Today I want to provide clarity on an otherwise murky, nebulous concept that causes many entrepreneurs to lose lotsa money. If you aren’t familiar with the 4 Vs of branding, scroll right this way with me. 

The 4 Vs of Branding 

When entrepreneurs look at their visual branding and feel “meh,” it’s probably because they didn’t follow the 4 Vs of branding.  

Here’s a crash course on those 4 Vs. As you’ll read, all 4 Vs are crucial to creating an aligned visual identity that not only makes you proud, but also makes you a magnet for your ideal clients.  

1. Vision 

Your vision is the long-term goal of your business. AKA: your purpose. It guides your company’s actions. It defines what you aspire to achieve and the impact you want to make in the world. 

Fill in the blank: “My vision is ___________________ .”

2. Voice 

Your voice is how you communicate to your audience. Think: tone, style, vibe, and personality. Are you your audience’s BBF? Trusted adviser? Are you friendly? Intelligent? Snarky? Team emoji? Team gif?

What 3 adjectives best describe your brand?

1. Adjective 1: ________
2. Adjective 2: ________
3. Adjective 3: ________

3. Values 

Your values are the fundamental beliefs and principles your business holds dear. They shape your company culture and determine how your brand interacts with the world.

For example, one of DBK’s core values is creativity. For us, creativity = respecting the chaos of the creative process and not being afraid to get messy to find non-obvious solutions to our problems.  

State your top 3 values and explain what they mean to you. 

Value 1: ________ = __________________________________.

Value 2:  ________= __________________________________.

Value 3:  ________= __________________________________.

4. Visuals 

Your visuals are the external design elements associated with your brand, such as logos, colors, and typography. They are the external manifestation of your vision, voice, and values. 

The tricky part is translating those inner Vs to an outer V that’s intentionally designed to achieve your business goals.* And this is where many people go wrong, usually doing one of two things:

1. They shell out ridiculous amounts of money for custom branding—a process that requires excessive email ping-ponging and horrifying invoices.

Or 

2. They DIY a visual identity based on personal preferences—a process that includes excessive cringing and debilitating neck pain. 

(BTW: That’s why I created option C, the Brand Quiz. It gives you instant clarity on what your visual brand should look like based on your vision, voice, and values. If you forgot your quiz results or your inner Vs changed, take the quiz again.)

So if you’re feeling a little “meh” with your branding or not totally in love with it, please get clear on your inner brand elements before you start playing around with your color palette. 

Because I promise you: without clarity on your vision, voice, and values, you WILL waste precious amounts of time and money on branding that never quite feels right. And that’s a miserable situation to be in. 

I don’t want you to be miserable in your brand. Get clear on your vision, voice, and values first. Then you can have fun with the visuals. Deal?

*Your visual branding is, or should be, an asset that helps you make money and achieve your goals. A visual brand that isn’t helping you achieve your business goals is a liability. Advice: get rid of it. 

**You might not know this about me, but I also run custom color consultations for personal brands. And you know how we spend the majority of our 90 minutes together? Not talking about colors, but talking about your business goals and personality! Only after we establish strategic clarity do I then start architecting a signature palette for you.