naming + branding + voice

discovery questionnaire

Your brand is more than a logo. It’s a promise, a feeling, and an experience. The look, feel, and voice of your brand work together to embody the way you want your audience(s) to feel when they interact with you.

Before we get started crafting your name, branding, and voice, we need some things from you—background and initial thoughts to inform the next steps of this branding journey.

Please think about the questions below and respond however your thoughts come to mind. Feel free to ramble, or bullet points are just fine too! If you have additional notes or existing language you use verbally or in emails that feels relevant that we haven’t covered here, feel free to drop it in, send along separately, or make a note to share at our next meeting.

We recommend having each of your primary stakeholders complete their own questionnaire. It helps to identify commonalities in language, vision, and even challenges, that can inform the foundations of your brand.

Please reach out with any questions, we’re happy to help!

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Step 1 of 6

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Your Name*

First Last

Email*

Phone

Organization Name

If your organization has an existing name(s), please provide it here.

What do you want your new organization name to accomplish for your company?*

Examples: We are quirky and fun to work with but know our stuff.

Does your company have any landmarks or geographical locations we should consider or can use?*

Are there descriptors you want to include?*

Example: Company, Group, Team, Studio, etc.

Are there any specific services, names or references you want to consider?*

Example: Include Graphic Design + Marketing; or please include the name of our CEO, Kevin, in our naming options.

Tell us about your origin story.*

Why does your organization exist? What problem inspired this organization to form? If possible, personalize this story – who led the creation of your organization/product and why, the year founded and any other important dates, etc.

How has your organization evolved since its creation?*

Does your organization have a tagline or slogan?*

Example: Do Good Things™

Do you have any key phrases, headlines or mottos that you currently use that you would like to keep or retool?*

Example: Kind is Cool

What is your current ‘elevator pitch’ to describe your organization?*

List 8-10 qualities that best describe your organization.*

List 5-6 qualities that describe what your organization definitely is NOT.*

Please list 3 emotions you would like your brand to evoke from your audiences.*

If your brand was a celebrity (or hired one for their commercial), who would it be?*

What is your brand’s MISSION?*

Which aspects suit you well? What needs adjustment?

What is your brand’s VISION?*

Which aspects suit you well? What needs adjustment?

What are the CORE VALUES for your organization?*

Which aspects suit you well? Which aspects need adjustment?

If you have a brand positioning statement or brand promise, please provide it here.

Please provide 3-5 reasons to believe (RTB) in your organization.*

These are reasons why your audience(s) should believe in your brand, and its promises. Example: Passionate staff, volunteers, and members that make amazing things happen.

YOUR COMPETITORS

Competitor #1*

Who is your closest competitor (or a similar organization in your market)? Describe what you like/dislike about their presence, voice, and brand identity. Include their website.

Competitor #2*

Describe what you like/dislike about their presence and brand identity. Include their website.

Competitor #3*

Describe what you like/dislike about their presence and brand identity. Include their website.

Provide 3 Distinguishing qualities that your company has that sets you apart from your competition.*

YOUR AUDIENCE

Who is your PRIMARY target audience?*

Please describe them, including what you offer them, how they perceive you (correctly and incorrectly), their average demographic, and how they know about you. What do they say about you, and/or what do you want them to say about you.

Who is/are your SECONDARY audience(s)?*

YOUR VOICE + TONE

Please describe your preferred voice and tone using the words below as a prompt. Indicate where you fall between the two descriptors by selecting the number that fits your position.

Exclusive or Accessible*

1 - Exclusive

5 - Accessible

Traditional or Progressive*

1 - Traditional

5 - Progressive

Serious or Playful*

1 - Serious

5 - Playful

Understated or Bold*

1 - Understated

5 - Bold

Simple or Complex*

1 - Simple

5 - Complex

Familiar or Disruptive*

1 - Familiar

5 - Distruptive

Steady or Dynamic*

1 - Steady

5 - Dynamic

Formal or Conversational*

1 - Formal

5 - Conversational

If you have any additional considerations for your brand voice and tone, please provide them here.

Example: We need to keep language at a level for non-native english speakers, youth, etc.

STYLE PREFERENCES

What kind of jargon does your industry use that we should be aware of?*

Example: P7 uses the term noodle instead of brainstorm.

Please list any specific terminology or acronyms your organization uses.*

Example: P7 uses terms like FPO (for position only), CTA (call to action), etc.

Have there been any recent changes or shifts in your organization or broader industry (or any upcoming changes) that impact the way you communicate your work and mission?

YOUR INDUSTRY

Please describe any areas of consistency you would like to address within your brand voice guidelines.*

Example: We refer to customers as clients, never as partners.

Please provide any grammatical preferences or styles you would like to include.*

Example: We hate serial commas.

Anything else we should keep in mind?