Style Guide

Voice and Tone

The difference between voice and tone

• BendPak, as a site, is written in one voice.
• The writer uses multiple tones, depending on the content.

The BendPak Voice

Whether writing short-form copy or long-form blog articles, the BendPak Voice is always confident, informative, friendly, upbeat and passionate about the product. BendPak has been around in one form or another since the 1960s, so we continue to portray a dignified company that’s built to last. This doesn’t make us humorless or out of step with the times, of course! Avoid overly colloquial phrasing, slang or pop culture references that will not hold water ten years later.

The BendPak Voice is:

• Confident: BendPak is the biggest, safest and more advanced auto service equipment manufacturer on the planet.
• Expert: We back up big claims with facts and statistics. We know about our competitors’ products, as well.
• Fun: We want people to enjoy reading our website. Being an industry staple does not mean we lose our conversational tone.
• Informative: Specific is always better than vague when it comes to salesmanship.

The BendPak Voice is not:

• Sarcastic: Reconsider negativity. Ignore the temptation. There’s probably a better way.
• Political: BendPak doesn’t give preference to or even acknowledge political parties. However, appropriately and inclusively celebrating national holidays (e.g., Memorial Day, Labor Day) is encouraged. Mention of divisive or controversial holidays should be avoided (e.g., Columbus Day).
• Religious: As you know, the Holiday Season occurs each year toward the end of December. Do not use "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah" greetings. Do not try to cram all the specific religious greetings into one blog or social media post in an attempt to seem "all-inclusive." Just say Happy Holidays, if anything. Thanksgiving is also an appropriate holiday greeting, as is Halloween. Cinco de Mayo, St. Patrick's Day and the like are not appropriate or necessary to mention in the BendPak Voice.

BendPak Tone

While the company voice is what you always see on the website, no matter who writes the copy, the tone changes based on the situation. For instance, a serious tone should always be used when discussing the life-saving safety features of the lift. The emotions associated with the topic will dictate the tone you employ when writing in the BendPak Voice. Trust your instincts.

Social Media Posts

We use sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to promote our blog, original graphic content and videos in order to increase our visibility on the web. Sometimes we post funny images (be aware of copyright laws) with a witty caption, and these tend to do very well. Shares and likes keep our name out there. We like them.

Facebook: The caption can be a little longer than a tweet, but keep it short. It should look like a caption and not a small paragraph on the screen.

Twitter: Limit hashtags and tweet “@___” relevant people at relevant times. This is the best way to get retweets and likes. Don’t spam people’s pages or make the company look desperate for attention. Include a picture or video in all Tweets.

Instagram:
A) When someone follows, follow back and like one of their posts. It gives a sense of community and excitement.
B) All videos should include upbeat music, a bold font that fills the screen and last about 7 seconds.
C) Try and respond to posts we are tagged and mentioned in.
D) Always check trending Instagram hashtags for the day and incorporate as many as possible.
E) Add between 2 – 4 elements to photos (stamps, filters, Jack, etc.).
F) Create content for younger race car enthusiasts (think 18 – 35). Posts should try and have a race car, witty copy, race track, etc.

Write To Our Audience

There are certain assumptions it is OK to make about someone interested in BendPak. We can assume they're already knowledgeable in DIY and car culture. For this reason, we don’t need to define tools and auto terms, nor should we try to "acquire" non-DIY folks (which would be a waste of time). As part of the community, we write for the community.