Our tone of voice is how we speak. We could be writing an email, drafting an advert or responding to a customer service query. Whatever we’re writing, it needs to sound like it’s coming from the same entity – Shipnet.

Think of our tone of voice as our brand in words. A consistent tone of voice reassures customers that they’re dealing with a trusted, professional and established brand.

This guide is written in Shipnet’s tone of voice, to give you an idea of how the tone will look and sound in play.

Brand

Shipnet is looking to stand out in the industry, with a professional, reliable and technology first brand personality. We’re a well-natured bunch with the experience and technology to get the job done.

Customer

• Most likely male, 40+
• Shipping industry at their core
• Well educated and experienced
• C-suite level exec
• May undervalue tech and data
• Based in Europe

We're specialists

We're seasoned in what we do. Everything we say, reassures the reader that we're maritime experts.

We're realistic

But this doesn't go to our heads. We're down-to-earth, clear, approachable, straightforward and friendly.

We're reliable

In an industry like ours, reliability is key. If we commit to something, we do it. Our word is oak.

We're decisive

We make the big decisions. In our industry, every second counts, and we're sure of every call we make when the going gets tough.

We're good-natured

Our good-natured attitude tells our readers we can do our jobs with our eyes closed. We're not all business.

Our aim is to make shipping and dry docking admin effortless.

Our specialist technologies are designed to offer simple and creative solutions, giving our customers the confidence that the right decision are being made on their behalf. To make sure our customers believe in us, and trust us with their business, we need to communicate with them in a way that reassures them of our experience, attitude and reliability.

That’s where our communications commandments come in:

#1 | Clear and simple

This is true for both our tone of voice and our visual language.

• We never use long words when short ones will do
• We steer clear of jargon, even if it’s relevant to the shipping industry
• We’re specific, decisive and direct

EXAMPLE

We’re making waves with our tech solutions, streamlining dry docking and shipping admin.

#2 | Stay active

We use the active voice, this means the subject of the sentence performs the action, for example:

• The marketing department wrote the document (active)
• The document was written by the marketing department (passive)

Top Tip

Follow the pattern: subject – verb – object, and you won’t go far wrong.

Try This

If you're trying to convert something to active voice, look for phrases like “by the”, and bring the subject closer to the start of your sentence.

#3 | Keep it conversational

We write like our readership, not like a faceless corporation.

• We use contractions – a simple writing trick to sound more conversational (e.g. Would not = Wouldn't)
• We’re concise, keeping to one or two thoughts per sentence
• We write normal, not formal – if in doubt, swap out your long words for short ones

EXAMPLE

We’re in the business of keeping your business afloat

#4 | Be the expert

As the experts, we should be able to explain technical stuff in a simple way.

• We never hide behind flowery language when we don’t understand something
• When we write, we take control. Be confident that that things you’re saying are right, and steer clear of indecisive adverbs like almost, potentially and slightly.
• Avoid unnecessary adverbs

TRY THIS

Shipnet isn’t truly innovative, Shipnet is innovative.

We stand out from the crowd by dropping in the occasional reference to our shipping heritage. We should aim to include specialist terminology in about 40% of the instances they could be used, to avoid becoming repetitive.

'Crew'

Used when talking about products and in light-hearted reference to the Shipnet team.

'Command'

We command the shipping industry through tech, and we tell people about it.

'Maritime'

Used only in our vision and tagline, in all other circumstances we use 'Shipping'

• Abbreviations and currencies $100 (for US dollars), AU$100 (for Australian dollars), HK$100 (for Hong Kong dollars), 100 (for UK pound sterling), and €100 (Euros)

• Brand name Capital S, lowercase n, e.g. Shipnet

• Dates and times 15 June 2022, don’t include ‘st’, ‘th’, ‘rd’ or ‘nd’, and use European ordering (day, month, year), rather than American (month, day, year). Time should be written in 24-hour format - eight o'clock in the evening is 20:00

• Figures Use words for numbers one to nine, and digits for 10 and over

• Spelling We use British English, e.g. ‘colour’ not ‘color’, ‘organisation’ not ‘organization’. Top tip: Set your word processing software to English (UK)

• Job titles Always capitalise job titles: Our Head of Marketing Jenny Duffy. We can shorten job titles if they’re commonly initialised: Our CEO Aden Hopkins

• Emphasis Use bold to emphasise online and italics to emphasise in print

• Initialisms If an initialism is uncommon, you should spell it out the first time you use it, and follow it with the initialism in brackets. From then on you’re safe to use the initialism. e.g. Search Engine Results Page (SERP)

• Pronouns Companies or entities are always singular, and should therefore be referred to using “it, is, its, that” and not “they, are, their, who”, e.g. “Shipnet is building a new office for its staff”, and not “Shipnet are building a new office for their staff.”

Our writing is clear, concise and to the point

• We never use long words when short ones will do
• We steer clear of jargon, only using it when we know our reader will understand
• If you know the reader is a client, feel free to use the jargon they’d use themselves
• Be specific. Be decisive. Be direct.

What we say fills our reader with confidence

We know what we're doing and we get things done. We use short sentences most of the time. When you know what you’re talking about, you can explain it in brief. That being said, the best writing varies its sentence length and structure.

We use the active voice

In sentences written in active voice, the subject performs the action. In passive voice, the subject receives the action: 

ACTIVE

The marketing department wrote the document

PASSIVE

The document was written by the marketing department

TOP TIP

The document was written by the marketing department

TRY THIS

If you're trying to convert something to active voice, look for phrases like “by the”, and bring the subject closer to the start of your sentence.

We write how our reader speaks, not like a dull, corporate entity

We use contractions (we’re, you’re, wouldn’t), and we sound more natural for it.

WE DON'T SAY

We could not be happier with our TOV. It is great.

WE DO SAY

We couldn’t be happier with our TOV. It’s great!

WE CAN MAKE EXCEPTIONS WHEN WE PUT EMPHASIS ON THINGS

Shipnet. We are the shipping industry experts.

We write normal, not formal

if in doubt, swap out your long words for short ones:

PURCHASE turns into BUY
OBTAIN turns into GET
HOWEVER turns into BUT
REQUIRE turns into NEED

BEFORE

We provide maritime technology and solutions to effectively transform your data into real-world intelligence, delivering performance improvements in a safe and secure manner. Our application suite is unique in being a “One Connected Maritime Platform” ERP. By addressing all aspects of a maritime transaction, we are able to ensure that information passes through the system quickly and effectively.

AFTER

We deliver maritime tech solutions which turn data into real-world insights. Our unique One Connected Maritime Platform safely and securely enhance your performance, getting to grips with every aspect of a maritime transaction. For efficient data as fast as possible.

1. Have you used clear and simple language?

2. Have you used contractions to keep it conversational?

3. Have you demonstrated your expertise with a clear explanation?

4. Have you used the active voice, leading your sentence with the subject?

Value proposition

The ecosystem-based software that gives you control over your business.

Product promise

To be the shipping industry’s reliable, confident software partner.

How it works

Shipnet ONE is the hub for all of our integrated products.