The Legendary

Brand Checklist
A N S E L F - S C O R I N G G U I D E TO B U I L D I N G

A N U N F O R G E T TA B L E B R A N D
“ A N D A B O V E A L L , W AT C H W I T H G L I T T E R I N G E Y E S

THE WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU BECAUSE THE

G R E AT E S T S E C R E T S A R E A L W A Y S H I D D E N I N T H E

M O S T U N L I K E LY P L A C E S . T H O S E W H O D O N ’ T

BELIEVE IN MAGIC WILL NEVER FIND IT.”

ROALD DAHL

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INTRODUCTION

Why it matters
You might be wondering what the point of all this “branding” is, or what “branding” even
means for that matter. If so, you’re not alone! I’m going to clear a few things up about
branding before we get started.

Let’s start with what your brand is NOT. It’s not your logo. It’s not your business name or
color scheme or typography or website, and it’s not even what your sell or offer. Those are all
aspects, but they are not the brand itself.

Your brand is an experience, a mindset - it’s how people feel about you, what they say about
you, and what they think about when they hear your name. Your brand is the STORY.

When you develop a business strategy, design a visual identity, build a website, or write
copy for your ads, you’re helping to shape and influence this brand experience. Properly
implemented, all these aspects come together to make your customers perceive your brand
the way YOU want them to.

Power over public perception is priceless. And THAT is branding.

Still not sure what branding is?

Read this.

“ Y O U R B R A N D I S W H AT P E O P L E
S AY A B O U T Y O U W H E N Y O U ’ R E
N OT I N T H E R O O M . ”

JEFF BEZOS

© Copyright 2019 Wild Side Designs, LLC - All Rights Reserved

 THE CHECKLIST

How Effective is
Your Brand?
The first and most important principle of branding, the one that comes before all other, is
clarity. Without clarity, it doesn’t matter how much you spend on first-class graphic design,
marketing campaigns, or more - if it isn’t consistent, it won’t be effective.

It’s like building a house on sand (i.e. something uncertain and always changing) vs. building
a house on rock-solid foundations. Only one will stand the test of time.

We created this checklist so you can self-score your brand and see what you’re doing well,
and what you need to improve. For each question, just check YES or NO. At the end, tally up
how many of each you have, and proceed to the scoring page!

I have a clearly defined target audience. I know their

average age, gender, socio-economic status, location,
YES NO hobbies, interests, and more.

I could describe my ideal customer as if they were a

real person - I know what they like and dislike, what
YES NO motivates them, and what their fears are.

I have specific mediums or places that I use to best

reach and engage my target audience (i.e. Instagram,
YES NO local community centers, blogs, etc).

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 THE CHECKLIST (PAGE 2)

I know who my competition is (both locally and

nationally) and I’ve done extensive research on what
YES NO they’re doing well and what they could improve.

I have a clear idea of my business’s differentials, or

what sets my brand apart from my competition. I
YES NO make these clear to my target audience.

I have a list of keywords that represent my brand

values. I use these to guide my business in all aspects,
YES NO from customer service to growth plans.

I have a clearly defined tone of voice that I use in all

my writing for my brand materials (print, website,
YES NO social, etc).

I have a distinct personality for my brand that I

use in all my brand materials. If my brand were a
YES NO person, I could describe them in detail.

I have a mood or vision board for the overall visual

direction of my brand. It can be a curated collage or
YES NO even just a Pinterest board.

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 THE CHECKLIST (PAGE 3)

I have a clearly defined logo for my business that

I use consistently on all brand materials that was
YES NO created with my audience’s interests in mind.

I have a clearly defined color scheme for my brand.

Aside from special circumstances, I rarely stray from
YES NO my brand colors through my brand materials.

I have clearly defined fonts that I use consistently

on all brand materials (print, website, social, etc). I
YES NO rarely stray from my brand fonts.

I have a specific visual style that can be found in all

my brand materials, beyond just my logo (i.e. preppy
YES NO chic, super minimalist, touch of gold).

If someone were to see one of my brand materials

without my logo, they could easily recognize it as my
YES NO brand because of the consistent & iconic visual style

I have a clearly defined photo style for my brand.

I use this photo style consistently for all brand
YES NO materials, from product photos to social media.

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 THE CHECKLIST (PAGE 4)

I have a website where I direct people to learn more

about my business, see products/services, and get in
YES NO touch with me

My website is mobile-friendly, meaning it looks good

when visited from a cellphone and is easy to read and
YES NO navigate

I have a clear goal or action on my website that I

want people to take and I direct them towards that
YES NO goal (ie get in touch, purchase product, email signup)

My website is a continuation of my visual identity,

meaning it uses my brand colors, fonts, graphic
YES NO elements and photo style

I have a clear idea of how effective my marketing

channels are - I track these metrics and can tell key
YES NO data points like CTR, CPC/CPM and ROI for ads.

I have a clear idea of how effective my website is

- I track website metrics and can tell my website
YES NO conversion rates for my website goals.

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 THE CHECKLIST

Scoring Sheet
Tried & True Trailblazer
17-21

Congratulations! You’ve thought a lot about your brand, and you have a heck of
a strategy and visual identity to show for it. But if there’s one thing to learn as
an entrepreneur, it’s that our work is never done! How does your audience feel
about your brand? Are you getting feedback? What do people like and want to
see more of? What could be improved? Not sure how to get this info? Let’s talk!

Experienced Explorer
11-16

Super! You probably have a bit of experience under your belt already, but there
are a few points that aren’t quite there yet. Maybe you focused too much on
either the strategy or the design, and neglected the other. Or maybe you’ve
been so crazy busy growing that you haven’t had a chance to sit down and hash
out the detailsl. Don’t worry - I’ve got your back! We can figure it out together.

Aspiring Adventurer
6-10

Yay! You’re off to a great start, but could probably use a helping hand in getting
everything up to par with your competition. You could be missing out on a lot of
potential leads by not getting this squared away in the beginning. There’s a lot to
think about, which is why I’ll walk you through it one step at a time. Let’s go!

Dedicated Dreamer
0-5

You’re most likely psyched with your new idea, but don’t really have a clear
plan or vision for how to make it happen. Maybe it’s your very first business,
and you’re trying to do everything on your own. You might even be using a
makeshift logo you created yourself. By working together, we can take your
awesome idea and turn it in a clear, kick-ass brand with a plan. Interested?

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 5
LOVE THIS?

There’s Even More...

Coming Spring 2019: “The Secrets of Brand Alchemy: The Recipes and
Tools You Need to Transform Your Brand from Simple to Spellbinding”

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 6
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© Copyright 2019 Wild Side Designs, LLC - All Rights Reserved