I worked with a freelance writer to create her brand strategy, identity, and visuals for her new freelance - focused website. We identified her brand archetype, fonts, colors, shapes, and messages that should show up throughout her brand. Does your brand need some work? I can help you attract your ideal clients online: http://kayeputnam.com/work-with-me/

1. Brand Standards

2. CONTENTS This brand standards document
explores the message, visuals, and
expression of your brand.
1. Brand Message
2. Design & Visuals
3. Words & Content
4. Live Your Brand
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL

3. MOODBOARD
In the mood board, I
wanted to capture a
warm “boutique”
environment with bright
colors. I also included
images of notebooks as a
nod to your playground
story.

4. BRAND MESSAGE

5. POSITION
CORE IDEA
Your clients refer to you as “my writer.” You are the most
important piece of their content marketing.
YOUR GOAL
You enable entrepreneurs & owners to get back to doing
what they enjoy and are good at in business (which is
anything but writing.)
HOW YOU ARE DIFFERENT
You are crafting custom content for each of your clients in
their brand voice. Through ongoing engagements, you get to
know your clients’ brands inside & out.
WHAT YOU DELIVER
You write blog posts and content for businesses that is
consistently great and on time for a great value.
01
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Brand Message

6. PERSONALITY
CREATOR PERSONALITY ARCHETYPE
You free up your clients to return to their own
genius by serving them in yours - as a writer. Your
work centers around creating valuable content with
minimal direction.
Your greatest motivation is to realize your client’s
vision.
Your clients feel: “I want to be able do what she can.”
amazed by your talent, inspired
You are:
• Descriptive
• A story-teller
• Creative
• A master of your craft
• Able to out-work and out-create others
Channel your inner “bluestocking” and artist when
you communicate with your clients.
01
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Brand Message

7. POINT OF VIEW
WORDS ARE BEAUTIFUL
The written word can transport you to a different time and
place. They can persuade, inform, and educate. Choosing the
write words is an art form that I hone every day.
COUNT ON ME
I give freelancing a good name. My work is always on time
and high-quality.
GREAT WRITING IS RARE
You *could* get content from a lot of different places, but
there is a immeasurable value in working with a professional
who writes for you in your brand’s voice and consistently
delivers.
RESPECT YOUR GENIUS
If communication is a weak point for you, by all means, don’t
torture yourself. I feel lucky that I am paid to do this work
because I love it so much.
SHOP SMALL
By working with individual professionals and small
businesses, you are investing in regular people. Be mindful
of where you are “voting with your dollars” if you also want
people to do business with you.
01
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Brand Message

8. Work in your genius.
(I’ll work in mine.)
MANIFESTO

9. DESIGN & VISUALS

10. LOGO
02
Your logo “feels” like a
local boutique’s mark.
The pencil helps people
see what you do at a
glance (even without a
tagline.)
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Visual Identity

11. PRIMARY
COLORS
02
Visual Identity
These are the primary
colors we want your
brand to be known for.
The bright colors fit
your “Creator” brand.
#37C3B4
#D7F3F0 #AFE7E1 #87DBD2 #5FCFC3
#F65948 #ECD858
#FBBCB5 #F99B91 #FBF7DD #F3E79A
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL

12. SECONDARY
COLORS
02
The secondary colors of
your brand should be used
as background & font
colors. The pink can be used
as a secondary accent color
if needed (it also appears in
some of your patterns.)
#DF6565 #FFFFFF
#443A32 #355D68
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Visual Identity

13. PATTERNS
02
I chose the patterns
and textures here to
accent your brand.
They both fit your
color palette & brand
“vibe” gorgeously.
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Visual Identity

14. TYPOGRAPHY
HEADLINES: BREE SERIF
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1234567890
02
Body: Lora
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890
Bree Serif has an almost
“vintage” look to it while still
looking modern. It feels like a
font you would see on an
organic food label. Lora keeps
things professional and easy
to read.
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Visual Identity

15. FONTS
IN ACTION
HEADLINE LEVEL 1
This is a description paragraph. It explains the purpose of
the page and describes the title to the left.
1. Example
2. Example
3. Example
4. Example
“This is a quote from a very impressive person.”
-Important Person
HEADLINE LEVEL 2
This is a description paragraph. It explains the purpose of
the page and describes the title to the left. This is a
description paragraph. It explains the purpose of the page
and describes the title to the left.
• Example
• Example
• Example
HEADLINE LEVEL 3
02
This page shows what
your main fonts look like
in action. Bree Serif
(headlines) and Lora (body)
are very easy to read and
convey a creative &
professional message.
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Visual Identity

16. IMAGE STYLE

17. ICONS
02
Icons can be used in web
design to call attention to add
visual interest or call
attention to specific areas.
The hexagon shape used
earlier is carried through to
these button designs to keep
the brand consistent and
memorable.
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Visual Identity

18. WORDS & CONTENT

19. TAGLINE/
HEADLINE
OPTIONS
• Content you can count on
• Consistent handcrafted content
• I write so you don’t have to
• Take blogging off your to-do list
• Delegate your blog
03
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Brand Communication

20. TONE
OF VOICE
Content from your brand should come from a
place of expertise. You should “live by example”
and spend a lot of time crafting your own brand
communication.
Tell stories and entertain people whenever
possible. Show them what business
communication *can* look like when they hire a
professional.
You’ll sound:
• Motivational not condescending
• Direct not passive
• Clear not confusing
• Helpful not cold
03
The tone of voice you hear
from your best friend versus a
police officer is going to be
dramatically different. Here’s
how your should sound.
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Brand Communication

21. YOUR
CREDIBILITY
IS SHOWING
• List places you’ve been published
• Huffington Post
• USMC Life
• UClass
• Military Spouse Magazine
• Share your awards
• Talk about your degrees
• Post testimonials on as many pages as
possible
• Share a few of your favorite pieces in a
portfolio and explain why you are
sharing each one
03
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Be sure to toot your own horn.
Trust isn’t something you can
ask for - it needs to be earned
by sharing your results,
awards, testimonials, and
portfolio.
Brand Communication

22. STORIES
A CREATIVE IS BORN
On your about page, you MUST tell the playground/
notebook story. It is so perfect.
CLIENT STORIES
In blog posts and in your portfolio, highlight the different
industries and capacities you’ve worked in through stories.
HUMAN INTEREST
Sprinkle in human interest stories and metaphors into your
communication so people get to know you. Include
mentions of Downtown Abby, favorite books, travel
experiences, etc.
03
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Brand Communication

23. LIVE YOUR BRAND

24. ACTION
STEPS
CLIENT ON BOARDING
Create a consistent on boarding process for each new client.
Create a Typeform Brand Voice questionnaire, send them a
HelloSign contract, and invoice them via PayPal.
SET BOUNDARIES
In your contract and when communicating with your clients,
communicate turnaround times, revision expectations, and
THEIR responsibilities for each new client. These can also be
addressed at the bottom of your “work with me” page in a
FAQ format.
CREATE PACKAGES
Your work with me page should have one primary way to
hire you: 4x blogs per month for ~$495 with a three month
minimum commitment. Be sure to include a few testimonials
on this page. Also, be sure to give people a way to take
action ON this page - a form to fill out to contact you or a
button to push to pay you. Make it as easy as possible for
people to give you money.
04
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Live Your Brand

25. BRANDEMIES
IDEA ENEMIES
• Cookie-cutter, generic content
• Holding onto work you aren’t great at (some people are
not meant to write)
• Micromanaging
NOT TO DO LIST
• Present yourself as simply a “technician.” You are a
valuable creator of content.
• Work with clients that don’t allow you to be creative
YOU ARE NOT
• A content farm
• A virtual assistant
04
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Live Your Brand

26. WEBSITE
04
This website homepage design
is an example of how you can
combine the elements of your
brand together. The design
style is bright & creative with
“handcrafted” elements.
Template: Darling Genesis Theme
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Live Your Brand

27. WEBSITE
04
I carried consistent design
elements to this sample blog
page design.
Template: Darling Genesis Theme
Headline Font: Bree Serif
Body Font: Lora
Text: #443a32
Links: #f95842
CTA Buttons: #edda4c
Menu text: #ffffff
BRAND GUIDELINES JOANNA GULDIN-NOLL
Live Your Brand

28. ANY QUESTIONS?
Contact me:
kaye@kayeputnam.com
Brand Strategy & Design
by Kaye Putnam