief versioned. A change in positioning should not silently rewrite content that is already approved or scheduled.