THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE YMCA BRAND - YMCA Canada

Version 1.3 11 May 2012YMCABrandCamp.ca will always have the most up-to-date set of YMCA Brand Guidelines.Page 2.4 | Our verbal identity guidelinesOUR TONE OF VOICE: HOW WE COMMUNICATEDetermined Genuine Welcoming Hopeful Nurturing FunDetermined means we…Being genuine means we…Being welcoming means we…Being hopeful means we…Being nurturing means we…Being fun means we…Speak confidently aboutwhat we doUse an active, not passive,voiceFocus on our solutions andnot just the problemProvoke conversation ontopical issuesTake a leadership stanceand have a point of viewSupport our POV withrelevant proof pointsDescribe what we do interms of audience needsand impactUse short, clear sentencesUse clear, simple languageand concise explanations,no jargonBreak up text with bulletsand paragraphsSpeak with enthusiasm aboutwhat we do, how we do it andwho we do it forUse relevant and inspiringdonor and recipient stories tobring messages to lifeUse short, engaging headlinesUse human, personallanguage (we, us, you, your)Show we really know ouraudiences by using theirterms not oursAre conversational, notformal, but not overly familiarPersonalize our communicationswhenever possibleShow our interest by askingfocused questions andproviding confident answerssupported by factsEngage in two-way dialogueSpeak confidently about thefuture and social changeUse positive, upbeat languageTell inspiring storiesFocus on solutions and notjust the problemShow that we think and planahead by focusing on theissues that will affect ouraudiences now and inthe futureOrganize information inways that are intuitive for theaudienceTell them what they want andneed to know with relevantbenefitsExplain options and choicesif availableCommunicate important,relevant information earlyand oftenUse short and crisp sentencesSpeak energetically andenthusiastically aboutthe topicShow that we don’t takeourselves too seriouslyTell stories that demonstratefun for all agesCommunicate optimismCelebrate the fun in everyday,ordinary thingsAsk for audience inputHumanize our writing withtestimonialsWe use words like…We use words like…We use words like…We use words like…We use words like…We use words like…Experience, committed,solutions, impact, actions,work side-by-side,collaboration, dedicated,persevereReal, people, trust, shareInclusive, accessible, yourneeds, aware, understanding,team, partners, listen, askquestions, community, open,togetherPotential, future, change,make a differenceSupport, care, caring, charity,your success, your potential,help, helpful, collaborate,partnerEnjoy, fun, laugh, play,celebrate, friends