Your business is growing, the customers are rolling in, and you're thinking big. But when you look at your branding—your colors, fonts, and visuals—they feel disconnected, even messy. You're starting to worry your team is guessing when it comes to representing your brand. Sounds familiar? That’s where a brand style guide comes in.
First Things First: What's a Brand Style Guide?
Think of a brand style guide as your business's playbook. It lays out exactly how your brand should look, sound, and feel, no matter where it appears. From your website and social media to packaging and print, it keeps everyone on the same page.
A solid brand style guide usually includes:
- Logo Guidelines: Proper use, variations, and clear rules on what not to do.
- Color Palette: Exact shades, including HEX and CMYK values.
- Typography: Specific fonts and how they should be used across your materials.
- Imagery and Graphics: Clear examples of photos, illustrations, and icons that fit your brand.
- Tone and Voice: Guidelines on the language your brand uses to connect with customers.
Why Your Business Needs One (Seriously)
Here’s the thing—brands without style guides face a big problem... inconsistency. Inconsistency breeds confusion, and confusion is bad for business. Customers notice when things don’t add up. When you jump from one visual style or tone to another, your brand weakens. You lose trust, clarity, and impact.
A brand style guide helps you:
- Build Recognition: Consistent brands get remembered. Clear visuals and messaging make your brand easy to spot and hard to forget.
- Save Time and Money: No more endless meetings debating color choices or font sizes. Decisions are already made, keeping things efficient.
- Scale Smoothly: As your team grows or you bring in outside help, everyone can quickly get aligned. Growth becomes seamless.
- Stay Professional: Professionalism equals trust. A solid guide ensures everything looks sharp, reliable, and intentional.
Real-Life Impact
Take Raleigh Founded, a coworking brand I rebranded here at Devize Creative (previously Devon Lewis Designs). Before their rebrand, their visual identity less cohesive. After introducing a clear brand style guide, the results were:
- Suite conversions shot up by 425%.
- Coworking memberships increased by 293%.
- Overall community engagement soared.
Not only did we tidy things up, but we drove growth.
What Should You Include in Yours?
Here’s the essentials:
- Logo Usage: Primary logo, alternatives, placement rules, and clear do’s and don’ts.
- Color Standards: Primary colors, secondary colors, and exact color codes.
- Font Rules: Font families, sizes, hierarchy, and clear examples for headings, body copy, and captions.
- Visual Examples: Photography styles, iconography, illustrations, and even spacing guidelines.
- Brand Voice: Tone, language guidelines, and key messaging points.
Make Your Guide Work for You
Your brand style guide should be simple, clear, and easy to follow. Avoid jargon and overly technical language. The goal? Anyone should be able to understand it, from your marketing team to freelancers or new hires.
Update your guide as your brand evolves. Treat it like a living document—it’s meant to adapt as your business grows and shifts.
Getting Started
Ready to tighten up your branding? Creating a brand style guide doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start by documenting the visuals and voice you currently use. Identify what works, ditch what doesn’t, and clarify where you want your brand to go next.
Need help crafting a guide that actually moves the needle? At Devize Creative, strategic brand identities are our thing. Let's get your brand sharp, clear, and ready to scale.
Because branding isn't just about looking good—around here we also get results.
