The story we’re telling

Stories come big and small. We can tell them in
a paragraph, a haiku or three words. When communicating as Harmoney we always want to
be telling the story of the start.

This allows us to put what we can do with a loan
into a format that’s not just a list of buzzwords,
but a more compelling narrative of possibilities.

You might be thinking “but we give loans and we're
a tech product!” That's true, but we’re using technology to support our product. Our product isn’t a loan, it’s potential. Humans connect better when they can relate to human experiences.

Here are a few tips on different techniques we can use to do this.

Every little bit counts!

How people feel about our brand is an accumulation of multiple interactions. Every little bit counts because it all builds to something.

While visual elements are the most easily identifiable part of a brand language—and its consistent use—is an unsung hero.

This is what people interact with the most and something we should strive for consistency.

Language cheat sheet

If unsure, follow these basic principles. It’s a quick way to get a steer on the tone and approach. Here are a few examples.

Clichés

Conversations

Convert

Enable

“Trust Us”

Trusted

Conversations not clichés

Clichés are phrases and words used so often that they lose their power. Now we’re not saying it’s
bad to follow the crowd, but we have to know
when to go a different way. Harmoney aims for
less industry clichés.

Faster Fairer Loans

Fast Loans Made Simple

Simple, Fast, Low Rate Personal Loans

Personal Loans Made Easy

Personal loans to start just about anything.

Steer clear of industry clichés

Personalised rates just
for you

A rate tailored for you

Personalised rate made
for you

A great rate analysed just for you.

Enabling not converting

There are different places where we can explain the simple, speedy and safe Harmoney process—this is most likely in web banners where we don't have much time or space to communicate.

But in places like the website, too many statements that feel like a call to action can feel a little pushy
and closer to payday lenders. Try the approaches below instead—frame possibilities and opportunities. Remember to temper your approach, you need a balance of calls to action and prompting questions.

Get a quick estimate

What could your loan repayments be?

Pose a question instead

Get your money fast

Most of our loans are funded in 24 hours.

Reframe benefits to future states

Trusted not ‘trust us’

You’re more likely to be suspicious than trusting of someone always asking you to trust them. So in this situation we believe that we should state facts that in turn, generate trust.

Trusted by over 48,000 customers.

48,000—We’ve helped so many Australians and New Zealanders fix up their homes, visit family overseas, or start over, with our personal loans.

Don’t ask to be trusted, point it out instead

The way we speak is vital to building trust and humanising money. We write for humans, not robots, so if we make sure we don’t sound like we’ve come out of the matrix, or like a salesman spouting jargon, we should be just about right.

Guiding principal

Empathy underpins all of our writing, whether it’s a headline or body copy always think about it from the perspective of the customer. We put ourselves in their shoes. Ask what their aspirations may be and try to voice them. Ask what their apprehensions may be and try to answer them.

Empathy = conversational

Connect our writing to human experiences and questions, not just product benefits.

This makes the tone conver-sational, answers possible questions and doesn’t just sound like we’re listing off product features.

When writing longer form content, imagine we’re talking to a friend. How would we describe our difference in a simple way that can be communicated in everyday language.

A great rate analysed for you.

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ when  assessing someone’s credit. We’re all different—why shouldn’t your rate reflect that?

We’ve created a unique AI  platform that analyses most
of our credit assessments
which means that it’s completely  anonymous, unbiased and
secure. Giving you the fairest
rate possible.

This is financial intelligence at
its finest.

What’s the difference between aspirational and educational?

Aspirational
The aspirational end of the spectrum focuses primarily on communicating our supportive and encouraging personality through headlines, sub-headlines and sometimes body copy. We use this tone for high level messaging to both broad and targeted audiences.

Aspirational doesn’t mean over-selling a big dream, but more humbly presenting future possibilities. Things that people may have always wanted to start.

This is especially useful for targeted eDMs and advertisements.

Start the ideas you’ve always wanted.

Start turning the house into
a home.

Educational
This end of the spectrum is the smart end. Not the kind that’s snarky but the kind that’s knowledgeable and trustworthy. We do this with clear, human language. Typically, when reading this content, the audience is trying to understand or do something with Harmoney—most likely while in the funnel.

Tonal scale

With empathy as the underpinning, our conversational tone can be applied across a broad range of communications. Sometimes we can be
a little bit more charismatic, other times we need a tempered knowledgeable approach.

Educational

Aspirational

Product

Corporate Comms

Internal Comms

Advertising

Website

Product messaging

This is how we describe the products Harmoney offers to customers. We use an empathetic approach to talk about what the loans could be used for.

Personal Loans to Start Now

Whether you need money to buy a car, make a room for baby or visit family—this is a loan you can use to start just about anything.

Consolidate Loans to Start Fresh

A loan to help you start over, by cleaning up all your bills into one simple payment at a lower rate.

Advertising messaging

Here we use the aspirational end of the spectrum. These are short statements that are both encouraging and supportive.

Encouraging in the sense that the repeated use of start is a call to action, a first step.

Supportive because the techniques present a multitude of things that can be started. Anything we can think of.

Short form messaging

Start your
adventure
road trip
world tour
holiday
studies
business
yoga studio
cafe
start-up
office refurb
home office
renovations

Loans to
start just
about
anything.

Start life’s
big adventures.

Long form messaging

Harmoney—for getting the ‘to-do list’ done and dusted and that other stuff that’s been bugging you for ages, so you can start that thing you’ve always wanted.

Harmoney—for getting the stuff you’ve been meaning to get done for ages, finally done, without having to worry about what might happen if you don’t do those things—‘cause we all need to be able to just live life and finally start doing those things we’ve always wanted to do.

Harmoney—for settling all of the credit cards, the buy-now-pay laters, hire-purchases, car loans, the small bits and pieces that have been starting to add up large, and all of the things that you’ve been really meaning to sort out but haven’t got to, that are weighing you down and adding to that growing feeling of anxiety that gets in the way of just living every day life, so you can finally take a breather, kick back with peace of mind and start fresh.

Advertising
supporting copy

Example 1
We’re here to help you put into action your dreams, goals and opportunities. No matter what, when and how they appear.

Example 2
We’re here to help—from the big things to the little things—in business and life. To help you make a start —or start over.

Example 3
We’re here to help you start now with personal loans, directly, discreetly, diligently. No middle men, no judgements, just clever use of smart technology to make fairer, faster decisions about your loan.

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