Only once you understand what a brand is, you can actively shape it with branding. This page helps you understand your brand. This free workbook helps you start branding.

Brand dictionary

• Brand:
  The sum of people’s feelings about you, based on all previous direct or indirect interactions they’ve had with you
• Branding:
  The process of influencing a brand
• Story:
  A reason for your business to exist beyond making money (purpose), communicated to people
• Strategy:
  The thinking behind why your business exists, what it stands for and how it competes
• Identity:
  The execution of how your business looks and communicates across all touchpoints
• Touchpoints:
  All online and offline places where people interact with you (website, content, print, word-of-mouth, customer support…)
• Brand audit:
  The process of assessing strengths and weaknesses of an existing brand
• Brand refresh:
  The process of updating the visual and verbal identity of an existing brand
• Rebrand:
  The process of changing strategy and identity of an existing brand
• Brand equity:
  The commercial value derived from perception of your brand

Strategy

• Purpose:
  A reason for your business to exist beyond making money
• Mission:
  A statement that outlines how exactly you fulfill your purpose
• Vision:
  The long-term future you aim to create
• Positioning:
  A decision about how you want to be perceived in relation to competition in your market
• Value proposition:
  The unique value you offer to help your customers
• Brand values:
  The principles that guide your decisions
• Brand personality:
  Human characteristics associated with your brand
• Brand architecture:
  A defined hierarchy of your products or services

Identity

• Visual identity:
  How your business looks through design
• Verbal identity:
  How your business communicates through words
• Mood board:
  A collection of visual materials intended to convey a specific feeling
• Symbol:
  A graphic mark without words that represents you
• Wordmark:
  A logo made out of only words
• Lettermark:
  A logo made out of only initials
• Logo:
  A symbol, a word, or a combination of both that represents you
• Typography:
  The appearance of letters
• Typeface:
  A collection of characters with a common design style (Helvetica)
• Font:
  A file that implements a specific typeface variant (Helvetica Bold)
• Visual identity guidelines:
  A document that defines and explains how you look visually
• Style guide:
  A document that defines and explains how you communicate
• Tagline:
  A short memorable sentence you use to remind people of you
• Tone of voice:
  The emotional style you use in communication
• Messaging:
  Key ideas your brand communicates

This branding dictionary is constantly updated and simplified. If you have a suggestion or a better definition, please send it to me.

Branding workbook

Every memorable brand starts with a unique story, which starts with a purpose.

View Free Branding Workbook (PDF)

You can print it out to define the purpose behind your business and start branding.

Use your purpose to tell the right story and it will be the one thing people remember you for and choose you by.

Once you’re ready to continue branding with the right strategy and identity, my branding studio will be here.