Free resource
Branding questionnaire
Eleven questions that start at the roots and end at the leaves. Answer them in order and you'll have the bones of a brand strategy — and a guideline you can actually use.
- 1
Why do you exist?
Not what you sell — why it should matter to anyone that you're here at all.
- 2
What do you believe that your competitors don't?
The opinion that would get you politely disagreed with at an industry event.
- 3
What are you trying to change?
A purpose is why you're here. A mission is the fight.
- 4
What actually guides the decisions?
Three. Not eight. Eight values means no values.
- 5
Who is this for?
The second half is the important half. A brand for everyone is a brand for no one.
- 6
Why you and not the other guy?
Name the other guy. If you can't, you don't know what you're competing with.
- 7
If the brand walked into a room, who is it?
A person, not a business. People are more interesting than 'professional'.
- 8
How do you sound?
Everyone claims to be authentic. Prove it with rules, not adjectives.
- 9
What should everything feel like?
Feel comes before look. Get this wrong and the logo can't save you.
- 10
What should it look like?
Consequences, not decisions. They should follow from everything above.
- 11
Where does this actually show up?
The last question, and the one most people start with. That's the whole problem.
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