Brand Fundamentals
for Small business owners and entrepreneurs
Brought to you by seasoned strategic communicator, Brooke Clay Taylor.
Just as Coach Normal Dale saw the potential in his fictional '52 Indiana Mens basketball championship team, the Hickory Huskers, we see the potential in your brand.
And, just like in Hoosiers, we know excellence begins, or begins again, with fundamentals.
This self-paced course will guide you on a brand fundamentals journey.
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Goals should be realistic, achievable, and focused.
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Brand Purpose
Yes, absolutely, profit and loss statements are important; however, what ensures your brand stands out from competition is your motivation for existing. What makes you stand out from other business owners is your motivation for owning a business.
Yes, absolutely, profit and loss statements are important; however, what ensures your brand stands out from competition is your motivation for existing. What makes you stand out from other business owners is your motivation for owning a business.
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Target Audience
Sure, you can try to communicate 8.2 billion humans on earth, but is that a good use of your marketing budget? Does it really make sense to your business?
Sure, you can try to communicate 8.2 billion humans on earth, but is that a good use of your marketing budget? Does it really make sense to your business?
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Brand Descriptors
This lesson helps you get clear on how you show up — not just what you do, but how it feels to work with you or buy from you.
This lesson helps you get clear on how you show up — not just what you do, but how it feels to work with you or buy from you.
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Voice, Tone, Style Tips & Narrator
This lesson helps you define how your brand sounds. You'll get clear on your voice, learn how to shift your tone depending on the situation, and set guidelines for anyone writing on your behalf. You’ll also name your narrator — the point of view your brand speaks from — so everything feels consistent and true to you.
This lesson helps you define how your brand sounds. You'll get clear on your voice, learn how to shift your tone depending on the situation, and set guidelines for anyone writing on your behalf. You’ll also name your narrator — the point of view your brand speaks from — so everything feels consistent and true to you.
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Brand Story
Craft a compelling brand story that resonates with your audience and differentiates you from the competition. Perfect for about pages, pitch decks, and social media bios.
Craft a compelling brand story that resonates with your audience and differentiates you from the competition. Perfect for about pages, pitch decks, and social media bios.
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Content Buckets
Build a sustainable content strategy with clarity and ease. In this module, you’ll learn how to create content buckets that align with your brand pillars, speak to your audience’s needs, and keep you consistent across platforms without burning out or sounding repetitive.
Build a sustainable content strategy with clarity and ease. In this module, you’ll learn how to create content buckets that align with your brand pillars, speak to your audience’s needs, and keep you consistent across platforms without burning out or sounding repetitive.
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Brand Aesthetic
Intentionally define the visual identity of your brand. This module walks you through selecting colors, fonts, imagery, and design elements that reflect your brand personality and attract the right audience — whether you’re DIY-ing or working with a designer.
Intentionally define the visual identity of your brand. This module walks you through selecting colors, fonts, imagery, and design elements that reflect your brand personality and attract the right audience — whether you’re DIY-ing or working with a designer.
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Colors
Choose a color palette that communicates your brand’s energy, values, and personality. This lesson covers color psychology, visual consistency, and how to select brand colors that create recognition and trust.
Choose a color palette that communicates your brand’s energy, values, and personality. This lesson covers color psychology, visual consistency, and how to select brand colors that create recognition and trust.
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Brand Kit
This is where it all comes together. Your brand kit holds your logo, colors, fonts, voice, and visual style in one place. It’s a go-to guide for you, your team, and anyone helping you create — so your brand always shows up the same way, no matter who’s behind the scenes.
This is where it all comes together. Your brand kit holds your logo, colors, fonts, voice, and visual style in one place. It’s a go-to guide for you, your team, and anyone helping you create — so your brand always shows up the same way, no matter who’s behind the scenes.
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Photography
Photos shape how people see your brand. This lesson helps you define the style, mood, and subjects that fit — whether you're taking your own pictures or hiring a professional.
Photos shape how people see your brand. This lesson helps you define the style, mood, and subjects that fit — whether you're taking your own pictures or hiring a professional.
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Logo
Your logo is just one part of your brand — but it needs to be clear, flexible, and easy to recognize. In this section, you’ll define how your logo should be used, what versions you need, and why simplicity often works best.
Your logo is just one part of your brand — but it needs to be clear, flexible, and easy to recognize. In this section, you’ll define how your logo should be used, what versions you need, and why simplicity often works best.
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Typography
The fonts you use say a lot about your brand. In this lesson, you’ll choose typefaces that match your style, are easy to read, and work across platforms — from your website to your Instagram stories.
The fonts you use say a lot about your brand. In this lesson, you’ll choose typefaces that match your style, are easy to read, and work across platforms — from your website to your Instagram stories.
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Vendor & Services Recommendations
You don’t have to figure it all out alone. These are the vendors we personally recommend to our clients.
You don’t have to figure it all out alone. These are the vendors we personally recommend to our clients.
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Small Business Checklist
This section is a gut check. It walks you through the basics every small business should have in place — from legal and financial tools to marketing must-haves. Whether you’re just starting out or tightening things up, this list helps you see what’s solid and what still needs work.
This section is a gut check. It walks you through the basics every small business should have in place — from legal and financial tools to marketing must-haves. Whether you’re just starting out or tightening things up, this list helps you see what’s solid and what still needs work.
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After working for strategic advertising and brand reputation agencies across the United States on behalf of national and international brands, Brooke launched Rural Gone Urban, a strategic communications boutique agency headquartered in Gore, Okla.
Yes, Brooke’s LinkedIn profile is stacked with experience in corporate advertising, reputation management, event coordination, non-profit, and public relations; however, give her a maker, or an entrepreneur laser focused on becoming the most sought after barbecue smoke master in Tennessee, and she’s there.
She’s there with flags flying like a small town football team headed to their first playoff game in school history.
She’s there, first in line, they day you cut the big red ribbon for your new business featuring local makers and creators.
She’s so there.
She' know the grit it takes to launch a new business. She’s also spent our Friday nights reading IRS.gov. She’s learned the hard way the ins-and-outs of e- and m-commerce. And, she know how overwhelming it can be to see the ever-growing to-do list of the things you know you should be doing, but just can’t seem to find the time.
She’s created a course that allows you to focus on your brand’s foundation, because after working with small town brands and large international brands she knows without a doubt a solid foundation ensures logevity and scalability.
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