One of my favorite things about business is branding. I thinks it's the creative in me, after all branding is the creative soul of business. Branding is fun because it's how you express yourself in a way that connects with the world. I get lots of emails weekly about how to create a brand that really stands out so I thought I'd share one of my favorite tools with you today. 

When it comes to building a brand you're dealing strictly with the "soul stuff." Your brand is the essence of your business. It is what will connect with others in an emotional level. A good way to really explore and strengthen the essence of your brand is to create a mood board. A mood board is like a vision board, but for your business. It is a collection of images that inspire the essence of a business. I always suggest that a mood board is used when creating a brand, when rebranding, or when trying to truly connect with an ideal client or audience. A mood board is also good to use to inspire new content and copy. I like to think of it as going on a brand scavenger hunt. 

So here's my secret to creating a truly inspiring mood board that will take your brand to the next level.

 How to Create a Mood Board For Your Brand

Find and collect images that answer the following questions: 

If your brand was a person:

1. What would she/he wear?

Find images of clothing, prints, patterns, colors and textures that your brand would, wear or surround herself with if she was a person. Consider things like if she is into name brands, luxury, bargains, or a mixture.

2. Where what she/he go/travel?

Choose images of local restaurants, shops, establishments, cities, and countries that your brand would visit, frequent, and be intrigued by. Consider things like if she is a small town girl or a world traveler. Does she like traveling in the lap of luxury, is she a creature of comfort, or does she enjoy more of an adventure?

3. What types of things/activities is she/he interested in?

Secure photos that capture activities and miscellaneous things your brand would be interested in if she was a person. Is she an artist, dancer, or lawyer? Does she like street art, hot yoga, or cycling? Does she like sight seeing and window shopping or boat rides and horseback riding? 

4. What would she/he eat?

Add photos that showcase your brands absolute favorite foods! Is she a cupcake fiend? An ice cream lover? A veganista? A gourmet chef? Also consider things like where she would dine or go grocery shopping.

5. Who would she/he hang out with?

Incorporate photos of who your brand would be friends with if she was a person. If your brand had a celebrity bestie who would it be? Who is your brands go to girls? 

This may seem like it is purely for fun, but you'll be surprised at how much more you feel like you truly know your brand and at how well others respond to it!

Some great places to create brand mood board are Pinterest, Polyvore, and We Heart It. 

What will you be using your brand mood board for?