Use a Brand Toolbox to inform, inspire, and instruct all your stakeholders. Watch the video and download the worksheet here: http://deniseleeyohn.com/aligninspirestakeholdersvideo This is part of a 10-video series, "How to Build a Breakthrough Brand" (http://deniseleeyohn.com/breakthroughbrand). Whether you’re building a brand from scratch or looking to strengthen your competitive advantage, “How to Build a Breakthrough Brand” provides the tools and instruction you need. Each of the 10 videos introduces a key step in the brand development process, and the accompanying worksheet outlines the points to get you started. Visit http://deniseleeyohn.com for more brand-building insights and instruction.

1. how to build a breakthrough brand -- worksheet
how to align and inspire your stakeholders
A brand toolbox ensures all stakeholders interpret and reinforce your brand appropriately. Use a brand
toolbox to:
• inform – communicate the brand platform and principles stakeholders include:
to guide brand execution  executive leadership  channel partners
• inspire – ignite passion for the brand and motivate  managers  vendors
changed behavior  frontline employees  investors
• instruct – facilitate decision-making and actions that are  agencies  board of directors
“on brand”
A typical brand toolbox contains:
 an explanation of your brand strategy along with background and rationale, so that everyone can
understand why you’re doing what you’re doing
style guide vs. brand toolbox
 principles and guidelines for delivering brand values and
attributes at key touchpoints between your brand and the to guide communications
to shape the entire customer
outside world experience
how to deliver the brand in
 sample applications for how the brand should be expressed how to express the brand
everything you do
and delivered for marketing department for all stakeholders
 guides that walk people through important decisions instructions and rules guidelines and tools
 outlines that map processes so that people learn how to shows what not to do
empowers and sparks new
use the brand as a filter for their actions ideas
brand = logo, look and feel, brand = what you do and
 a forum for Q&A and dialogue among stakeholders marketing campaigns how you do it
Follow these steps to develop a brand toolbox:
1. audit core planning and operational processes to reveal where there’s a lack of brand alignment and
where a brand toolbox can help
2. determine the right format of the toolbox – options include an interactive website or application, a printed
manual or a workbook, a series of dvds or webinars or games
3. decide the table of contents
4. assemble existing content; design and develop the remaining content
5. produce and distribute the toolbox
6. conduct engagement sessions with all stakeholder groups to get them familiar with the toolbox and to
show them how to use it
7. make regular updates to the toolbox
example example
visit http://deniseleeyohn.com/bbb to view Denise’s “How to Build
a Breakthrough Brand” video series and access other worksheets
• mail@deniseleeyohn.com • © 2012 Denise Lee Yohn, Inc. • 917 446 9325 •