What good looks like: the guide and coverage check
Beside each Brand Box part, the page shows a coverage check and a short guide. Use them to see what is missing and what a strong entry looks like.
The coverage check
The Coverage card lists the items a part should have. Each is marked Included or Missing, and a missing item comes with one line of advice. The note under the list says it plainly: advice only. A short note still works, and more detail gives better output. Nothing is blocked.
| Part | Items checked |
|---|---|
| Voice | Tone, Phrases we use, Words we avoid, Example approved copy |
| Messaging and guidelines | Company and what it does, Positioning, Audience, Differentiators, Proof points, Competitors |
| Visual identity | Logo, Colours, Fonts |
The tab status follows the list: Complete when every item is included, Partial when some are, Empty when none are.
How text is checked
For Voice and Messaging, the check looks at your ## headings and at bold labels at the start of a line. An item counts as included when a heading or label matches it and has text under it. Matching is loose. A heading such as "How we sound" counts for tone, "Why we win" counts for differentiators, and "Words to avoid" or "Never say" counts for words we avoid.
Example approved copy needs more. Under a heading such as Examples or Approved copy, at least one paragraph of 200 characters or more must sit there. A one-line sample does not count.
The guide
What to include, most useful first is a numbered list. For Voice it starts with two or three paragraphs of real, approved copy, because AI copies examples far better than it follows adjectives. For Messaging it starts with your positioning statement and category, then who you sell to, three checkable differentiators, proof you may use, and the alternatives buyers compare you with. For Visual identity it starts with the logo as SVG or a PNG at least 512 pixels wide.
Weak versus useful shows one example of each. Voice: "Professional and friendly" is weak. "We write like a senior engineer explaining to a peer: plain words, no hype, one idea per sentence" is useful.
Any document works as a source: a brand book, a messaging house, a sales deck. The template is a starting point and does not need to be filled in as a form.