mpm-brand-voice-plugin/skills/guideline-generation/references/guideline-template.md

Brand Guidelines Output Template

The complete structure for generated brand voice guidelines. Fill each section based on discovered and analyzed sources. The following is a raw markdown template — copy and fill the sections below. Omit sections with no data rather than including empty placeholders.

[Company Name] Brand Voice Guidelines

Generation Metadata

• Created: [date]
• Version: [N] (incremented from previous if updating)
• Replaces: [previous version date, if applicable]
• Sources: [list of documents and/or conversations analyzed]
• Documents processed: [N]
• Conversations analyzed: [N]
• Discovery report used: [Yes/No]
• Overall confidence: [High/Medium/Low]

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Executive Summary

[2-3 paragraph overview of the brand voice. What makes this brand distinctive? What is the core personality? How should content feel to the reader?]

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We Are / We Are Not

The foundational brand identity anchor. Voice is constant — it doesn't change by channel or audience.

We Are	We Are Not
[Attribute 1] — [brief description]	[Counter 1] — [what to avoid]
[Attribute 2] — [brief description]	[Counter 2] — [what to avoid]
[Attribute 3] — [brief description]	[Counter 3] — [what to avoid]
[Attribute 4] — [brief description]	[Counter 4] — [what to avoid]
[Attribute 5] — [brief description]	[Counter 5] — [what to avoid]

Voice Attributes Detail

For each "We Are" attribute:

[Attribute 1]: [Name]

• What it means: [detailed description]
• How it shows up: [specific behaviors in content]
• What to avoid: [the "We Are Not" counterpart, expanded]
• Evidence: [source quote or pattern, with citation]
• Confidence: [High/Medium/Low]

[Repeat for each attribute]

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Brand Personality

• Archetype: [e.g., "The Expert Friend" — technically deep but never condescending]
• If our brand were a person: [brief personality sketch]
• Core values expressed in voice: [list]

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Messaging Framework

Primary Value Proposition

[Core value statement — one sentence]

Variations observed:

• "[Variation 1]" (Source: [doc])
• "[Variation 2]" (Source: [doc])

Key Message Pillars

1. [Pillar Name]

   • Core idea: [one sentence]
   • When to use: [contexts]
   • Example phrasing: "[quote]"
   • Frequency in conversations: [X]% (if transcript data available)
   • Effectiveness: [High/Medium/Low] (if outcome data available)

2. [Pillar Name] [same format]

3. [Pillar Name] [same format]

Competitive Positioning

• vs. [Competitor A]: [how we differentiate]
• vs. [Competitor B]: [how we differentiate]
• vs. Status Quo: [why change is worth it]

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Tone-by-Context Matrix

Voice is constant. Tone flexes by context. These three dimensions adjust:

Context	Formality	Energy	Technical Depth	Key Principle
Cold outreach	Medium	High	Low	Hook fast, earn attention
Discovery calls	Medium	Medium-High	Medium	Ask more than tell
Demo / presentation	Medium-High	High	High	Show, don't just describe
Enterprise proposal	High	Medium	High	ROI and precision
Follow-up email	Medium	Medium	Low-Medium	Add new value each touch
Social media	Low-Medium	High	Low	Brevity and personality
Customer success	Medium	Warm	Medium	Empathy and competence
Internal comms	Low	Medium	Varies	Authentic, less polished

Context-Specific Guidelines

Cold Outreach

• Overall tone: [description]
• Opening approach: [what works]
• Do's: [list]
• Don'ts: [list]
• Example: "[sample opening line]"

Discovery Calls

[same structure]

Proposals & RFPs

[same structure]

Social Media

[same structure]

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Terminology Guide

Must-Use Terms

Term	Usage	Instead Of	Example
[term]	[when/how to use]	[what it replaces]	"[in a sentence]"

Preferred Terms

Term	Usage	Example
[term]	[guidance]	"[in a sentence]"

Avoid These Terms

Term	Reason	Alternative
[term]	[why to avoid]	[what to use instead]

Never-Use Terms

Term	Reason
[term]	[why this is prohibited]

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Language That Works

Ranked by effectiveness (from conversation analysis, if available):

Top Phrases

1. "[Phrase]" — Context: [when to use], Why it works: [analysis]
2. "[Phrase]" — Context: [when to use], Why it works: [analysis]

Questions That Engage

1. "[Question]" — Leads to: [typical outcome]
2. "[Question]" — Leads to: [typical outcome]

Objection Handling Patterns

1. Objection: "[common objection]" Response pattern: "[how top performers respond]" Why it works: [analysis]

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Language to Avoid

Anti-Patterns

1. "[Phrase/pattern]" — Problem: [what happens], Better: "[alternative]"
2. "[Phrase/pattern]" — Problem: [what happens], Better: "[alternative]"

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Content Examples

Excellent Examples

[Full example with annotation explaining what makes it on-brand]

Examples to Avoid

[Full example with annotation explaining what's off-brand and how to fix it]

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Confidence Scores

Section	Confidence	Basis	Sources
Voice Attributes	[H/M/L]	[why]	[N sources]
Messaging Framework	[H/M/L]	[why]	[N sources]
Tone Matrix	[H/M/L]	[why]	[N sources]
Terminology	[H/M/L]	[why]	[N sources]
Language Patterns	[H/M/L]	[why]	[N sources]

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Open Questions for Team Discussion

High Priority (blocks guideline completion)

1. [Question Title]
   • What was found: [description of ambiguity]
   • Agent recommendation: [suggested resolution]
   • Need from you: [specific decision]

Medium Priority (improves quality)

[same format]

Low Priority (nice to have)

[same format]

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Data Gaps & Recommendations

[What's missing and specific actions to fill gaps]

• [Gap 1]: [recommendation to fill it]
• [Gap 2]: [recommendation to fill it]

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Appendix: Sources

#	Source	Platform	Type	Date	Key Sections Used	Confidence
1	[title]	[platform]	[AUTHORITATIVE/OPERATIONAL/etc.]	[date]	[sections]	[H/M/L]

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Template Usage Notes

• Omit sections with no data rather than including empty placeholders
• If transcript data is unavailable, omit the "Language That Works" and "Language to Avoid" sections
• If only documents are available (no transcripts), note this in metadata
• "We Are / We Are Not" table should have minimum 4 rows, ideally 5-7
• Tone matrix should cover at minimum: cold outreach, proposals, social media
• All examples must have source attribution
• Every open question must include an agent recommendation