The Brand Clarity Playbook for Early-Stage Startups
If 90% of startups fail, how can you help ensure your place as one of the 10% that succeed?
Elevate your startup's appeal with a brand foundation that speaks the language of investors. Learn how to build an investment-ready brand and gain the confidence to face the startup journey head-on.
Included in the Brand Clarity Playbook:
✓ A Practical Framework to empower you to build a robust brand.
✓ A Comprehensive Checklist of essential brand and communications assets.
✓ A Blueprint for a Brand Identity Control Center that will enable you to communicate your brand consistently and effectively.
✓ A Communications Strategy Roadmap to guide you in establishing an effective communications plan.
Who is this book for?
▸ You’re a founder or CEO of an early-stage startup.
▸ You are knee-deep in developing and refining your pitch.
▸ You need a brand identity that is clear and compelling.
▸ You’re anxious about differentiating your company.
▸ You are scrambling to prepare for your next investor meeting.
▸ You have a lean budget, time constraints, and limited resources.
▸ You’re unsure if it’s the right time for a branding effort.
▸ In terms of branding, you don’t know what you don’t know.
If any of these things sound accurate, this book is for you.
What’s inside.
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Why This Book Exists
How to Use This Book
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The Framework Components
- Align
- Build
- Communicate
Why Not Start Now?
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Company Personality and Drivers
Company Name Audit
Company Purpose, Vision, & Mission Audit
Visual Brand Elements Audit
Verbal Brand & Key Messaging Audit
Action Plan
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Your Brand Identity Control Center
- What to Include in Your Control Center
- Logos
- Brand Identity
- Image Library
- Messaging Library
- Stakeholder Personas
- Templates & Guides
- Quotes, Testimonials, and Notable Data
Your Communications Library
- What to Include in Your Library
- Marketing & Sales Collateral
- Pitch Decks & Presentations
- Investors Communications
- Product Support Materials
- Reports
- Press Materials
- 3rd Party Reports and Materials
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Your Communications Framework
- Objectives
- Audiences & Stakeholders
- Key Communications Touchpoints
- Communications Practices
- Ongoing Review & Improvement
Optimizing Communications for Early-Stage Startups
- Building Your Website Wisely
- Social Presence Strategies
- Email Efficiencies
- Video Content Redefined
- Media Communications that Maximize Engagement
- Reports and Ebooks for Lasting Impact
- Cultivating Internal Brand Culture
- Establishing Regular Feedback Loops
- Maximizing Productivity with Generative AI
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Tools & Resources to Help
- Software & Services
- Templates
- Podcasts to Listen To
- Company Personality Descriptors (Ideas)
- Company Values (Ideas)
Last, But Not Least
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Complete List of Footnotes
You also get access to valuable tools & templates.
When you buy the book, you also get access to a toolkit that includes custom-built databases to support the investment-ready framework, as well as worksheets and templates that will support your processes.
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Brand Identity Control Center Database
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Communications Library Database
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Brand Audit Worksheets
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Communications Framework Template
Why an investment-ready branding framework?
✓ It will help ensure you stay laser-focused on the activities that provide the most traction at this stage of your business.
✓ It will align your startup’s messaging with the narrative you’re presenting to investors.
✓ It will reinforce your positioning as a thought leader and articulate your value to those with the capital you need.
