If you own a small business, you may wonder what a brand style guide is and why it’s essential. Simply put, a brand style guide is a document that outlines the guidelines for how your brand should be presented visually and verbally. It includes everything from your logo and colour scheme to the visuals you use in your marketing materials.
Having a brand style guide is crucial for small businesses because it helps to ensure consistency across all of your marketing efforts. Clear and consistent brand identity makes it easier for potential customers to recognize and remember your brand.
But the most important reason to invest in your brand is TRUST.
A consistent and professional brand is crucial to building trust with your audience; that doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, effort and consistent repetition to build the trust customers need to give you their money.
Here’s the catch: most small business owners and entrepreneurs are not the best at repetitive work, which is one characteristic that makes them strong entrepreneurs, especially in the early stages.
And that’s where a properly designed brand style guide can help. It contains all the elements you need to visually represent your business in marketing and promotion – logos, imagery, colours, fonts, etc.
Let’s dive a little deeper into what a brand style guide includes. Here are some of the key elements that you’ll typically find in a brand style guide:
- Logo: Your logo is the centrepiece of your brand identity. Your brand style guide should include guidelines for how your logo should be used, including size, placement, and clear space requirements.
- Colour palette: Your brand’s colours help create a unique visual identity for your business. Your brand style guide should include your primary colour palette and any secondary colours you use.
- Typography: The fonts you use in your marketing materials can greatly impact the overall look and feel of your brand. Your brand style guide should specify which font to use for headlines, body text, and any other text in your marketing materials.
- Tone of voice: Your brand’s tone of voice refers to the personality and style of your brand’s communication. Are you casual and conversational, or more formal and professional? Your brand style guide should include guidelines for your tone of voice in your marketing materials.
- Imagery: The images you use in your marketing materials can also help to create a visual identity for your brand. Your brand style guide should specify what kinds of images to use (e.g. photographs, illustrations) and any stylistic requirements (e.g. colour filters, image sizes).
- Brand messaging: Your brand style guide should also include guidelines for the key messages and taglines you use in your marketing materials. This will help ensure your messaging is consistent and aligned with your brand identity.
By including these elements in your brand style guide, you can ensure that your brand is consistently presented across all your marketing materials.
This makes it easier for potential customers to recognize and remember your brand quickly and helps build trust and credibility with your audience.
When your brand is presented consistently and professionally, it shows that you take your business seriously and care about delivering a high-quality experience to your customers.
Interested in your brand style guide? Reach out to us and get more info on how it can help you build more trust in social media posts, ads or any other marketing you are doing.