I recently had the opportunity to speak to a group of local business owners and introduce them to Short Story Long. I got invited to discuss social media, some tips and tricks, and how businesses can be consistent with their content. I was amazed that many businesses needed brand guidelines or a simple document outlining how their business would be displayed.
Brand Guidelines are among the most helpful marketing tools for building a successful brand. Without them, it is like a restaurant that does not use a recipe or a builder that would not work with plans, and ultimately, it would not be easy to create consistency with your marketing, especially if multiple people promote your company.
So, what are Brand Guidelines?
Brand Guidelines are a simple yet powerful document that outlines how your brand should be presented. They can be as short as a single page or as detailed as a booklet. At the core, they should include your company logo, brand colours, and the fonts used in your business. More comprehensive guidelines may also cover logo placement, Alternative colour options, and even the layout of company stationary like business cards or letterheads.
How do we create Brand Guidelines?
Creating a set of Brand Guidelines is relatively easy. Start by collating any digital assets you already have. The initially designed logo is the best as it will have the most accurate colour. Talk to your web designer and find out what fonts they have used.
While you can build your Brand Guidelines in programs like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, dedicated design software adds the extra sparkle to the finished product. Canva is an excellent option for document design, and the learning curve is not steep. Canva is a freemium software, meaning that basic features (although perfect for many businesses) are available to subscribers for free. With a paid "Pro" subscription, more and better options become available, such as more templates, stock imagery, and tools like the Social Media Content Planner. Canva is a template-based, drag-and-drop design software and is as easy to use as selecting a template that you like the look and feel to and swapping out the elements.
We can help.
Goodwill is a valuable asset for many businesses. Your brand guidelines make this tangible and ensure consistent branding across all digital platforms, websites, emails, and prints. The brand guidelines will be a reference point for you from now on. If you want to discuss creating brand guidelines or any business content, feel free to contact us. We're here to help you enhance your brand and reach your goals.
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