Let’s be honest, the modern business owner does way more than just their craft. We’re photographers, social media specialists, writers, salespeople, marketers… the list goes on (there is even a reels trend based on this!). What if we told you, that one sheet of paper could help you with all those hats you’re wearing?
Building out a brand board for your business will help you in more ways than you could imagine. You’ve likely got bits and pieces of this board flushed out, but it’s floating around in your brain or in that online note-taking platform you forgot the password to (guilty). That’s why we created 100% free resources so that business owners can stop running a business and start building a brand!
Why do I need a brand board?
Dream with me here. Imagine a world where you could call your creative friend or hire a graphic designer to do a project for you and all you have to do is send over one single document and they would know exactly how to create something on-brand for you.
You can stop dreaming, that is what a brand board can do for you. It’s a single document that has your logos, color palette, fonts, design elements, and aesthetics of your brand. Not only will it make it super easy to outsource your marketing material, but it will also ensure you, the business owner, stay on brand.
Why does my business need to “stay on brand?”
Close your eyes and imagine you’re in your favorite store. I’m in Bungalow, a local furniture store in Boise. All of their branded products like candle labels, marketing materials on the checkout stand, and their logo are all cohesive. The colors are warm, calming, and their font is sophisticated. Every time I see their logo, I am immediately transported to the magical showroom.
Isn’t that the experience we want all of our customers to have with our business? They were able to cultivate that feeling in me because they are on brand, always! That’s where a brand board comes in.
It helps create consistency when you (or your team) are creating content for your website, social media, and marketing materials. Utilizing the same colors, fonts and design elements helps your customer recognize you.
Your brand board can also help you attract your ideal customers when created strategically. Understanding their pain points, values and interests will help you create your brand style, identity, and overall a brand that resonates with them.
How to create a brand board
I wasn’t going to leave you hanging on those free resources I talked about in the beginning of this article! We created a brand board template in Canva to help guide you in your brand board-building journey. Now, we’re also aware that not everyone is familiar with Canva and might need an extra dash of help from us to get going. The video below will take you step-by-step into the process of creating one of these brand boards.
Once you’re done creating your brand board, export the file as a PDF, and that’s it! You’re one step closer to creating a consistent brand that attracts your ideal clients.
If you enjoyed this content check out our blog 5 Reasons Branding is Important for Small Businesses or follow us on Instagram, @Ampersand_studios