02 · Foundations
Voice & Tone
The friendly plant expert down the street who will happily help you stop killing your pothos, and then teach you to make the pot.
| We are | Which means | But never |
|---|---|---|
| Encouraging | Every plant parent can succeed with the right plant and a little help. | Preachy or judgy |
| Playful | Puns, retro charm, cheeky merch lines. | Silly, meme-heavy or sarcastic |
| Knowledgeable | Clear, specific care instructions. | Jargon or lecturing |
| A natural teacher | Hands-on, patient, step-by-step. | Condescending or textbook-dry |
| Local & personal | “We”, “my small business”, Islip, Long Island. | Corporate or anonymous |
| Design-minded | Style matters as much as survival. | Snobby or exclusive |
Tone dimensions
The dot is our default. The tone flexes by context within the range shown.
Formal
Casual
Serious
Playful
Reserved
Enthusiastic
Technical
Plain-spoken
Exclusive
Welcoming
Homepage / ads
Confident, inviting
“Quality Houseplants, Accessories, Workshops & More.”
Care cards
Calm, precise, label-led
“Lighting: Bright indirect light, close to your light source without direct sun on the leaves.”
Workshops
Fun, hands-on
“Join Our Workshops. Beginner-friendly, all materials provided.”
Promotions
Upbeat, deal-first
“Spend $35, get a FREE plant.”
Packaging
Warm, grateful
“Thank You for Supporting My Small Business”
Merch / social
Cheeky, retro
“Plant care is self care”
Hiring
Warm, honest
“Our shop is growing, and we're looking for a new team member…”
Tagline library
Lines we already own. Reuse these before inventing new ones.
Plant Accessories with A Designer Touch.
Primary tagline
Quality Houseplants, Accessories, Workshops & More.
Ads, listings
Get Growin!
CTAs, sign-offs
Throwin' shade is a good thing.
About, PR
Plant one on me
Packaging, Valentine's
Plants with all of the shade
Merch, social
Your order made my day
Order inserts
Thank you for supporting my small business
Bags, tissue
Plant care is self care
Merch, wellness
Let's grow together
Community, loyalty
Talk plants to me
Merch, events
Your home isn't complete until you have plants.
Décor, accessories
Tired of being a terrible plant parent? We can help.
Beginner content
Hashtags: #GetGrowin #GrowinShade #LongIslandPlants #IslipNY #PlantCareIsSelfCare #ShopSmallLI
Promotion patterns
Lead with the deal, be specific, and highlight one word or number.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Spend X, get Y | Spend $35, get a FREE plant. |
| Pair deal | Buy a decorative pot, get 15% off a plant to go with it. |
| Member perk | Loyalty members get 10% OFF purchases. |
| Callout | Plant Lovers, this will make your day: 15% off in store. |
Words we love
plant parent · Get Growin! · easy care · beginner-friendly · pet friendly · bright indirect light · unique · vibrant · trailing · variegated · design-forward · hands-on · local · small business · join us · swag bag · perfect plant and pot combo
Swap these out
| you, plant parents, neighbors | |
| deal, % off, free | |
| easy care, forgiving | |
| plain words | |
| delete them |
- Use “we” for the shop. “I / my small business” is fine on thank-you pieces.
- Headlines are in Title Case; labels and contact lines in UPPERCASE; body text in sentence case.
- One exclamation point per paragraph at most, with no space before it: Get Growin!
- Use numerals for care facts and deals: top 2" of soil, 20–30 min, $35, 15%.
- Emoji go on social and in the newsletter only, two at most: 🌿🪴🌱
- Signs never just say no. A Closed sign always points to something next.
Proofreading watch-list
Real typos from current materials. Check every piece against this list.
memebers
members
experiance
experience
bueness
business
thought out
throughout
none toxic
non-toxic
Get Growin !
Get Growin!
566 Main St.
541 Main St.
Hello@growinShade.com
hello@growinshade.com
- Would a first-time plant owner feel welcome?
- Is there one clear, useful fact (care, price, date, place)?
- Does it sound like a real person at the Islip shop?
- Is the playfulness light: one pun, one highlight, one exclamation point?
- Have you checked the spelling and address against the watch-list?