A Start-Up Brand in 30 Days: A Week-by-Week Plan

Week one: decide who you are

• Define the problem you solve and for whom. Write it in two sentences.
• Write your positioning statement. See how to write a positioning statement.
• Pick three personality words such as practical, warm and expert.
• Look at three competitors. Note what they all say and how they look. Use our competitor analysis guide.

Week two: choose a name and check it

• Create a shortlist of names that fit your personality. Our naming guide will help.
• Run the checks. Use the list in brand name checks before you commit.
• Register the name, domain and social handles.
• Test it with a handful of people in your audience.

Week three: build the look

• Choose colours and fonts. See choosing brand colours and choosing brand fonts.
• Create a simple logo, or commission one with a clear logo design brief.
• Get the full file pack. See what a logo file pack should include.
• Make a one-page brand sheet so everything is written down.

Week four: go to market

• Build a simple website with a clear first screen, an About page and one way to contact you.
• Set up your key social profiles with the same name, image and description.
• Prepare your first posts using simple templates. See social media templates.
• Tell your first ten people. Friends, contacts and potential customers.
• Plan your first month of content and outreach.

What can wait

You don’t need everything on day one. Full brand guidelines, a large website, merchandise and a detailed identity system can come after you’ve customers and feedback. Our start-up branding checklist and start-up branding guide show what to add next.

Keep a simple record

As you go, keep a single document with your decisions: your two-sentence description, your name checks, your colours and fonts, and your first posts. By the end of the month you’ll have the beginnings of a brand sheet, and you’ll be able to brief a designer, a web developer or a printer without starting from scratch.

Common mistakes

• Spending weeks on a logo before knowing what the business stands for
• Choosing a name without checking it
• Using a different look on every platform
• Waiting for everything to be perfect before launching

Where an agency helps

If you would rather hand over the heavy lifting, our start-up branding agency team can build the foundation for you. Book a free brand consultation to talk through your plans.