Our Voice
It’s how we reinforce the Missouri S&T brand through the words we choose.
Our voice is a reflection of our personality, an expression of our values and a vehicle through which our story will be told. As we communicate with a variety of audiences and convey a variety of messages, it is important that we do so through one consistent brand voice.
Tone
Between what we say and how we say it, we create a recognizable style that is distinctively S&T.
It’s human, and it should feel as if it’s coming from a real person.
When used appropriately, it will enable us to develop focused communications that make our distinct brand personality shine through.
Our voice is
Innovative
Without being jargon-filled
Bold
Without being brazen
Clever
Without being jokey
Forward-looking
Without being dreamy
Confident
Without being boastful
Matter-of-fact
Without being simplistic
Direct
Without being commanding
Positioning
This positioning statement is how our story begins to take shape. It distills everything that Missouri S&T stands for into a simple, relatable, repeatable narrative.
It not only articulates our role — it conveys our personality and makes a real human connection with our audiences.
To get a closer look at the world, you have to go beyond the surface.
Because the things that are worth exploring don’t happen on the ground level.
They go deeper and span wider than most people dare to consider.
But we’re not most people.
And we don’t see things the way most people do.
We uncover big ideas
by looking in the unexplored spaces.
We find new understanding
by jumping headlong into the unknown.
And wherever we focus our attention, we go all in.
We believe that the things that haven’t been solved yet, invented yet or understood yet
are just the things that haven’t been studied enough, seen from the proper perspective or explored by people who know what to do with what they find. We’re experts in fields that don’t exist yet. And we’re just scratching the surface of thinking that goes back millennia.
We’re creatively analytical
and we’re practical dreamers.
We pursue big questions because we’re curious. We put in the hard work because we’re ambitious. We look in new directions because we’re inventive.
And we dig deeper.
Because we're Miners.
Using our positioning
The idea of “digging deeper” is more than a copy point, and it isn’t a tagline.
This isn’t language you’ll use in the majority of headlines. But it does provide an emotional hook and a starting point for crafting communications.
Look at the world differently than others do.
Through our brand voice, we illustrate how we find solutions that others don’t because we look beyond the surface, we see the connections that come when we bring together multiple points of view, and we see farther.
Aspire to do more, build more and become more.
Use language that shows how we’re doing more than what’s obvious or expected, and how we represent more than what we appear.
Combine different ways of thinking.
We bring together creativity and analysis, we’re ambitious and humble, pragmatic and visionary. And in our language, we explore the unexpected combinations we find.
We're defined by our distinctive character.
As Miners, we share a certain mindset. And in the language we choose, we further define what it means to be a Miner. We do X, because we’re Y. And we do it all because we’re Miners.
A few things to keep in mind
(when you're writing)
Make it powerful.
Use bold, direct statements to capture attention. And keep it short, getting to the point as quickly as possible.
Make it clear.
Make only the point you’re trying to make. Every communication won’t contain every detail, so focus on what’s important.
Make it worthwhile.
Give your reader a reason to care. Lead with audience-specific benefits (what they get) and back it up with our brand attributes (what we offer).
Make it readable.
Vary the cadence of communications. Mix short sentences with longer ones to avoid falling into a repetitive rut. Check for rhythm and flow by reading passages aloud.
Make it relatable.
We write like we speak, aligned with our brand personality. This may occasionally mean breaking a grammar rule or two. Used judiciously, contractions and sentence fragments add personality to communications.
Make it personal.
Use first person plural and second person pronouns (“we”/”us” and “you” where appropriate). It engages your reader in a direct, human way.
Make it relevant.
Consult your core messaging when creating communications, and look for places to include key messages.
Make it true.
Back up statements with proof points. Share real, honest stories of the work we’re doing.
Make it motivational.
Give your audience a clear call to action, so they know exactly what you want them to do (or know, or feel) after receiving the information.
Make headlines work harder.
A headline should be more than just the name of the thing we’re talking about. Since it may be the only thing our audience reads as they scan the copy, make sure it’s compelling, interesting and easy to pull information from.
Style notes
Look at the world differently than others do.
Write in a confident, conversational, professional voice.
Use punctuation marks to add emphasis to statements, but use exclamation marks sparingly, if at all.
Use one space after each sentence. Not two.
Be concise. Sometimes it’s okay to use phrases instead of full sentences.
Be specific. Don’t say “breakfast” when you could say “steel-cut oats with blueberries and almond milk.”
Use contractions to convey an approachable, friendly tone.
Use the active voice.
Use strong verbs. They’re short and personal, and a direct link to emotions. Use simple language, not insider jargon.
Use language that includes everyone.
The checklist
To determine if you’re using the Missouri S&T voice accurately, after writing any communication, ask yourself:
- Does this relate to our positioning statement?
- Does it lead with customer benefits?
- Do we pay off the benefits with attributes?
- Does it sound like something a person with our brand’s personality traits would say?
- When you read it out aloud, does it sound like a person speaks?
- Is at least one of our key messages included?
- Does it get to the point, or is the key message buried?
- Do the headlines convey our voice, or are they simply labeling the content?
- Does it move beyond simply stating the facts to reveal something bigger about Missouri S&T?
Once you've got your messaging down, it's a good idea to make sure your copy fits our writing style. Read the style guidelines for more information.
Download our style guidelines