The 10 Things to Include in your Brand Story Guidelines

I like to start off with this part, as it's the guiding information that allows me to fully understand you and all that is behind you starting your business. Most creative business owners have a past that has brought them to the decision to pursue their passions, avoid or leave the corporate world, and believe in selling their products or services. What has taken you to where you are today is a fundamental part of these guidelines and shouldn't be overlooked. Have a think about your life and all that has happened to you to get you where you are today.

Write this part as if you are writing your story and think about all the components that have built it. You can do as deep as you like, thinking about why you started your business and what it brings you.

The Golden Circle was created by Simon Sinek, and is a very simple way of turning around the focus of our brands on the why before everything else. Focussing on the why allows for so much more empath and emotional transactions in your business, allowing for those core dream clients and customers to come to you and for people to really resonate with your brand.

In the first part of these guidelines you will have already thought about why you started your business, and in creating this golden circle you will want to concentrate on why you do what you do and why it is needed, as the inner part that will transfer to all your core marketing.  The next part of the circle is the how - how you are going to do it. And finally, the last part is the what - what you are going to do in your business. This is a really simple but transformative way to look at your marketing.

If you don't set a vision for your business, how do you know what to work towards and what is going to give you the passion to keep going on those hard days? Think about how you would like your business to look and feel short and long term. Think about all the things you want to do in your business and who you want to do them for.

Setting this vision in your guidelines is going to bring to life the storytelling element of what you are doing, and lay a foundation for a successful business. I will add don't be afraid to dream big, and set a long term vision that is really going to transform your life.

Writing the mission for your business can often be one of the things that people struggle with the most. You may have an idea and be able to formulate a few words and ideas, but have a go at taking your time to write it in a compelling and meaningful way, that will have longevity for your brand. It might not come instantly, but give yourself what you need in time and environment to have a real think on this one.

Your mission is - simply put - a statement that spells out what you want to achieve in your business, what your aims are and what your values are. A solid one, coupled with your vision, with solidify your dreams and add authenticity to your brand.

Another one that will add authenticity to your brand. A lot of your brand's values will likely align with your values as a person. So have a think about what is really important to you in life to uphold, how you want to be and be seen in your business, what are non-negotiables for you and how you are going to lead from example.

Values are a key part to forming your brand identity and will be utilised in many ways across your brand and business for years to come. If you are finding this one tricky, there are plenty of examples of values online. Just make sure you are using it to remind yourself of them and to put your thoughts into words, and you are not just picking values that you think you should have.

Not to be mixed up with your brand values, these are a set of words that will form your brand messaging. They do need to come from the heart though, and have real purpose and value for all that you do moving forward. I like to remind myself of these when I am overthinking things or in planning stages, ensuring all I do comes back to them.

Try to think of three key, overarching words that are the definition of what your brand's style, aesthetic and message is.. Then under these you will have more words that will fit in nicely and be used across all your communication and be the key identifiers to all that you do. You will need to resonate with them and work for your long term vision for your brand and business.

For a lot of creatives, this will be the easiest part. So far the work has mainly been about words, which are necessary to do to give you a foundation for the creative elements of your brand. It is integral that you do those parts first before you look into your visual inspiration.

When it comes to creating a brand moodboard, I like to do this online using Pinterest and software, but you can of course create a tactile one out of paper cuttings, etc. I would advise to then take a photo of this to put with the other parts of your guidelines. Create a moodboard based on the look and feel you want for your brand, and how you can interpret your vision, values and vocab. Use font types, logo inspiration, images to showcase what you do in your business, and so much more.

You might have previously seen this described as an ideal client profile or dream customer avatar. I like muse and it feels more worthy for our creative businesses, bearing in mind the art connotation. So much of your business relies heavily on who your muse, or muses are, and how you can talk to them directly in all you do.

So think about who that dream client/customer is and create a muse profile of them - think about what they do, their passions, their values, their pain points, why they need your products or services and what they are like as a person. Once you know all you can about them, you can base all your marketing activities around solely speaking to them and not detracting them by anything you say or do.

What's the point in doing all the rest without knowing what exactly you are going to be offering your clients and/or customers. This is the time to map out what your services or products are going to be, ensuring they link through to your messaging and muse profile/s and are all interlinked to build a cohesive and consistent brand.

Have a think about what they will be in the near future, as well as long term. This doesn't have to be set in stone and things very well may change, but really think about what you are immediately offering and who it is for, why they need it and how you will sell it.

You don't have to, but for my clients I like to include a page that is talking about after the launch of the business or rebrand (when these guidelines are often written), thinking about where they can take their products or services and what is needed.

It is worth mentioning at this point that these guidelines are best set out in a clear, well designed document - you can use Canva or other programmes that you may be familiar with. You will be then more inclined to use them and they will form your brand bible, something you can refer to time and time again, and also send to anyone you work with, such as brand designers.