# Orbit — Voice & Tone

Quietly cosmic · Softly guiding · Reassuringly grounded · Unhurried

## Personality

- **Funny ↔ Serious:** leans serious (+1) — Sleep support needs trust and calm; Orbit can be warm, but humor would break the restful atmosphere.
- **Formal ↔ Casual:** leans casual (+1) — Orbit should sound human and approachable, using everyday language rather than clinical or ceremonial phrasing.
- **Respectful ↔ Irreverent:** respectful (-2) — Rest can be emotionally sensitive; Orbit should never tease, pressure, or make light of sleep struggles.
- **Enthusiastic ↔ Matter-of-fact:** leans matter-of-fact (+1) — The brand should feel steady and low-stimulation, favoring quiet confidence over energetic excitement.

## Traits

- **Quietly cosmic** — Uses gentle space imagery to create wonder without becoming sci-fi, mystical, or overly decorative.
  - Why: Orbit’s name and serene cosmic feel are core to the product. The voice should make sleep feel spacious, safe, and beautifully removed from the noise of the day.
  - e.g. "Let the day drift out of view. Your night begins here."
- **Softly guiding** — Offers clear, simple direction in a calm, low-pressure way. Never commands, rushes, or over-explains.
  - Why: People arrive tired, anxious, or overstimulated. Orbit needs to reduce cognitive load and help users ease into rest one small step at a time.
  - e.g. "Settle in. When you’re ready, take one slow breath and let your shoulders soften."
- **Reassuringly grounded** — Balances dreamy language with practical confidence. Makes rest feel possible, not magical or guaranteed.
  - Why: Sleep and meditation require trust. Orbit should feel serene, but also credible and safe—especially for users who struggle with sleep.
  - e.g. "A few quiet minutes can help your body remember it’s allowed to rest."
- **Unhurried** — Moves at a slower rhythm, using short sentences, open space, and gentle transitions.
  - Why: The product experience should feel like exhaling. The voice should never sound busy, promotional, or attention-seeking.
  - e.g. "No need to get it right. Just return to the breath, again and again."

## Tone by context

- **Onboarding:** Welcoming, spacious, and lightly personal. Ask only what is needed, explain why it helps, and make every choice feel low-stakes. Avoid long setup language or productivity framing.
- **Meditation and sleep session intros:** Slow, sensory, and reassuring. Use present-tense guidance, soft verbs, and simple body cues. Avoid hype, humor, complex metaphors, or anything that pulls attention back to the app.
- **Push notifications and reminders:** Gentle invitation, never alarm. Keep messages short and easy to dismiss. Avoid guilt, streak pressure, urgency, or fear-based sleep language.
- **Success and completion states:** Quietly affirming. Recognize the user’s choice to pause without over-celebrating. Avoid confetti energy, performance language, or claims that the session 'fixed' anything.
- **Errors and empty states:** Calm, direct, and blame-free. Say what happened, what the user can do next, and keep the mood steady. Avoid technical jargon or apologetic spirals.
- **Marketing and app store copy:** More evocative and benefit-led, but still serene. Lead with restful nights, calmer evenings, and guided ease. Avoid exaggerated promises like 'sleep instantly' or overly clinical claims.
- **Subscription and upgrade moments:** Transparent, respectful, and quiet. Present the value clearly without pressure. Avoid scarcity tactics, guilt, countdown language, or interruptive excitement.

## Messaging

**Audience:** Adults who want help winding down, falling asleep, or building a calmer meditation habit—especially people who feel overstimulated at night and want a soothing, non-intimidating guide.
**Value:** Orbit helps you ease out of the day and into restful sleep with gentle meditations, sleep stories, and calming cosmic soundscapes.

- **A softer landing at night** — Orbit turns bedtime into a calming transition with guided practices that help the mind slow down and the body settle.
- **Cosmic calm without complexity** — The experience feels spacious, serene, and celestial while staying simple, accessible, and easy to use when tired.
- **Guidance that never pressures** — Orbit supports rest through gentle invitations, not streaks, guilt, or performance goals.
- **Rest you can return to** — From short breathing exercises to longer sleep journeys, Orbit gives users familiar rituals they can come back to night after night.

## Lexicon

**Use:** `settle`, `drift`, `unwind`, `rest`, `restful`, `quiet`, `soften`, `ease`, `breathe`, `night`, `evening`, `stillness`, `space`, `orbit`, `moonlight`, `stars`, `sky`, `cosmos`, `gentle`, `slow`, `return`, `let go`, `when you’re ready`, `no need to rush`, `a calmer night`, `your sleep rhythm`
**Avoid:** `crush your sleep goals`, `hack your brain`, `optimize`, `maximize`, `unlock peak performance`, `insomnia cure`, `guaranteed sleep`, `fall asleep instantly`, `don’t miss out`, `last chance`, `streak broken`, `you failed`, `urgent`, `must`, `should`, `blast off`, `space cadet`, `trippy`, `vibes only`, `woo-woo`, `clinically proven to cure`, `productivity mode`

## Mechanics

- **Capitalization:** Sentence case for headings, buttons, and notifications. Avoid all caps except for legal or platform-required labels.
- **Contractions:** yes
- **Emoji:** Rarely. Avoid emoji in sleep-session guidance. A moon or star may be used sparingly in social or lifecycle messages if it does not make the tone feel cute or juvenile.
- **Reading level:** Grade 6–8. Use short sentences, plain words, and generous pauses. Favor clarity over poetic density.

## Boilerplate

- **Short:** Orbit is a sleep and meditation app that helps you drift into calmer, more restful nights.
- **Medium:** Orbit guides you out of the noise of the day and into a quieter night. With gentle meditations, sleep stories, breathing practices, and cosmic soundscapes, Orbit helps you settle your mind, soften your body, and return to rest at your own pace.
- **Long:** Orbit is a sleep and meditation app designed for calmer evenings and more restful nights. Inspired by the quiet beauty of the cosmos, Orbit offers guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing exercises, and soothing soundscapes that help you slow down without pressure. Whether you have five minutes to reset or a full night to unwind, Orbit creates a soft, steady space to let the day drift away and return to rest.

## Voice in action

**Onboarding welcome screen**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| onboarding-welcome | Welcome to Orbit. Let’s find a quieter path into your night. | Welcome to Orbit! Let’s set up your personalized sleep optimization plan. | The on-voice version is serene and low-pressure. The off-voice version is competent but too clinical and productivity-oriented. |

**Goal selection prompt**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| onboarding-welcome | What would you like more of tonight? | Choose your top sleep improvement goal. | Orbit frames rest as an invitation, not a self-improvement task. |

**Start button for a sleep meditation**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | Begin settling in | Start session now | The on-voice CTA describes the felt experience, while still remaining clear. |

**Push reminder**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| notification | The day can wait. Your evening wind-down is ready. | Reminder: Complete your nightly meditation before bed. | The off-voice version is clear but task-like. Orbit should feel gentle, not like a chore. |

**Missed routine notification**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| notification | No streaks to keep. Just a quiet place to return when you’re ready. | You missed last night’s session. Get back on track tonight. | Orbit avoids guilt and performance pressure. |

**Meditation intro**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Find a comfortable place to rest. Let your breath move slowly, like the tide beneath a dark sky. | Sit or lie down, close your eyes, and focus on maximizing relaxation. | The on-voice version is sensory and calm. The off-voice version is serviceable but mechanical. |

**Sleep story intro**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Tonight, we’ll travel softly through a field of stars. There’s nowhere to arrive. Only the quiet path ahead. | In this sleep story, you’ll follow a relaxing journey through outer space. | Orbit can be evocative in content intros, but should avoid sounding like a generic content description. |

**Session completion**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | You made space for rest. Carry this quiet with you. | Great job! You completed your meditation session. | Orbit’s success tone is affirming but not celebratory or achievement-heavy. |

**Audio loading error**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| error | The track didn’t load. Check your connection, then try again when you’re ready. | Unable to fetch audio content. Please verify network status and retry. | The on-voice version is calm and plainspoken while still useful. |

**Empty saved sessions state**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| empty-state | Your saved night sky is empty for now. Save a meditation or soundscape to return to it later. | You haven’t saved any content yet. Browse sessions to add items here. | The off-voice version is clear but generic. Orbit can add light cosmic warmth without losing clarity. |

**Subscription screen**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Open the full night sky: more sleep stories, longer meditations, and soundscapes to return to anytime. | Upgrade now to unlock premium features and get the most out of Orbit. | Orbit’s upgrade language should communicate value without pressure or generic SaaS phrasing. |

**Cancellation confirmation**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| error | Your plan is canceled. You’ll keep access until the end of your billing period. | Your subscription has been terminated and premium benefits will expire at period end. | The on-voice version is steady, respectful, and easy to understand. |
