Necessity of Having Documented Brand Guidelines
Brand guidelines serve as a reference document that outlines how your brand should be presented across all mediums. They ensure consistency and help maintain the integrity of your brand as your firm grows and more people contribute to your marketing efforts.
What to Include in Brand Guidelines
- Logo Usage: Specifications on how your logo should be used, including size, placement, and variations (e.g., color vs. black and white).
- Color Codes: Detailed color codes (RGB, HEX, CMYK) for your brand’s primary and secondary colors to ensure uniformity across digital and print materials.
- Typography: Approved fonts for headings, body text, and other text elements, along with guidelines for font sizes and styles.
- Imagery Style: Guidelines on the type of images and graphics that align with your brand (e.g., professional headshots, candid shots, stock photos).
- Tone of Voice: A description of your brand’s tone of voice, including examples of preferred language and phrasing. This helps ensure consistency in written and spoken communications.
- Templates: Standardized templates for documents, presentations, and emails that reflect your brand’s visual identity.