Save money by DIY branding when first starting out because working with a brand consultant or web designer can be costly. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in your branding.

Your visual branding is what people first see when they go to your website or interact with your brand through social media, online marketing materials, printed brochures, or ads.

Small business owners and coaches need to invest time and energy into developing their brands.

Your brand has to represent your services and products in ways that attract your target audience.

Think of it like this.

Would you want to do business with someone whose branding looked like it was put together by a second-grader using glue, tape, and construction paper?

Have you ever seen an ad with a slick sales page only to click through to a website with a “404 error” or “under construction” page?

To put it bluntly, websites like these end up looking off-brand entirely and cause visitors to second-guess clicking on the Buy Now button.

It makes me assume that the business doesn’t care about its brand, services, or products.

DIY Branding

Suppose you are a die-hard DIYer. Or maybe you’re working with a limited budget. 

You can download my DIY Brand Board in Canva to create a consistent visual brand throughout your website and social media as well as your online and printed materials. 

This creates a seamless brand experience. 

Here are the elements you want to include on your brand board:

• Logo
• Logo Variations
• Color Palette
• Typography 
• Patterns, Textures, Icons 
• Brand’s vibe and personality

I’ve included an image below to give you an idea of how these templates look. 

Make sure you are logged into Canva before you download my DIY Brand Board, and then click “make a copy” so that it’s all yours.  

Just drag and drop your logo, patterns, elements, icons, and mood board inspiration in the template, and click to change fonts and colors quickly.

See the notes below the template to help you get started.

Color Palette

Click on each gray circle and change the color to your brand colors. Below each circle, list the Hex #, RGB, and CMYK codes.  

You can get the Hex# in Canva by clicking on the circle’s color and then New Color.  

Make sure you save your brand colors in your Canva Brand Kit to make it easy for you to access them when you create your designs.

For the RGB and CMYK codes, go to ColorHexa and enter the Hex#. Scroll down to get the RGB, CMYK values to add to your brand board. 

Typography Section

If you want to make changes in the Typography section, click on the Header Font, Font Name, and the character and numbers to change them to your font choice.  

Do the same for the Body and Accent Fonts.

For the Font Name, you’ll want to change that to the name of the fonts you’re using for the Header Font, Body Font, and Accent Font. 

Branding Vibe and Personality

Add images and words that describe the mood and personality of your brand. This makes it easy for graphic and web designers to get a feel for your brand and what it represents when you decide to outsource. 

---

I’ve been using Canva since 2014, and I highly recommend you use the Pro version to have all the bells and whistles at your fingertips. 

Canva offers guides and resources to help you build your visual identity—from logo design to the meaning and symbolism of colors to choosing a color palette and typography that work best for your brand.

In my last post, The Truth About Branding for Small Business Owners and Coaches, you’ll find resources to help you choose the right color palette and typography for your business. 

Below are some additional resources to help you learn more about color and typography so that you can create a brand that speaks to your audience, your services and products, and you!

Here are more resources to help you DIY your brand board:

Learn More About Color Through Canva

• Canva Color Education Hub
• Canva Color Palette Generator
• Canva Color Palette Ideas
• Canva Color Theory + Wheel
• Canva Color Meaning Chart

Learn More About Typography Through Canva

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type. You want to aim to make your written language look aesthetically appealing and easily readable, so your audience can absorb your message. 

Here’s a guide to fundamental typography terms and some great tips and tricks in design.

• Canva Font Combinations
• Build your brand: How to choose the right fonts
• Ten ways to improve typography in your designs

Your Boss-Woman Worthy Brand 

There are plenty of design tools out there for you to choose from. BUT too many options can slow you down. 

That’s why I recommend choosing one, learning how to use it exceptionally well and sticking with it. 

The easier it is for you to create the branding elements you need, the more time, energy, and money you’ll save as you grow your small business and coaching practice.

Canva is a great source to learn about anything for graphic design if you are a DIY-er or working with limited resources and want to create a brand that is Boss Woman worthy!  

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section below.

---