Whenever I begin a new project with a client, I start with the same questionnaire.
The questionnaire covers key areas like:
- How you got started
- What you want to accomplish
- Why you’re distinct
- Who your competitors are
- How you show up and interact with people (online, in person, through your products or services)
- Your brand’s personality
- Who your target audience is and what they need
Each of these answers has practical implications for:
- How your website is organized
- How your brand looks and feels visually
- What your brand sounds like when you show up on social media
- How you talk about your work and communicate your value
- Where you should (and shouldn’t) spend your energy
If you’re kicking off a new website, refreshing your brand, or trying to tidy up what you already have, this questionnaire gives you a solid starting point. This particular version is tailored for website projects. But you could just as easily swap out “website” for whatever it is that you’re working on.
Enjoy it! And let me know how it goes. I hope it helps you build something clearer and more intentional.
A tip for the DIYers
For almost all things, AI is not the answer. But if you’re doing most of your branding yourself, you might find it helpful to plug your entire questionnaire into AI and prompt it to help you narrow down some tough calls.
A few example prompts:
- Based on the above answers, what are the implications for the brand’s visual identity? Please cover these topics: fonts, colors, core messaging, personality, tone.
- And from there: Can you suggest a few Google Fonts that align with this brand identity?
I do this myself sometimes to help me speed up the process of summarizing the info from the questionnaire and kickstart the design process. But it’s always just a starting point; the AI responses tend to be deeply basic and sometimes unhinged. Edit and curate everything. And/or talk to a friend who can help you parse through it.
…or you can also hire me!!!!
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