Wording Guidelines

How writing is done shapes how people experience the brand. This chapter defines the tone and style that help communicate with clarity, warmth, and purpose. The following guidelines help adapt and unify the writing style in day-to-day practice.

Clarity & Simplicity

Easy to understand: Natural yet precise language is used instead of excessively technical language. English terms that are commonly understood or can already be found in the respective official dictionary and/or spelling guide of the language being written in are used.

Reader-friendly and to the point: Simple sentence structures with one key message per sentence are used. Instead of using dashes, bullet points, and parentheses, starting a new sentence is preferred. Unimportant content is left out, and redundancies and unnecessary filler words are avoided as much as possible.

Down-to-earth: Superlatives and absolute adjectives are used with care. Exaggeration, bragging, and exclamation marks are avoided.

Warmth & Closeness

First person and direct address: Communication is done from "we" (and about "us") to "you" whenever possible to create a personal atmosphere.

Active voice: The active voice is used as it reduces the distance between sender and recipient and feels more natural than passive constructions with nominalized verbs or auxiliary verbs such as “should”, “can”, and “must”. Active voice focuses on actions or processes, places the people or products involved at the center, and uses less complex phrasing and more straightforward language.

Present tense: The present tense is used as the main tense.

Dialogue: Questions, including rhetorical ones, are asked to signal interest in and care for customers and partners, to seek exchange and insight, and to be attentive to their needs.

Creativity & Storytelling

Expressive and rich in variety: Strong, expressive verbs and adjectives are used to breathe life into texts and create strong, positive images in people's minds.

Storytelling: Storytelling approaches are employed, developing ideas and common threads or suspense that keep readers engaged until the end.

Targeted use of stylistic devices: Stylistic devices are occasionally used to highlight and illustrate, creating attractive and catchy communications. Examples include alliterations (two or more adjacent words with the same letter or sound at the beginning) or parallelisms (two sentences or phrases with a similar structure).

Click here to see our Tone of Voice Guideline

Do’s and Don’ts

Do:

✅ Use our full name: Hanseatic Global Terminals.

✅ Be clear, concise and benefit-focused.

✅ Reinforce the feeling of safety where it adds value.

✅ Write in the active voice and present tense.

✅ Make communication feel personal and human.

✅ Use American spelling.

Don’t:

❌ Abbreviate to "HGT" in external communications.

❌ Use jargon or overly complex language.

❌ Overuse the word "safe" or use it without intention.

❌ Exaggerate or use superlatives unnecessarily.

❌ Use passive voice or distant phrasing.

Special Terms and Tonal Attributes

While the tone remains rooted in core values, it is slightly adapted to meet the expectations and needs of different communication channels. This ensures effectiveness, relevance, and alignment with the environment in which communication takes place.

Tone Attributes by Context

Website:

Clear, to help users find what they need easily.
Inclusive, to ensure everyone feels welcome.
Confident, to reflect our reliability and expertise.

Social Media:

Friendly, to encourage engagement and interaction.
Conversational, to keep messages relatable and human.
Respectful, to reflect our professionalism and care.

Customer Support:

Empathetic, to acknowledge the customer’s situation and needs.
Factual, to ensure clarity and credibility.
Inclusive, to show that we serve all people with respect and fairness.

Reports and Documents:

Professional, to show expertise and seriousness.
Factual, to support claims with data and precision.
Humble, to demonstrate a balanced and thoughtful point of view.

Internal Communications:

Approachable, to encourage openness and participation.
Inclusive, to reflect our diverse and collaborative culture.
Collaborative, to strengthen teamwork and shared purpose

Customer Support:

Empathetic, to acknowledge the customer’s situation and needs.
Factual, to ensure clarity and credibility.
Inclusive, to show that we serve all people with respect and fairness.

Tone Attributes in Application

These tone elements act as fine-tuning tools. They don’t replace our core style but help reinforce it in more specific writing situations:

Professional:
Competence is expressed with clarity. The tone is polished and assured without being formal or distant.

✅ “We are committed to delivering high-quality results.”

❌ “We will get to it when we can.”

Approachable:
Natural, human language is used. Simplification is prioritized where possible, avoiding robotic or overly technical phrasing.

✅ “Let us take a look at your options.”

❌ “Please review the following procedural documentation.”

Factual:
Exaggeration is avoided, staying grounded in evidence. Transparency supports trust.

✅ “Our survey showed a 15% improvement in satisfaction.”

❌ “Everyone thinks we’re the best!”

Humble:
Progress is recognized while remaining open to feedback. Confidence without arrogance builds credibility.

✅ “We are proud of our progress and know there’s more to do.”

❌ “We have perfected our process.”

Inclusive:
Language is respectful and reflects the diversity of the audience. Outdated assumptions are avoided, and gender-neutral terms are used.

✅ “Everyone is welcome here.”

❌ “He or she can contact support.” (Use “they” instead)

Special Terms: Guidance on Numbers

Time and Date Formats

Dates: January 1, 2024
Times 6:21pm, but 6pm (not 6:00pm)

Numbers:

million / mn
billion / bn
USD 1 million
EUR 1 million, EUR 2 million

Closing Note: Staying in the Brand Territory

Every message sent shapes how people see the brand. The tone of voice helps stay aligned with values and communicate consistently. By following these guidelines, words build the same sense of trust, clarity, and excellence as the services do. Always speak in a way that reflects who the brand is: a safe harbor for all.

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