Have you ever noticed your logo looking slightly different on your website, your business cards and your Facebook page? Maybe the colours don’t quite match, or someone has squashed it to fit a space. It’s a common problem, and a simple brand style guide is the easiest way to fix it.
What is a brand style guide?
A brand style guide is a short document that sets out how your branding should be used. Big companies have guides running to hundreds of pages, but a small business only needs a few. Its job is to make sure that whoever is producing something for your business, whether that’s you, a staff member, a printer or a sign writer, gets it right.
Why it matters
Consistency builds recognition and trust. When customers see the same logo, colours and style everywhere, your business looks established and professional. When things look different each time, it creates a sense, even subconsciously, that something isn’t quite right.
What to include
Your logo
Show the main version of your logo, plus any alternatives such as a stacked version or a single-colour version. Include the minimum size it should be used at and how much clear space should be left around it. It’s also helpful to show a few examples of what not to do, such as stretching it, changing its colours or placing it on a busy background.
Your colours
List your brand colours with their exact values for print (CMYK and Pantone) and for screen (RGB and HEX codes). This is what stops your blue turning into five slightly different blues.
Your fonts
Name the fonts used for headings and for body text, along with alternatives to use where those fonts aren’t available, such as in everyday Word documents and emails.
Imagery
A few notes on the style of photos and graphics that suit your brand help keep your social media and marketing looking cohesive.
Tone of voice
Optional, but useful: a few lines describing how your business sounds. Friendly and relaxed? Professional and reassuring? This helps anyone writing on your behalf.
Put it to work
Once you have a style guide, share it with anyone who produces material for your business. Pair it with ready-made templates for things you create regularly, like letterheads, quotes, presentations and social media posts, and keeping your brand consistent becomes almost effortless.
We can help
We design logos, corporate ID and the templates that go with them, from business cards and email signatures to Word and PowerPoint templates. See some of our work on the graphic design and bits and bobs pages, or contact us to talk about your brand.
