01

TAKE
STOCK

Purpose:
What are you here to do? (Circle all that apply or add your own.)

Inform Amplify Engage

Entertain Invite discovery Motivate
Sell Delight Lead by example

Educate Inspire Foster

Provide escape Help Other:

Give back Build Other:

Culture:
What’s your culture or vibe like? (Circle all that apply or add your own.)

Familial Buttoned-up Tight-knit Hierarchical Laid-back

Transparent Results-driven Innovative Meritocratic Caring

Flexible Empowered Risk-averse Adhocratic Mission-driven

Social Team-focused Market-oriented Other: ______ Other: ______

Customer:
Describe the qualities of your target audience. (Choose 4-5)

Trendy Cultured Busy Old / Young

Socially- Disposable Motivated Liberal

conscious incomes
Digital- Other: [ex: Job title]
Straightforward Budget- natives
conscious Other: [ex: Hobbies]
Conservative City-dwellers
Stretched for Other: [ex: Hot-button issues]
time Planners
Highly educated
Outdoor
enthusiasts

Impact:
When your audience tells others about you, they describe the interaction as:
(Choose 2-3)
Competent Easy Thorough Rewarding
Relieving Exhilarating Motivating Inspiring
Exciting Understanding No-nonsense No-frills
Informational Entertaining Connection Other:

Uniqueness:
Why are you better than your competition? (Choose 2-3)
Highly personable Real value Approachable New solution
Market leader Affordable Fast Transparent
Highest quality Community We give back Other:
focus
02

TONE

Tone:
What's your mood or vibe? (Choose three)

Personal Honest Humble

Caring Serious Quirky
Clinical Direct Practical
Urgent Scientific Academic
Peppy Moralizing Sassy
Jovial Irreverent Wry
Millennial Absurd Fresh

Grounded Authoritative Impassioned

Thoughtful Artistic Pragmatic

Responsible Impartial Satirical

Virtuous Optimistic Whimsical

Humorous Conversational Other:

Playful Objective Other:

03

LANGUAGE

Language:
Imagine you're in a conversation with your ideal customer or client. How
would you describe your language? (Choose two)

Complex Simple Punchy

Savvy Serious Insider
Whimsical Chatty
Jargon/Industry Lingo
Self-referential Internet lingo
Millennial lingo
Other:
04

VOICE

Voice:
Clarify your brand’s voice keywords using the THIS not THAT model.
(Example: We’re smart but not snobbish, fun but not childish, practical but
not stringent, formal but not corporate, etc.)

!"#$%& '"#("#%)*
We are _________ but not ________.
+,$(&* -"#,./
We are _________ but not ________.
+$%#) %##"/%.)
We are _________ but not ________.
'".0*#+%),".%& 10*#&2345%))2
We are _________ but not ________.
 05

ARCHETYPE

Character:
Read through the following character descriptions and choose one archetype
that makes sense for your business.

The Innocent The Regular Guy/Gal

Goal: To be happy
Traits: Strives to be good, is pure, young,
optimistic, simple, moral, romantic, loyal
Marketing niche: Companies with strong values,
seen as trustworthy, reliable and honest,
associated with morality, good virtues,
simplicity, can be nostalgic
Example: Dove soap, Coca-Cola, Cottonelle
Goal: To belong, or connect with others
Traits: Down to earth, supportive, faithful,
folksy, person next door, connects with others
Marketing niche: Common touch, solid virtues,
gives a sense of belonging
Example: Home Depot, eBay, Farmer's
Insurance

The Hero The Outlaw

Goal: Break the rules and fight authority
Goal: Help to improve the world
Traits: Rebellious, iconoclastic, wild, paving the
Traits: Courageous, bold, honorable, strong,
way for change
confident, inspirational
Marketing niche: Agent of change, advocate
Marketing niche: Make a positive mark on the
for the disenfranchised, allow people to vent
world, solve major problems or enable/inspire
or break with conventions
others to do so
Example: Harley-Davidson, Virgin (Richard
Example: Nike, BMW, Duracell
Branson)
 The Creator
Goal: Create something with meaning and
enduring value
Traits: Creative, imaginative, artistic, inventive,
entrepreneur, non-conformist
Marketing niche: Visionary, help customers
express or create, and foster their imagination
Example: Lego, Crayola
The Explorer
Goal: Finds fulfillment through discovery and
new experiences
Traits: Restless, adventurous, ambitious,
individualistic, independent, pioneering
Marketing niche: Exciting, risk-taking, authentic
Example: Indiana Jones, Jeep, Red Bull
The Lover
Goal: Create intimacy, inspire love
Traits: Passionate, sensual, intimate, romantic,
warm, committed, idealistic
Marketing niche: Help people feel appreciated,
belong, connect, enjoy intimacy, build
relationships
Example: Victoria’s Secret, Godiva Chocolate,
Marie Claire
The Ruler
Goal: Control, create order from chaos
Traits: Leader, responsible, organized, role
model, administrator
Marketing niche: Help people become more
organized, restore order, create more stability
and security in a chaotic world
Example: Microsoft, Barclays, Mercedes-Benz
The Magician
Goal: Make dreams come true, create
something special
Traits: Visionary, charismatic, imaginative,
idealistic, spiritual
Marketing niche: Help people transform their
world, inspire change, expand consciousness
Example: Disney, Wizard of Oz, Apple
The Caregiver
Goal: To care for and protect others
Traits: Caring, maternal, nurturing, selfless,
generous, compassionate
Marketing niche: Help people care for
themselves, serve the public through health
care, education or aid programs
Example: Mother Theresa, Campbell’s Soup,
Johnson & Johnson, Heinz
 The Jester The Sage
Goal: To bring joy to the world Goal: To help the world gain wisdom and insight

Traits: Fun, sense of humor, light-hearted, Traits: Knowledgeable, trusted source of

mischievous, irreverent
Marketing niche: Help people have a good time
or enjoy what they are doing, allow people to
be more impulsive and spontaneous
Example: Motley Fool, Ben & Jerry’s, IKEA
information, wisdom and intelligence,
thoughtful, analytical, mentor, guru, advisor
Marketing niche: Help people to better
understand the world, provide practical
information and analysis
Example: BBC, PBS, Google, Philips

The Innocent
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My brand archetype is:
One relevant goal I have is:
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")5*#+

Some of the traits I have are: '9:<?;3>33'1@A9B<1?9683>3;8?8:1CB

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I help ____________________ with ____________________ so that
+*#0*3")5*#+3$"#*3#*&,%-&2F
they can ____________________________________.
06

MUSE

My Muse Is:
Name inspiring brands whose personality you’d most like to emulate:
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6"#L

How would you describe those brands?

A#"!*++,".%&3I3<.."0%),0*3I3M,)53%3M,D*3#%./*3"!3#*&,%-&*3+"&E),".+

What elements could you bring into your business and make your own?

<.."0%),0*3I3M,)53%3M,D*3#%./*3"!3#*&,%-&*3+"&E),".+

Name a brand whose personality you're just not that into:

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Why is that?

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What will you do to make sure you don't display those characteristics?

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07

FEEL

Feel:
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I want my brand to make people feel ______________________________.

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I want people to ___________ when they come into contact with my brand.

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I dislike brand voices that sound _________________________________.

N,#*4)3I3B%0023I3'".!,D*.)3I3<.4&E+,0*
I am attracted to brand voices that sound__________________________.

Interacting with my clients and potential clients makes me feel _________.

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Choose 1-2 words that can summarize how your brand feels, based on your
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answers: _________________ B"&E),".RD#,0*.
and ___________________
 WOO HOO!

SUMMARY

01: 02:
My Tone is...
My Purpose is to:
SELL | INFORM | EDUCATE | HELP 1) '%#,./3
I strive for a culture that is:
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The audience I serve is: 2) 9E)5"#,)%),0*
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The impact I create is: 3) A#%4),4%&3
'"$(*)*.)3I38%+23I3?"R.".+*.+*
What are unique because we are: __________

03: 04: My brand voice is:

The Language I use throughout my !"#$%& but not _______.
________ 4"#("#%)*
copy and messaging is: B,$(&*3 but not _______.
________ -"#,./
________
B$%#) but not _______.
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____________ and ____________. '".0*#+%),".%&3
________ but not _______.
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05: 06: 07:

The archetype that guides My Brand Muse is... My brand feels:
my narrative style is: G,$-*#&23'&%#H* 4".!,D*.) and _________
B"&E),".R
_________
65*3'%#*/,0*# B4")) "#,*.)*D