SumUp_Guides2019Jun_Tone & Voice 1.1

Putting our
mission
into words.

SumUp Writer’s Guide
​ ​v1.0 February 2019
v1.1 March 2019

Contents 3

Intro 4
11
Our voice 13
Our tone 16
Our rules 20
Our methods
Our style 54
55
Get involved
Index

Intro

Welcome, fellow SumUp writer.

Collectively, we communicate with hundreds of people every day
through different channels, across different departments, in
different languages, from different parts of the world.

In spite of this spread, we aim to keep our writing consistent in its
voice, tone and style. The best brands in the world are unfailingly
familiar in how they sound.

Cue this writer’s guide.

It's made for all writers and editors: in-house, freelance,
agency-side and everything in between. Read it through before
you start writing for SumUp, and refer to it during your time here.

We’re excited to have you with us as we put our mission into
words. If you haven’t already, start with the S​ umUp Brand Book​ –
it provides a great overview of our brand.

Now take this and run with it.

 Our voice

Voice is different to tone.

Voice​ reflects the personality of a brand through words – what it
believes in, its point of view, and how it acts. A good brand voice
is familiar, predictable and consistent.

Tone​ is the way a brand uses its voice in different situations. You
can ​read more about that here​.

SumUp’s voice​ is lighthearted, helpful, proud and expert. We are
passionate about helping small businesses succeed, and we
understand that the people that make up these businesses are
busy and solutions-hungry. We are humans who deal with
humans, so we ​sound​ human. We are fluent in technical
language, but we only use it when necessary. We get to the point
without ever being dry or dull. We always interact at eye-level.

Guiding principles:

Lighthearted but not silly

X W​ owza Sarah! A big high-five from the SumUp crew for
smashing those sales outta the park :)

√ ​We guess all those (very, very) late nights paid off, Sarah.
Congratulations on reaching a new sales record!

Proud but not arrogant

X S​ umUp beats the competition. It’s the best product available on
the market today.

√ ​Merchants tell us that SumUp is easier and faster than anything
they’ve used before.

Expert but not bossy

X S​ ee the FAQ for our pricing structure or call us for more info.
Do not reply to this email.

√ ​One fee per transaction and no contract. We take care of
everything in the background.

Helpful but not overbearing

X Y​ ou must follow these exact steps before using your Air Card
Reader, otherwise it won’t work.

√ I​ saw that you ordered an Air Card Reader. Do you need help
setting it up?

Translating brand characteristics

In the S​ umUp Brand Book​, we define a set of strong brand
characteristics that should be identifiable in any communication
we have with the outside world. Here are some pointers on how to
translate them into your writing.

Trusted

• Use simple, everyday words
• Use short sentences
• Communicate one idea per sentence
• Use simple punctuation
• Be definitive – don’t use "we think” or “probably”
• Provide sources for every fact, stat or claim
• Use merchant quotes to back up our own claims
• Be benefits-driven and focus on solutions
• Highlight key info in boxes, tables and other visual aids

X I​ t’s probably true to say that digital payments are growing and
technology is now easier to use; we are trying to leverage these
two things to become one of the industry leaders in our field.

√ D​ igital payments are set to hit 726 billion by 2020(1). We’re
here with powerful, easy-to-use technology so you can be a part
of this growing trend.

Inclusive

• Use global language – avoid idioms and slang
• Be positive – say "easy" instead of “hassle-free”
• After the first instance of “SumUp”, use “we/us/our”
• Use personal sign-offs such as “Mark from SumUp” for support
emails, but not for mass-market ones
• Provide links and resources to help users with the next step
• ​When possible,​ a​ void generic CTAs like “Click here” or “Learn
more”

X D​ ear Mr. Hadle. The SumUp team is all about pain-free
payments and smile-inducing service – two birds, one stone.
More information can be found in the document below.

[Download]

Sincerely,
SumUp

√ H​ ello Daniel,

Thanks for your message. We’re passionate about fast payment
processing and customer service, and will do all we can to give
you both. Take a look at the document below for more info.

[The SumUp Promise]

All the best,

Mark from SumUp.

Honest

• Avoid jargon
• Be straight-talking instead of poetic
• Don’t use synonyms for the sake of it
• Be personal and talk directly to the reader
• Bold claim? Check with PR and/or legal first before publishing
• Be approachable in replies, never defensive
• Stay calm and friendly, even when talking with angry people
• Provide help at every opportunity

X T​ his is not true. SumUp is EMV-compliant. We endeavour to
meet our merchant's desires without fail.

√ ​Put simply, EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) means any
chip-based credit card. We support it out of the box.

Modern

• Avoid stuffy, complex industry language
• Be fresh and energetic, but not brash
• Write with mobile in mind – short and sharp
• Use emojis where appropriate, but always sparingly
• Always mention/tag users when possible
• Shorten long links

X ​Spending trends in this sector are shifting. Our expert Linda
Freeman uncovers what the top grossing products and services
will be in 2025, covering: automotive, technology, lifestyle,
household, education, insurance, and healthcare. Read the report
here: www.sumup.com/reports/spending-trends-2025

√ W​ hat will you be spending your money on in 2025? Our
expert @Linda has some surprising answers: http://sum.up/Fdf54

Intuitive

• Start a new paragraph every three to five sentences
• Use bullet points if you’re listing more than five things
• Use fold-down menus for non-critical yet supporting info
• Never miss an opportunity to link to our products
• Embrace white space – keep things visually clear
• Start CTA buttons with strong verbs
• Hint where CTAs take users – “Read the report” not “Download”

X W​ e help all kinds of merchants in a variety of areas, including:
retail, health, fitness, home, bars, table service, coffee shops,
repairs, and beauty. We offer three different products: Air Card
Reader, 3G Card Reader and POS Register. Each is suited to a
different type of merchant.

√ ​SumUp is a great solution for every type of small business:

• Retail
• Health
• Fitness
• Home
• Bars
• Table service
• Coffee shops

The right SumUp product for you? Discover all three now >

 Our tone

Tone is different to voice.

Tone​ is the way a brand uses its voice in different situations. It
changes frequently to stay empathetic and relevant. Think of it
this way: talking to a group of adults versus a group of children.
It’s the same you, except your tone will be different.

Voice​ reflects the personality of a brand through words. You can
read more about that here​.

SumUp’s tone​ is usually down-to-earth and professional, but this
is influenced by where we are interacting with our audience and
what emotional state they are in. Did a customer email about a
positive website experience they had? Are they disagreeing with
us on Twitter about our latest blog post? There is no rule of thumb
for how to transition between tones, but use some common sense
and take cues from this simple breakdown.

More friendly and positive:

Website (home, product pages, pricing, landing pages)
General social media posts
Email newsletters
App Store
Blog posts (case studies, company news)

More caring and calm:

Support emails/social media replies
How-to blog posts
Support-based video scripts
FAQs
Chatbots
Push/SMS notifications

More direct and confident:

Trustpilot replies
Press releases
Pospedia​ entries
Product manuals
Ads – be provocative where it makes sense!

Keep in mind​ our customers at all times. They are brave,
resilient, inspiring, energetic, adaptive and passionate community
servants. Above all else, we should make them feel ​empowered.​

Our golden rules

Use British English spelling.

That’s –ise, not –ize. Colour, rather than color. Travelling, rather
than traveling. This will keep us consistent across all channels
and formats.

But communicate with cosmopolitan flair.

Think about that well-travelled person with that hard-to-place
accent. Write British, but speak global.

Everyday words, always.

Don’t say “virtuous” when “good” will do. Imagine speaking to your
family or friends. Use the types of words they would know.

SumUp first, we/us/our after

The first time you mention SumUp in a piece of content, write
“SumUp”. After that, use “we/us/our”. This sounds warmer and
more approachable. Avoid saying “company” unless completely
necessary (such as in a press release).

X​ At SumUp, simplicity is key. A company belief is that big
problems can be solved by technology.

√​ At SumUp, we believe in simplicity. Our goal is to solve big
problems through technology.
-
Write simple, clear sentences.

One idea per sentence. Break longer sentences up whenever you
can. Don’t overuse semicolons or en dashes – when in doubt, use
a full stop.

X​ SumUp is used by hundreds of thousands of small businesses
in 31 countries around the world conducting different types of
business, from big to small. We produce original hardware, mobile
and web apps; we also develop a suite of APIs and SDKs to
integrate SumUp payment into other apps and services.

√​ SumUp is used by hundreds of thousands of small businesses
in over 31 countries. We offer an all-round payment solution
through our original hardware, apps, APIs and SDKs.

Talk to one reader, not several.

Use the word “you” twice as often as words like “I” or “we”. Always
remember that you’re talking to a p​ erson​, even in a B2B scenario.

X​ We believe that everyone can make a difference if they put in
the work.

√​ We believe that you can make a difference if you put in the
work.

Use the active voice.

Avoid the passive voice. "David used the phone”, not “The phone
was used by David”. With the active voice, subjects perform
actions on objects.

Show, don’t tell.

Help people visualise what you say. Instead of throwing out a
statement, take the time to break it down and explain. A good
example of this is saying something is “innovative”. By itself this
word doesn’t paint a picture – you need to show how that
something is innovative.

X​ The innovative Air Card Reader will help you do better
business.

√​ Our Air Card Reader has a crisp OLED display, NFC technology
for contactless payments and a sleek touch-sensitive keypad. It
helps you take payments as fast as possible, with greater clarity.

Use contractions.

Say “That’s”, not “That is”. It sounds more friendly. Exceptions
may be in technical or inherently formal writing.

Call yourself a SumUpper.

Internally, you can call yourself a “SumUpper”. `

SumUper

SumUpper

S’up

 Our methods

We use certain processes to ensure we produce quality copy.
Here is a quick overview of what you can expect.

On-boarding

Before you actually start writing, you should have:

• Had a general on-boarding session by a member of staff
• Read through the ​SumUp Brand Book
• Read through the two-page SumUp p​ roduct and services doc
• Read P​ ospedia​, our customer-friendly database of tech terms
• Read through the ​SEO guide​ (available on request)
• Have an account on Smartling* (translators only, please request)

Internal writer? Please visit the c​ ompany confluence page​ for
more specific set-up instructions.

Translation Memory/Smartling

XXX

A note on briefings...

Although most copy requests are handled thoroughly, once in a
while you might receive a bad brief. To ensure you get what you
need quickly, we’ve put together a simple briefing document that
you should share with the stakeholder/s to get the info you
require. Ask them to fill it out and send it back.

Get the briefing template

Checklist

Ready to deliver your copy? Review this checklist first to make
sure you’re hitting our core voice and style cues.

[ ] Does the copy sound expert, friendly and positive?
[ ] Have you used simple words and punctuation?
[ ] Are the messages benefits- and/or solutions-driven?
[ ] Is the copy structured with mobile in mind?
[ ] Have you used boxes, bullets and call-outs to break up copy?
[ ] Are all facts and stats truthful? Does each have a source?
[ ] Do CTAs use strong action words?

Our style

Our house style is largely based on the C​ hicago Manual of Style.​
Below are some key highlights and SumUp-specific exceptions
that you should follow.

 Abbreviations and acronyms

Spell them out the first time you use them and include the
abbreviation or acronym in brackets. After that, use the
abbreviation or acronym. Where applicable, always link to
Pospedia​ to help users get familiar with industry terms.

X​ A POS does more than manage payments. Many people use a
POS to take care of their books and process management too.

√ ​A point of sale (POS) does more than manage payments. Many
people use a POS to take care of their books and process
management too.

 Ampersands (&)

Only use an ampersand when it’s part of a company name. An
exception is when producing micro copy (such as in the app or in
a nav bar) or writing for a short-form medium such as Twitter
where space is limited.
X​ Our transaction fee & monthly costs are transparent.
√​ Our transaction fee and monthly costs are transparent.

 App

We describe our smart device apps as “apps”, not “applications”.
In most cases you can also drop the device type.
X​ Download our smartphone and tablet applications today.
√​ Download our apps today.

 Bullet points

Use bullet points to break up big blocks of text, or when listing
more than five things in a row. People like bullet points – they
make skimming a page much easier.

X​ We help all kinds of merchants in a variety of areas, including:
retail, health, fitness, bars, table service, coffee shops, repairs,
and beauty. We offer three different products: Air Card Reader,
3G Card Reader and POS Register. Each is suited to a different
type of merchant.

√​ SumUp is a great solution for every type of small business:

• Retail
• Health
• Fitness
• Bars
• Table service
• Coffee shops

The right SumUp product for you? Discover all three now >

 Capitalisation

Never use all caps, except for acronyms and abbreviations.
Capitalise proper names and nouns.

X​ Today we were visited by the chancellor who spoke with our
Marketing Team about our global Communications efforts. We
also presented our Card Reader, which works with Chip and PIN
out of the box.

√​ Today we were visited by the Chancellor who spoke with our
marketing team about our global communications efforts. We also
presented our card reader, which works with Chip and PIN out of
the box.

 Calls to action (CTA)

Keep CTAs short and sharp. Always start them with a strong
action word. Try to hint at where the CTA will take the user, or
what the next action will be. Avoid generic CTAs where possible
(such as “Download” and “Click here”).

X​ Download now
√​ Read the report

X​ Click here
√​ Download the ebook

X​ Contact
√​ Email us

 Closes

Our default close when writing as the company is “The SumUp
Team”. When writing as yourself, choose something respectful
and friendly. Some good examples:

√​ Thanks, Name.
√​ Best, Name.
√​ Yours, Name.
√​ Sincerely, Name.

 Collective nouns

Collective nouns can be singular or plural, depending on context.
In general, only use the plural if the people of the
company/organisation/institution are performing an action.

X​ SumUp are a leading mPOS company based in London.
√​ SumUp is a leading mPOS company based in London.

X​ SumUp is hiring new staff for its London office.
√​ SumUp are hiring new staff for their London office.

 Contractions

Use them. It makes copy feel more friendly and approachable.
Exceptions are technical or inherently formal writing, such as
press releases and white papers.

X​ It is a great time to run a business. You are the boss.
√​ It's a great time to run a business. You're the boss.

 Currency

Write the entire number out, unless it's a million or above, then
write “million/billion”.

X​ We estimate over $12,000,000 in sales.
√​ We estimate over $12 million in sales.

X​ He spent forty dollars in total.
√​ He spent $40 in total.

Please see ​this confluence page​ for more specific rules.

 Dashes

A modern dash typically does two things: provides additional
information as a strong break in a sentence, and replaces the
word “to” (such as 1940 to 1942).

We use an en dash (–) to show a range of numbers, such as
page numbers, times and scores. Do not put spaces around it
when using it in place of “to”.

X​ Your order will arrive in 2—3 days.
X​ Your order will arrive in 2-3 days.
√​ Your order will arrive in 2–3 days.

X​ Please see pages 33 – 45.
√​ Please see pages 33–45.

For connecting compound words, use hyphens (r​ ead more here)​ .

Em dashes (—) are used to create emphasis and add
afterthoughts. No spaces should be used.

X ​All businesses – even small ones – benefit from our service.
√ ​All businesses—even small ones—benefit from our service.

X P​ ayment is fast — that’s the magic of the 3G Reader.
√ ​Payment is fast—that’s the magic of the 3G Reader.

 Dates and years

Always write years as numbers. If you abbreviate a decade, use
an apostrophe.

X​ It was made in nineteen forty-two and was popular in the 60s.
√​ It was made in 1942 and was popular in the 60’s.

For dates, follow the convention: day, month, year. Use ordinals
(th, st, rd).

X​ I joined the company on February 12 2007.
√​ I joined the company on 12th February 2007.

 Emojis

Although emojis are commonplace nowadays, use them
sparingly. They’re best suited to social media posts and email
subject lines.

X​ What type of saver are you? Find out in our latest blog
post ​www.bit.ly/Ohty76
√​ What type of saver are you? Find out in our latest blog
post: w​ ww.bit.ly/Ohty76

 Emoticons

We never use emoticons in our copy.

X​ :) ;) :o :/ (and so on...)

E  xclamation marks

We never use them. There’s just no need!!!!!!

 Full stops

SumUp has different uses for the full stop.

√​ Use them in regular body copy – at all times
√​ Use them at the end of bullet points and numbered lists (if it’s a
complete sentence)

X​ Do not use them in titles
X​ Do not use them with button copy

 Hashtags

Hashtags can be used with social media posts. Include a
maximum of 10 hashtags, and don’t cram too many keywords in
there – it looks unprofessional when you do.

If the hashtag is multiple words put together, each word must be
capitalised to avoid confusion and make it easier to read.

X​ It’s great for coffee shop owners. See it for yourself – link in the
bio! #sumup #sumup Air #Technology #Innovation #Money
#Berlin #theeverydayhero #Handmade #Payments #Cards
#Mastercard #VISA #Business #Company #Stocks

√​ It’s great for coffee shop owners. See it for yourself – link in the
bio! #SumUp #SumUpAir #Coffee #TheEverydayHero #Payments
#CardReader

 Headings

All headings should be written in sentence case. This means we
capitalise the first word, proper nouns and names only.

X​ A Smarter Way to Get Paid.
√​ A smarter way to get paid

X​ How Make Cuban Made the Dallas Mavericks Successful.
√​ How Mark Cuban made the Dallas Mavericks successful

 Hyphens

We typically use hyphens with compound modifiers (two separate
attributive words that modify a noun). If two words create one idea
(such as high-end), you must hyphenate them to apply that idea
to the next word.

X​ High end car (sounds like a car at the end of a line is tall)
√​ High-end car

Do not use a hyphen with words ending in ‘–ly’.

X​ Beautifully-coloured car
√​ Beautifully coloured car

 Italics

We use italics for blog intro paragraphs, foreign words and other
places where it makes sense. But don’t overdo it.

 Jargon

Avoid jargon at all costs, unless you are completely confident that
the intended audience will get it. If in any doubt, always link to
Pospedia​ after using a technical term, and always spell out those
acronyms and abbreviations (s​ ee here​).

X​ We're a leading mPOS company based in Europe.

√​ We're a leading mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) company
based in Europe.

 Log in vs login

"Log in" is a verb, meaning to log in to a website. “Login" is a
noun or adjective. For example, you use your login
information to log in to a website.

X​ Click the button to login
√​ Click the button to log in

X​ Just click the log in button
√​ Just click the login button

 Mentions

When referring to other people or businesses on social media, it’s
good practice to mention them (@), unless they’re a competitor. If
a person or company has an irrelevant/strange/complex Twitter or
Facebook account name, write the real name first and then
include the handle in brackets – but only if you have space!

X​ We sat down with Martina Brook to talk all things tech.
√​ We sat down with @MartinaBrook to talk all things tech.

X​ This is the magic of @itsbradhapcomp88_.
√​ This is the magic of the Bradley Happer Company
@itsbradhapcomp88_

 Merchants

These are our customers. Use the term when describing the
audience as a whole, but use “you” when talking to them directly
to keep the conversation at eye-level.

X​ Customers love SumUp because it’s easy to use.
√​ Merchants love SumUp because it’s easy to use.

X​ Merchants can sign up directly on the SumUp website.
√​ You can sign up directly on our website.

 Names

Check that names, places and ages are accurate. When directly
talking to a customer or prospect, we typically use their first name,
unless the person is upset and requires a more respectful tone.
We only use “Mr/Mrs” if the person signs-off their communication
in that way, and then we typically lead with “Dear”.

X​ Dear Mr Barker. Welcome to SumUp.

√​ Hi Daniel. Welcome to SumUp.

X​ “I am utterly disappointed. Sincerely, Susan Collins.” “Hey
Susan, we are sorry to hear…"

√​ “I am utterly disappointed. Sincerely, Susan Collins.” “Dear Mrs.
Collins, we are sorry to hear…”

X​ “Thank you for your reply. Best, Mr Burrows.” “Hi Ben, thanks
for your email."

√​ “Thank you for your reply. Best, Mr Burrows.” “Hello Mr
Burrows, thanks for your email."

 Numbers

Never spell out numbers. Use numerals at all times. Try to avoid
starting a sentence with a number.

Always use the percentage sign (%); never spell “percentage"
out.

X​ There were nine people using the service at this time.
√​ There were 9 people using the service at the time.

X​ Of the six hundred, forty percent would recommend it.
√​ Of the 600, 40% would recommend it

 Numbered lists

Bullet points (s​ ee here)​ should be used in most cases. But
numbered lists are handy for actionable scenarios.

If you want the reader to do something, such as visit the SumUp
website, log in, update their profile and save it, numbered lists
should be used to take them step-by-step through the process.

 Oxford comma

An Oxford comma is a comma that comes before the penultimate
“and/or” in a list of three or more items. We don’t use the Oxford
comma, unless leaving it out would cause confusion.

X​ A great solution for small, medium, and large businesses.
√​ A great solution for small, medium and large businesses.

Example of when to use the Oxford comma: “The dwarfs, Obama
and Clinton are here”. This sounds like Obama and Clinton are
dwarfs. To avoid confusion, put a comma after “Obama”.

 Paragraphs

Create a new paragraph every 3–5 sentences. This helps break
up big blocks of copy, making your content easier to read.

 Products

Always capitalise our products. The correct spellings are:

√​ Air Card Reader
√​ 3G Card Reader
√​ POS Register

Variations include:

√​ SumUp Air
√​ SumUp 3G
√​ Air Card Reader

 Quotation marks

We use double quotation marks (“ “) when quoting someone. Use
single quotation marks (‘ ‘) when a person you’re quoting makes a
quote themselves or fo £@@nanaa. Do not use quotation marks
around words for stylistic effect – it adds nothing.

X​ This is the so-called “sweet spot”.
√​ This is the so-called ‘sweet spot’.

X​ ‘I really like SumUp’, says Gina.
√​ “I really like SumUp”, says Gina.

X​ “I do like to say “it’s easy!” when my family and friends ask.”
√​ “I do like to say 'it’s easy!' when my family and friends ask.”

 Slang

Don’t use any slang or idioms. We write for a global audience,
and not everyone will get it.

 Slashes

Use slashes when necessary for support and email marketing, but
do not use them on the blog.
X​ Download on your smartphone or tablet
√​ Download on your smartphone/tablet

 Signatures and sign offs

When talking to a customer directly (such as when providing
support), sign off your communication with either your first name
or first name and “from SumUp.” No personal sign offs are
needed for social media posts or newsletters, unless they’re
written by someone noteworthy in the team.

X​ I’m glad I could solve your problem. Mr Thomas Gerkman.
√​ I’m glad I could solve your problem. Best, Thomas.

X​ If you have any other questions, please get in touch. SumUp.
√​ If you have any other questions, please get in touch. Thomas
from SumUp.

What about complimentary closes such as regards or sincerely or
best? ​See here​.

 SumUp

We capitalise the “S” and the “U” only. No space between “Sum”
and “Up”. We never spell it all caps.

X​ SUMUP
X​ Sum Up
X​ Sumup
√​ SumUp

You can use SumUp in the possessive (putting ’s at the end).

X​ Products and services from SumUp.
√​ SumUp’s products and services.

 Spelling

We write in British English. That’s –ise, not –ize. Colour, rather
than color. Travelling, rather than traveling.

 Technology

"Technology" is a good catch-all term to use when referring to any
technical information (such as algorithms or APIs) that might
alienate the audience. There are times when you should use
these technical terms, however. In general: if it’s a first touchpoint
and the rest of the content is light, use “technology”.

X​ Our advanced algorithms ensure fast payment processing.
√​ Our advanced technology ensures fast payment processing.

 Time

We use the 12-hour format, not the 24-hour. Always use am and
pm without dots. Use a space between the time and am or pm.

X​ We sent out an email at 17:00 yesterday.
√​ We sent out an email at 5 pm yesterday.

 Titles

All titles should be written in sentence case. This means we
capitalise the first word, proper nouns and names only. Never
write a title in ALL CAPS. Never use full stops at the end of titles.

X​ GET PAID FASTER.
√​ Get paid faster

X​ Coffee in california: sarah’s story.
√​ Coffee in California: Sarah’s story

 We/our/us

The first time you mention SumUp in a piece of content, write
“SumUp”. After that, use “we/our/us”. This sounds warmer and
more approachable. Avoid saying “company” unless completely
necessary (such as in a press release).

X​ At SumUp, simplicity is key. Our company belief is that big
problems can be solved by technology.

√​ At SumUp, we believe in simplicity. Our goal is to solve big
problems through technology.

Exceptions are technical or inherently formal writing, such as
press releases and white papers.