Are you an entrepreneur / biz owner who is still trying to figure out the perfect logo that speaks to your brand spirit? Or you love your logo but feel lost when it comes to other graphical aspects of your business side.
You struggle with your designer , or feel lost when it comes to designing your letterhead , product tags , social media posts , social media styling. Somehow and every time you struggle going through canva or in your computer trying to get just the right thing out?
Possibility is that you are missing one essential part of your business that is your brand styling guide.
Do you really need one?
Every Business needs a brand styling guide , be it a startup or a big name . When I started working as a designer my first mistake had been not to create my own brand styling guide. Due to this I know how it feels to be lost trying to figure out where your brand identity lies. Every aspect of your business feels like a brand new design job and nothing matches the next.
Chance are my friend you missed creating a proper brand style guide when you started your online business.
What is a Brand styling guide?
A brand styling guide includes distinct guidelines on how each and every graphical or visual aspect of your company will be handled . It is something you can always refer to when creating your online presence.
- This guide establishes rules for creating the presence of your brand online and in the market. This includes everything from a logo , a visiting card , letter head design, the look of a website and product design.
- Brand styling guide acts as a personal communication guide for your social media , advertising and product design needs.
- Your brand styling guide also serves as a guide for designers , including typefaces and styles to color palette , image use , text and tone and also emotional portrayed by the brand.
Above all a brand style guide brings every aspect of your business together to attract the right sort of clients , compels them to do business with you and enables you to create authority.
Why it is important for your business , blog or shop?
A good brand style guide must capture the essence of your business Your brand identity should speak the essence of your business and must resonate with the core message of your business. It should be something that makes your heart sing when you look at it.
YOUR BRAND IDENTITY MUST REPRESENT YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS
So What is included in a Brand style guide.?
- Below are a few brand styling guide should include
- Overview of brand, including history, vision and personality
- Logo specifications and examples of usage
- Typography palette
- Color palette
- Textures and patterns
- Image use specifications, including photography style
- Letterhead and business card design
- Social media guidelines
I have created a checklist that will help you come up with your brand style guide step by step . This checklist includes exact steps working towards creating your basic style guide which you can always come back to once need arises.
A Brand Board starts with your fonts, Main Colors and Images and Patterns of a same theme across all platforms
Here is an example to show you just that