This document provides 13 tips and 5 exercises for building a brand. It discusses defining a brand through storytelling, focusing on engaging emotions in a story from beginning to end. Tips include seeing from the customer perspective, using imagery over just words, and keeping things simple. Exercises include choosing a metaphor and theme elements, naming the brand, selecting a logo, and extending the brand through a slogan or jingle. The goal is to create a visual metaphor that is simple, unique and memorable as part of a cohesive brand identity.

1. Steve Sue | BizGym Foundation | bizgym.org | Mark Loughridge
Brand It13 Tips + 5 Brand-Building Exercises
Prepared for MIT Launch Club

2. Brand = Story
Definition

3. 5 Tips
to a strong story

4. 1
Step into their shoes
point-of-view is critical

5. Start with a bang...
engage with emotions
2

6. … end with a Bigger Bang!
3
engage with emotions

7. Show me, don’t just tell me.
connect with images
4

8. Walk softly & carry a big stick.
don’t puff
5

9. 6
Less is more.
eliminate noise

10. Build ItLet’s build your brand!

11. Choose a Metaphor
A picture is worth 1,000 words...
E1

12. Choose Theme Elements
colors, shapes, fonts
E2

13. Name ItName, URL & trademark™

14. 7
Good Names
short, intuitive, catchy, memorable,
.com, SEO keywords

15. 8
Bad Names
long, boring, CC blunders

16. 9
BadCamel!
SpeedOfArt.com
TherapistFinder.com
AmericanScrapMetal.com

17. 10
URL “Depends”
“.CO” if web-savvy target
“.NET” if a Network
Long URLs if findability isn’t
important

18. Logo It
icons & avatar

19. 11
Good Logo
visual metaphor, simple, unique,
memorable, reverse, bitchin’

20. 12
Bad Logo
complicated, halftones, acronyms

21. avatars & favicons
Go Square13

22. Create Your Logo
metaphor, simple, unique, memorable,
square, reverse, bitchin’
E4

23. Extend Your Brand
Slogan, Jingle, Fragrance...
E5

24. That’s All Folks!available at slideshare.net
Steve Sue | BizGym Foundation | bizgym.org | Mark Loughridge