Why Every Business Needs a Brand Board & How to Create One

Before you design a logo, build a website, or post on social media, there’s one foundational step that often gets skipped, and it can make everything else feel overwhelming.

That step is creating a brand board.

A brand board gives you clarity, consistency, and direction before you start designing. It helps you make confident decisions and ensures everything you create actually works together.

In this post, I’ll walk you through:

• What a brand board is

• Why it matters for business owners

• What to include

• How to create one step by step

• And how to make the process simple (even if design isn’t your thing)

What Is a Brand Board?

A brand board is a visual snapshot of your brand.

It pulls together your:

• colors

• fonts

• imagery style

• and overall brand vibe

into one place so you’re not constantly second-guessing yourself when creating content.

Think of it as your brand’s “home base” - a reference point you can come back to whenever you’re designing something new.

Why Brand Boards Matter for Business Owners

A brand board isn’t just for designers. It’s especially helpful for business owners who want to show up professionally and consistently without overthinking every detail.

Here’s why brand boards are so valuable:

• Consistency across platforms
  Your website, social media, proposals, and marketing materials all feel aligned.

• Faster content creation
  You’re not choosing new colors or fonts every time you post.

• Clear direction when outsourcing
  If you work with a VA, designer, or social media manager, you can share your brand board instead of explaining everything from scratch.

• Stronger brand recognition
  Repetition builds trust. A cohesive look helps people recognize your brand more quickly.

What Goes Into a Brand Board?

You don’t need a complicated setup to create an effective brand board. The goal is clarity, not perfection.

Here are the key elements every brand board should include:

Color Palette

Your color palette usually includes:

• 1-2 primary colors

• 2-3 secondary or accent colors

These colors set the mood for your brand and should feel aligned with how you want your business to be perceived (clean, bold, soft, elevated, playful, etc.).

Fonts

Most brands use:

• one headline font

• one body font

The key is choosing fonts that are readable and match your brand personality. You don’t need a large font library, just a few reliable options you can reuse consistently.

Imagery Style

Your imagery style defines the feel of your visuals.

Ask yourself:

• light or dark?

• minimal or bold?

• lifestyle or clean graphics?

This helps guide photo choices, Canva designs, and social media visuals.

Brand Keywords

Brand keywords describe how you want your business to feel.

Examples include:

• professional

• warm

• modern

• elevated

• approachable

These words help guide decisions when you’re unsure whether something “fits” your brand.

How to Create a Brand Board (Step-by-Step)

You don’t need design experience to create a brand board - just a clear process.

Step 1: Define Your Brand Mood

Think about how you want people to feel when they interact with your business.

Step 2: Choose Your Core Colors

Pick colors that support that mood and feel natural to you.

Step 3: Select Your Fonts

Choose fonts that are easy to read and match your brand personality.

Step 4: Gather Visual Inspiration

Collect images, graphics, or examples that reflect your brand style.

Step 5: Put Everything in One Place

Organize all of your brand elements into a single brand board so you can reference it anytime.

Want a Free Brand Board Template?

To make this process even easier, I created TWO free, editable Canva Brand Board template you can use to organize your colors, fonts, imagery, and brand vibe, all in one place.

You can customize it in minutes and reuse it whenever your brand evolves.

Download the free brand board templates below:

Get the Free Brand Board

Final Thoughts

Branding doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated.

A brand board gives you a clear starting point, helps you stay consistent, and makes creating content feel easier and more intentional. Start simple, refine over time, and let your brand grow with your business.

If you’re looking for more done-for-you templates to support your brand and business systems, you can explore the full TM Task Templates collection anytime.