Brand Voice Style Guide: Wellness Brand

Voice Overview

Core Attributes:

1. Gentle Encouragement: Supportive and compassionate without being preachy—invites rather than instructs
2. Grounded Simplicity: Focuses on accessible, small steps instead of overwhelming transformations
3. Community-Centered Warmth: Emphasizes shared experience and collective wisdom over individual expertise
4. Balanced Realism: Acknowledges real life (coffee, rest, imperfection) without judgment

Voice Temperature: Warm and soft. Calm, reassuring, human. Like a trusted friend who meets you where you are.

Voice Personality

If this brand were a person: A mindful yoga instructor who also loves afternoon coffee and admits they hit snooze sometimes. Doesn’t claim to have all the answers but shares what’s worked for thousands of real people. Speaks in short, breathable sentences. Never rushed, never pushy.

What we sound like:

• A calming meditation app notification
• The friend who gently suggests taking a break
• A community leader who listens more than lectures

What we DON’T sound like:

• A drill sergeant fitness coach
• A condescending wellness guru
• A salesy supplement ad

Do’s and Don’ts

DO:

Use short, breathable sentences:

• “Breathe in. Breathe out. Sometimes that’s all you need.”
• NOT: “By focusing on your breathing, you can achieve a state of mindfulness that transforms your entire day.”

Lead with gentle, actionable steps:

• “Try dimming the lights an hour before bed—your body will thank you.”
• NOT: “Implement a comprehensive evening routine to optimize your circadian rhythm.”

Acknowledge real life and balance:

• “Coffee isn’t the enemy—but neither is rest. Find your balance.”
• NOT: “Eliminate caffeine to achieve optimal wellness.”

Emphasize community and shared experience:

• “Our community has shared how 5 minutes of mindfulness changed their mornings.”
• NOT: “Studies show that mindfulness meditation has numerous benefits.”

DON’T:

Use hustle culture language:

• AVOID: “Optimize”, “maximize”, “hack your wellness”
• USE: “Find”, “try”, “discover what works for you”

Make absolute or prescriptive statements:

• AVOID: “You must”, “always”, “never”, “eliminate completely”
• USE: “Try”, “consider”, “here are”, “find your balance”

Vocabulary Guide

Words We Love: gentle, small changes, journey, starts with, try, your body will thank you, believe in, sustainable, sometimes, that’s all you need, breathe, shared, community, members, finding, balance, actually work, calm

Phrases We Love:

• “Your journey to [better X] starts with…”
• “Breathe in. Breathe out.”
• “Sometimes that’s all you need.”
• “[X] isn’t the enemy—but neither is [Y]. Find your balance.”
• “Our community has shared how…”
• “Join [number]+ members finding their…”

Words We Avoid: optimize, maximize, transform (unless gradual), eliminate, must, should, fix, achieve, commit, comprehensive, implement, protocol, hack

Sentence Structure Patterns

Pattern 1: Breathable Fragment Sequence
Template: “[Short statement]. [Short statement]. [Sometimes qualifier].”
Example: “Breathe in. Breathe out. Sometimes that’s all you need.”

Pattern 2: Gentle Action + Benefit
Template: “Try [simple action]—[gentle benefit using ‘your body/mind’].”
Example: “Try dimming the lights an hour before bed—your body will thank you.”

Pattern 3: Balanced Both/And Statement
Template: “[X] isn’t the enemy—but neither is [Y]. Find your balance.”
Example: “Coffee isn’t the enemy—but neither is rest. Find your balance.”

Pattern 4: Community Validation
Template: “Our community has shared how [small action] [positive change]. Join [number]+ members [present participle of benefit].”
Example: “Our community has shared how 5 minutes of mindfulness changed their mornings. Join 50,000+ members finding their calm.”

Pattern 5: Journey Invitation
Template: “Your journey to [better X] starts with [small, accessible step].”
Example: “Your journey to better sleep starts with small changes.”

Quick Writer Checklist

Before publishing, verify:

• Breath test: Can you read it aloud naturally with calm pacing?
• Sentence length test: Average under 6 words per sentence?
• Gentleness test: Invitation rather than instruction?
• Balance test: Acknowledges real life without judgment?
• Community test: References shared experience when relevant?
• Action test: Small, achievable steps (not overwhelming)?
• Jargon test: Free from wellness buzzwords and clinical terms?
• Fragment test: Strategic short sentences for breathing rhythm?

Sample Rewrites

Before: Generic Wellness Copy

“Transform your sleep with our comprehensive 8-week program. You’ll optimize your circadian rhythm and achieve deep, restorative sleep every night.”

After: Brand Voice

“Your journey to better sleep starts with small changes. Try dimming the lights an hour before bed—your body will thank you. We believe in gentle, sustainable wellness, not quick fixes.”

What changed: Removed “transform”, “optimize”, “achieve” → Added “journey”, “try”, “believe in”. Changed grand promise → Small, specific action.

Before: Clinical Description

“Implement evidence-based mindfulness meditation protocols to reduce cortisol levels and improve psychological well-being.”

After: Brand Voice

“Breathe in. Breathe out. Sometimes that’s all you need. Our community has shared how 5 minutes of mindfulness changed their mornings.”

What changed: Removed clinical jargon → Simple action. Added breathable fragment structure. Replaced scientific claims → Community validation.

Analysis Summary

Samples analyzed: 3
Total word count: 79 words
Average sentence length: 4.9 words (extremely short, breathable)
Contraction frequency: 4 instances
Direct address rate: 25% of sentences
Sentence fragments: 9 out of 16 sentences (56% fragments for breathing rhythm)
Voice consistency score: 50%