Brand / Tone of voice
Tone of voice
How Starshot writes: clear, close, rigorous and with a spark of play. Rules for web, slides, social media, product, errors and email, in English.
Version 1.4 · Oct 20, 2026
How we speak
Starshot speaks like a good project manager: clear, close and concrete. We explain what we do, how we do it and what the client gets, without filling with empty phrases.
Personality
Four approved traits. The personality does not change; the intensity changes with the context.
Trait
We are
We are not
Clear
Direct, with short sentences and one idea per sentence.
Not dry, and not technical to show off.
Close
We speak like a partner who sits in your team.
Not buddies who overact and not pushy sales talk.
Rigorous
We give data, processes and certifications; we promise what we can deliver.
Not cold or bureaucratic; no superlatives without proof.
With a spark of play
Occasional nods to our gamer origin (levels, game, unlock).
We don’t turn everything into a video game or joke in serious contexts.
Tone by context
Same personality, different intensity. The figures in the examples are published only when confirmed.
Context · tone
Key points
Example
Web · confident and concrete
Short headline with a final period, benefit and proof; one play nod per page at most.
«Software people actually use.»
Sales presentation · advisory
One idea per slide, verified figures, cases and next step.
«100+ projects delivered. 3 rounds of prototyping before writing code.»*
Social media · close and playful
Hook in the first line, short sentences, max. 2 emojis, no filler hashtags.
«Your app has users but nobody comes back? Spoiler: it’s the experience, not the marketing.»
Product interface · neutral
Action verbs on buttons, no jokes, sentence case.
«Save changes» · «Add member»
Error messages · calm and useful
What happened, why if it helps and what to do now; never blame the user.
«We couldn’t save your changes. Check your connection and try again.»
Email · personal and direct
Specific subject, one request per email, signed with a person's name.
Subject: «Proposal to extend the .NET team»
Writing rules
Languages, form of address, capitals, punctuation, numbers and inclusive language.
Rule
How
Detail
Languages
English only (US spelling), for every market.
Write natural English, never translated copy. US English with contractions (we’re). Avoid jargon that has a plain equivalent; sprint, QA or MVP are accepted in plain text.
Form of address: you
We adapt to the client's culture and always keep a professional tone.
Address the reader as “you”: friendly but not slangy. A little more formal with corporate, public or banking clients; more relaxed on web, social media and product aimed at the general public. When in doubt, more formal. The same voice is kept across the whole piece.
Capital letters
Sentence case in headlines.
“How we work”, not “How We Work”. Labels in label-caps by style, not typed in capitals. Brand: “Starshot” or “Starshot Software” in legal text; never “StarShot” or “STARSHOT”.
Punctuation
Web and slide headlines with a final period.
Buttons, menus and interface have no period. One question mark, never stacked marks like “!!” or “?!”, and no exclamation marks in serious contexts.
Numbers
Always in digits and verified.
“70%”, “1,000”, “4.5”. Never “over 70+”: “70+” or “over 70”. Dates: “Oct 14, 2026”. Example figures in this guide (*): 70+ clients, 5 sectors, 100+ projects, 30+ people, 10+ years. Replace with the official ones before publishing.
Inclusive language
Generic and collective terms.
“they”, “the team”, “people”, “users”. Avoid gendered defaults like “guys”. We do not assume age, ability or technical profile.
Vocabulary
Words we use and words we avoid.
We use
We avoid
Why
team extension · dedicated team
cheap outsourcing · body shopping
Talks about collaboration, not cost.
users · people who use the app
end users · target
More human.
tailor-made
360 solutions · end-to-end
It is concrete.
deliver · launch · improve
synergies · disruptive · revolutionary
They are empty words.
data and proof (ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ENS Medio; 100+ projects*)
the best · leader · world-class
They cannot be proven.
level · unlock (now and then)
game-changer · epic (in every sentence)
The wink wears out if it is repeated.
partner · collaboration
vendor · resources (for people)
People are not resources.
Before and after
Real website copy rewritten. * Example figure or promise: replace with the official one before publishing.
Before (current website)
After
What changes
«In today’s fast-moving digital world, it’s tough to keep up with everything on your own…»
«Team stretched thin? We add developers who work like your own within 2 weeks.»*
It goes straight to the problem. The 2-week term is an example*: confirm the real one.
«The best people, for the best results»
«30+ people. 100+ projects delivered.»*
Proof instead of superlatives. Example figures*.
«…help over 70+ clients get the most out of every solution.»
«70+ clients across Europe and the US trust us to build software people actually use.»*
Fixes “over 70+” (just “70+”) and links to the promise. Example figure*.
«…where triumphs are more than achievements—they’re stories told.»
«Real projects. Real challenges. Real results.»
Removes the decoration.
«We don’t just follow trends; we set them…»
«We speak up early and own what we ship.»
Makes the leadership concrete.
«…be more productive than ever.»
«Get the experts you need, working like part of your in-house team.»
One idea per sentence.
«Got a question? Need a quick pivot? We’ve got your back.»
«Priorities changed? We adjust the team with you within one sprint, no contract renegotiation.»*
Makes the offer concrete. Example term and conditions*: confirm.
«Error 500. Something went wrong.»
«We couldn’t load this page. Try again in a few seconds.»
Says what happened and what to do.