Voice

Voice Overview

Convo is a deaf-owned company redefining communication access. Everything we write — product copy, support replies, marketing, internal docs — is an extension of the same strategy that defines the brand.

Vision

Conversations that transform lives.

Mission

Redesigning access through deaf-led systems where connection starts the moment you choose.

Pillars

Pillars are the fundamental standards that guide all our actions and decisions, ensuring that every aspect of our communication technology creates meaningful change and fosters genuine human connections.

Approachable We make complexity simple and human.

Attuned We listen with depth and design with understanding.

Transformative We create change that lasts and uplifts.

Personality: Curious, direct & warm

Personality dictates our approach to engagement, influencing how we present ourselves visually and interactively, ensuring that our warmth and accessibility are felt in every conversation.

Curious means we lead with questions, not assumptions — listening deeply and exploring beyond what’s known.

Direct means we are candid and honest in how we communicate and demonstrate, internally and externally.

Warm means we listen, educate and solve in an approachable manner — whether through people, product or process.

Altogether, this means we talk to people, internally and externally, on an equal footing and with empathy and respect.

What this means for writing

The personality — curious, direct and warm — should be recognisable in every piece of Convo writing. In practice:

• Lead with questions, not assumptions. Curiosity means exploring what the reader actually needs before telling them what we think.
• Be candid. Say what matters. Don’t bury the point in qualifiers or corporate hedging.
• Be warm without being soft. Warmth shows up as listening, educating, and solving — not as excessive cheerfulness or apology.
• Meet people as equals. Whether the reader is a deaf user, a hearing colleague, or a partner organisation, write to them with empathy and respect, not from a position of authority.
• Make it approachable. We make complexity simple and human — never gate content behind jargon or assumed context.

Provenance note: 00 Strategy/Convo-BrandGuidelines-Strategy.pdf in the Drive library is an earlier iteration of the strategy (mission “Empowering individuals with an intuitive tool…”, two pillars, personality “Direct Warmth”). The current strategy above follows the June 2026 Brand Guidelines deck, which the language framework docs also match. See the Strategy chapter for the full current version.

Language Framework

This framework translates Convo’s brand strategy — vision, mission, pillars, and personality — into principles specifically for language and writing.

Vision

Conversations that transform lives. Every message should invite connection, impact, and human dignity.

Mission

Redesigning access through deaf-led systems where connection starts the moment you choose. Our tone reflects agency, immediacy, and user leadership. No gatekeepers. Just access that begins with you.

Pillars

Approachable Let users define how and when access happens — on their terms. Our language should feel easy to engage with, clear without oversimplifying, and open.

Transformative We are not tweaking old systems. We’re rebuilding with the deaf experience at the center. Every phrase should reflect possibility, growth, and system change.

Personality: Direct Warmth

• Direct = Candid, clear, and honest. Share what matters, skip what doesn’t.
• Warmth = Listen, educate, empower. Solve with care, in every message.
• Together, this means we connect with people, internally and externally, on equal footing, with empathy and respect.

Applying the framework

When drafting or reviewing copy, check it against each layer:

1. Does it transform, not just inform? Language should point toward the impact on someone’s life or interaction, not just describe a feature.
2. Does it put the user in control? Favor language of choice and agency (“you choose”, “on your terms”) over language of permission or gatekeeping.
3. Is it deaf-centered, not accommodation-centered? Frame the deaf experience as the design center, not as an add-on being accommodated.
4. Is it direct? Cut hedging, filler, and anything that doesn’t serve the reader.
5. Is it warm? Make sure the direct version still listens, educates, and empowers — warmth is not decoration, it’s a requirement alongside directness.

Inclusive Language Checklist

Use this checklist when writing or reviewing any Convo content.

Global Clarity

• Use simple, plain English.
• Avoid idioms and cultural references.
• Spell out acronyms at first use.

Empowering Tone

• Say “people with vision loss” not “the blind.”
• Avoid “suffering from,” “victim of.”
• Use “support,” “tools,” “resources” over “fix,” “solve,” “cure.”

Gender & Identity

• Default to gender-neutral language.
• Use “they” if unsure of pronouns.
• Avoid assumptions in examples (e.g., “he” for CEO, “she” for assistant).

Accessibility

• Avoid metaphors like “see below,” “click here.”
• Use descriptive links, e.g. “learn more about billing” instead of “click here.”

Note on scope

This checklist is the source-of-truth reference as maintained by the brand team. It covers global clarity, empowering tone, gender and identity, and accessibility of the writing itself. It does not yet include a dedicated set of terminology rules specific to deafness and hearing (e.g., preferred terms among “deaf,” “Deaf,” “hard of hearing,” and terms to avoid such as “hearing impaired”). Until that guidance is formally added to this checklist, do not improvise deaf/hard-of-hearing terminology — confirm current preferred usage with the brand or accessibility team before publishing.

Writing in Practice

Five lenses for editing any piece of Convo copy, plus a simple process for requesting a rewrite from a teammate.

Five editing lenses

Run a draft through these five checks before it ships:

1. Simplify for global readership. Rewrite so it’s clear and simple for someone reading in a second language.
2. Make it warmer. Soften the message so it sounds human and encouraging, not clinical or curt.
3. Add action orientation. Rewrite to highlight next steps and outcomes — what happens next, and what the reader gets.
4. Check inclusive language. Make sure the copy avoids non-inclusive or ableist phrasing (see the Inclusive Language Checklist).
5. Shorten for the format. Tighten the message into a concise, friendly paragraph — cut anything the reader doesn’t need to act.

Requesting a rewrite

When asking someone (or yourself) to rewrite a piece of copy, give three things up front so the edit lands correctly:

• Context — What is this for? Who will read it?
• Current draft — The full current version, unedited.
• Rewrite goal — What should change? (e.g., more direct, more global-ready, warmer tone)

Naming the goal explicitly — rather than just “make it better” — keeps edits aligned to a specific outcome instead of a vague sense of “sounds nicer.”

Note on scope

The source material for this guidance (the Convo Rewriter prompt library) lists categories of edits, not worked before/after examples. Treat the five lenses above as a self-edit checklist rather than a set of fixed before/after templates — apply them to the specific copy in front of you.