Voices

The eight canonical voice traits captured in the client portal. Each pattern defines structured writing rules — sentence length, contractions, perspective, hedging, imperatives, rhetorical questions, figurative language — the resolver blends at runtime when a client picks multiple voices.

Clients pick up to 3 voices. The blender weights the first pick highest, second in the middle, third as a softening influence. Rules compose — e.g. Direct + Empathetic produces shorter sentences than pure Empathetic but warmer framing than pure Direct.

Rule summary

How each voice behaves on the structural axes. Use this to predict what a blend will feel like before rendering copy.

Voice	Avg sentence	Contractions	Perspective	Hedging	Imperatives	Rhetorical Q	Figurative
Direct	10 (4–16)	neutral	second-person	avoid	direct	avoid	avoid
Empathetic	14 (6–22)	encouraged	second-person	neutral	soften	neutral	neutral
Witty	12 (6–20)	encouraged	flexible	avoid	neutral	encouraged	encouraged
Expert	16 (10–24)	neutral	flexible	neutral	neutral	avoid	avoid
Conversational	13 (6–20)	encouraged	second-person	neutral	neutral	encouraged	neutral
Authoritative	14 (8–22)	avoid	flexible	avoid	direct	avoid	avoid
Poetic	18 (8–32)	neutral	flexible	neutral	soften	encouraged	encouraged
Approachable	12 (6–18)	encouraged	first-person-plural	neutral	soften	neutral	neutral

Pairings

Which voices reinforce each other vs create productive tension. Tensions aren't forbidden — they're where craft lives. A Direct + Empathetic blend produces copy that is both brief and warm (think: "We know this is hard. Here's what to do next.").

Voice	Reinforces	Tensions
Direct	Expert, Authoritative	Poetic, Empathetic
Empathetic	Approachable, Conversational	Direct, Authoritative
Witty	Conversational, Approachable	Authoritative
Expert	Direct, Authoritative	Poetic, Witty
Conversational	Empathetic, Approachable, Witty	Authoritative, Poetic
Authoritative	Expert, Direct	Empathetic, Witty, Poetic
Poetic	Empathetic	Direct, Expert, Witty
Approachable	Empathetic, Conversational	Authoritative

Blender rules (resolver-side)

The blender lives in the portal resolver. The spec it follows:

1. First pick carries 60% weight, second 30%, third 10% when rules conflict.
2. Numeric rules (sentence length) average with weights. Direct(10) + Empathetic(14) + Poetic(18), weighted 60/30/10, resolves to ~12 words avg.
3. Categorical rules resolve by majority vote with the first pick breaking ties. Direct("avoid" hedging) + Empathetic("neutral") + Poetic("neutral") → hedging stays "avoid" because Direct holds.
4. Perspective is first-pick-wins unless blended voices all agree on another.
5. Signature patterns and avoids are unioned, not averaged — you inherit every voice's guardrails.
6. Pairing tensions are surfaced, not filtered. The resolver notes "Direct × Poetic is a tension blend" in the output so downstream generators know to handle it carefully.

Examples by voice

Each voice renders the same surface types differently. Read across surfaces (Hero / CTA / Paragraph / Microcopy) to feel how the voice expresses itself; read across voices to feel the same surface shift register.

Direct

Short, declarative, imperative. Gets to the point and trusts the reader to keep up.

Hero

Book a visit. Get a plan. Move forward.

→ Three imperatives, no adjectives, complete information.

CTA

Start

→ Single-verb CTAs are peak-Direct. Works when context makes the action obvious.

Paragraph

You need a new website. We build them. Fixed price, four weeks, no surprises. See pricing below.

→ Four sentences, 25 words total. Information-dense, zero ornament.

Microcopy

Required.

→ Not "This field is required" — just "Required."

Signature patterns

• Opens with the verb or the value, not a warm-up.
• Fragments used for emphasis ("Fast. Reliable. Done.").
• Single-clause sentences with active voice.
• Claims stated without softeners ("You save 30%." not "You could save up to 30%.").

Avoid

• Corporate hedging ("please be advised," "kindly note").
• Passive voice when active is natural.
• Throat-clearing openers ("In today's fast-paced world...").
• Qualifying every claim to the point of meaninglessness.

Empathetic

Acknowledges the reader's situation first. Gentle imperatives, warm tone, second-person perspective.

Hero

When you're ready to talk about your smile, we'll listen first.

→ Acknowledges readiness as reader's choice; promises listening, not selling.

CTA

Take the first step

→ Invitation, not command. Pairs with a subhead like "No pressure, no commitment."

Paragraph

We know dental visits can feel stressful — and cost anxiety doesn't help. Before anything else, we'll sit down with you, look at your coverage, and walk through what's actually needed. No upselling. No surprise bills.

→ Acknowledges feelings, names the pain (cost anxiety), commits to specific behavior.

Microcopy

Not sure what to pick? We can help.

→ Treats uncertainty as normal, not a failure.

Signature patterns

• Acknowledge-then-assure openings ("We know this can feel overwhelming — here's what comes next.").
• Em-dashes for emotional pivots rather than commas.
• Invitation language over command ("Let's figure this out together" vs "Book now").
• Named feelings — anxiety, uncertainty, hope — surfaced directly rather than avoided.

Avoid

• Imperatives without softening ("Do this now" reads as bossy).
• Dismissive language about the reader's concern ("It's easy! Just...").
• Corporate hedging that masks instead of softens.
• Over-promising emotional outcomes ("You'll feel amazing!").

Witty

Playful, observant, a little sideways. Uses unexpected turns and cultural resonance to make a point memorable.

Hero

Your teeth called. They'd like a word.

→ Personification + familiar phrasing + implicit urgency. Works for a practice that can afford to be playful.

CTA

Say hello

→ Lowercase informality. Specifically avoids "Book Now."

Paragraph

Most dentists want to fix the thing you came in for. Fair enough. We're more interested in why it keeps happening. (Spoiler: it's almost never the flossing.)

→ Sets up expectation, subverts it, closes with a parenthetical payoff.

Microcopy

Oops — that didn't work. Let's try again.

→ Keeps composure under failure. Never blames the user.

Signature patterns

• Sentence reversals ("We don't sell dreams. We fix teeth.").
• Parenthetical asides that wink at the reader.
• Unexpected noun choices ("This isn't a dental practice. It's a witness-protection program for your molars.").
• Rhetorical questions that answer themselves.

Avoid

• Humor at the client's or reader's expense.
• Jokes that require context the reader won't have.
• Trying too hard — three-joke paragraphs exhaust goodwill fast.
• Humor in inappropriate contexts (medical emergencies, grief, compliance copy).

Expert

Credibility through specificity. Uses correct terminology without over-explaining; references data, method, experience.

Hero

Independent dentistry, backed by 22 years of clinical experience and 3,400 active families.

→ Specific years, specific patient count, specific positioning (independent).

CTA

Review our case studies

→ Assumes the reader is discerning enough to want evidence.

Paragraph

A same-day crown starts with a CBCT scan and an iTero digital impression. No temporary crown, no second visit — the ceramic is milled in-office on a CEREC unit while you wait. The process takes about two hours from scan to seat.

→ Names the tools, explains the method, quantifies the time. Technical but accessible.

Microcopy

Enter your NPI to continue

→ Assumes the reader knows what NPI means — appropriate for a provider-facing form.

Signature patterns

• Specific numbers over vague quantifiers ("8.2 million cases" not "lots of cases").
• Methodological language — how the work gets done, not just what gets done.
• Industry-specific terminology used correctly (hygiene reappointment, case acceptance, not "customer retention").
• Qualified claims — confident where backed, precise where not.

Avoid

• Jargon as status signaling (using complex words where simple ones work).
• Undefined acronyms — define on first use.
• Hedging everything into meaninglessness ("generally," "often," "in many cases").
• Patronizing explanations of obvious concepts.

Conversational

Writes the way a thoughtful expert talks to a friend. Contractions, second-person, moderate rhythm.

Hero

Your smile, your call — we'll just make sure you have the right information to decide.

→ Direct address, em-dash aside, implicit partnership.

CTA

Let's talk

→ Invitation, low commitment, conversational register.

Paragraph

So here's the thing about dental implants: the surgery itself is straightforward. What takes time is the healing — three to six months before the final crown goes on. That's the part most people don't hear about up front, and we think you should.

→ Opens with "So," uses a colon like speech, explicit "we think" of opinion.

Microcopy

Quick question — how'd you hear about us?

→ Casual framing, em-dash, genuine curiosity tone.

Signature patterns

• Rhetorical questions that set up the next point ("So what actually changes? Two things.").
• Sentence openings with "And," "But," "So" — conjunctions used the way people speak.
• Asides in dashes — small clarifications mid-thought.
• Second-person direct address as the default.

Avoid

• Formality for its own sake.
• Corporate voice ("We are pleased to announce...").
• Overwrought metaphors.
• Bullet lists for things that should be sentences.

Authoritative

Declarative, confident, consequential. States things as fact without softening. Earns trust through certainty, not warmth.

Hero

Clinical excellence. Uncompromised.

→ Two-word headline + one-word reinforcement. Weight through brevity.

CTA

Schedule a Consultation

→ Proper capitalization, full phrase, appropriate gravity.

Paragraph

The diagnosis is clear. The treatment path is well-established. We will present three options, each with its own tradeoff, and recommend the one we believe serves you best. The decision is yours.

→ Four declarative sentences, no hedging, closes with reader agency — authoritative without being paternalistic.

Microcopy

This action cannot be undone.

→ Direct consequence, no softening, no "please confirm."

Signature patterns

• Declarative statements without qualifiers ("This is the standard of care.").
• Third-person institutional voice when appropriate ("The practice maintains...").
• Consequence language ("Delay shortens your options. We recommend scheduling within 30 days.").
• Structural parallelism for weight ("We diagnose. We treat. We stand behind the work.").

Avoid

• Contractions when gravity is called for.
• Apologetic framing of necessary information.
• Over-explaining — authority implies the reader can handle the point.
• Condescension — there is a line between authoritative and paternalistic.

Poetic

Rhythm and imagery. Longer cadences, sensory detail, language that earns its space. Used sparingly for emotional resonance.

Hero

Before the before. Before the first visit, the first question, the first decision. This is where it starts — with listening.

→ Three repetitions of "before" + triadic "first" structure + em-dash pivot to the reveal.

CTA

Begin

→ Single word carrying the weight of the whole passage above.

Paragraph

The practice sits between the old courthouse and the maple that turns first every October. Inside, the light is low and the air is warm. We have been here twenty-two years, and in that time we have learned something simple — that dentistry is not the thing people remember. Being known is the thing people remember.

→ Three sentences, 56 words. Sensory specificity (maple, light, air) grounds the abstract close.

Microcopy

Take your time.

→ Minimal imperative, emotional permission. Works on a long-form intake screen.

Signature patterns

• Sensory detail — light, sound, texture, time of day — grounds abstraction.
• Parallel clauses and triadic rhythm ("A practice. A home. A beginning.").
• Metaphor carried through a passage rather than dropped.
• White space and pacing — short sentences after long ones for weight.

Avoid

• Purple prose — ornament without substance.
• Mixed metaphors or metaphors that fall apart under scrutiny.
• Vagueness dressed up as depth.
• Poetic framing on transactional surfaces (pricing, forms, error states).

Approachable

Warm, inclusive, encouraging. Uses first-person-plural (we/us) to signal partnership. Lowers the reader's barrier to action.

Hero

Dental care for your whole family — without the dental-office feeling.

→ Inclusive ("whole family") + specific pain name ("the dental-office feeling") + friendly tone.

CTA

Say hi

→ Low-barrier, low-commitment, friendly register. Pairs well with a subhead like "We'll get right back to you."

Paragraph

We're a small team, and we like it that way. You'll see the same dentist and the same hygienist every time you come in. We'll know your kids' names. We'll remember that you like mint over cinnamon. It's not complicated — it's just how we think dental care should feel.

→ First-person-plural throughout, specific warm details (mint over cinnamon), explicit positioning ("small team").

Microcopy

Any questions? We're around.

→ Permission + availability + casual register.

Signature patterns

• First-person-plural as default ("We work with you," "Our team," "Let's").
• Inclusive language — "everyone," "all of us," "you and your family."
• Low-barrier CTAs — "say hi," "drop us a line," "come by."
• Permission-giving phrases ("no commitment," "at your own pace," "when you're ready").

Avoid

• Formal distance — third-person institutional voice reads as cold here.
• Over-promising familiarity — "Welcome home!" when the reader has never been here.
• Euphemisms that hide real concerns instead of addressing them warmly.
• Condescension dressed as friendliness.

Authoring or evolving a voice

Voices are locked enums in content-system/vocabularies/voice.ts — adding or removing one is a breaking change for every consumer. Evolving an existing voice is the lower-risk path:

1. Edit the voice's .ts file in content-system/voices/{slug}.ts — adjust rules, examples, signature patterns, avoids, or pairings.
2. Bump version (semver patch for example tweaks; minor for rule shifts).
3. Update lastReviewed to today's date.
4. Run npm run build:content-system to validate the type contract.
5. The Record<Voice, VoicePattern> shape in voicePatterns ensures every voice in VOICE_VALUES has a matching pattern at typecheck time.

Related

• Industries — each pack declares default voice affinities; clients override
• Content System overview — how voices fit alongside personality + visual style + atmosphere