How to Create a Brand Board
When you think about your favorite brands there are probably several images and colors that pop in your mind. And that’s on purpose! All successful businesses have one thing in common: a memorable brand. They create recognition with their audience through purposeful branding and that recognition builds trust which converts to sales.
You can (and should) implement this same strategy into your business model and it starts with a brand board!
What is a brand board?
A brand board is a concise document that contains all the visual elements of your brand. It usually includes variations of your logo, colors, typography, and graphic elements such as textures, patterns, and styled imagery. Once you create your brand board you can use it to build a brand system that will be your guiding light when creating content for your online business.
How to quickly and easily create your own brand board:
It’s easy to create a brand board, especially when using templates to guide you. Below is a list of ideas for what you should include in your brand board:
-
Logo - This is the main graphic used to represent your business. It can be used on your website, business documents, and other branding elements.
-
Logo variations - Logo variations are simply another form of your main logo. They give you some creative flexibility.
-
Submark - A submark or brandmark is a simplified version of your logo. They can be used as favicons, watermarks, on social media, etc.
-
Color palette - This is the unique color scheme that helps to differentiate your business and brand. Color palettes typically consist of 3-4 colors.
-
Fonts - Specific and cohesive fonts also help to differentiate your business and brand. Typically you will have a header font, a paragraph font, and an accent font.
-
Images for inspiration - These are photos that best represent the look and feel of your brand. They can be an inspiration for your color palette and set the tone for your business.
Remember that your brand is so much more than your visual appearance. It’s a beautiful combination of all of the above plus your mission, values, tone, and messaging. Keep this in mind when you are creating your brand board so you can stay true to who you are. Your audience will appreciate the authenticity and it will be much easier for you to engage with your people if you feel confident about your brand.
