How-To Style Guide.pdf 149.86 KB

To be in the digital sphere is to create what is essentially a virtual experience business card. 

Whenever someone encounters your company - whether it be via social media, Google search, your website or other - you are giving them an opportunity to fall in love with your company. 

Every company should have a cohesive brand look, feel and voice. It is imperative for growth and customer retention.

If your company does not already have a style guide, it can be relatively simple to put together. You can also hire an outside person who specializes in brand creation to create a style guide (and logo) for you. Either way, you want to be aware of the company brand and how to ensure employees are operating with that brand identity in mind.

Bringing knowledge of brand awareness to any company is a highly desirable skill. Being able to look at the macro (aka Big Picture) is typically a skill that is only learned by those who take a strong interest in growing this skillset. 

If your company already has a brand look and feel, pay attention to it. Learn what works (and what doesn’t) to continue to enhance a cohesive brand strategy. 

Ask these questions:

• Do we have a style guide for me to learn from?

• Is there a specific font size and style that we use in our documents?

• Do we have a logo that we place on our documents and/or products?

• What do we sell?

• What do we want people to think about our brand? 

• How can we say that without saying it? 

How to create a simple brand style guide:

1. Refer to the company’s mission, vision and core values and provide a brand story to introduce the brand. 

2. Provide the company logo along with parameters that the logo must fit within (provide some dos and don'ts). Outline how the company name is - and is not - stylized.

3. Include the brand’s core color palette - should be 2-4 colors that work well together but do not all have to be variants of the same color. You can also provide a light and dark version for added continuity. Be sure to provide hex codes (numberic/formulaic codes for color palette combinations).

4. Outline your typography system - provide font name and example along with the preferred size and weight. You can outline more than one font, but be sure to distinguish when each font is to be used.

5. Declare your brand voice - choose 4-6 words that describe your brand voice. Provide dos and don'ts for your brand voice. Outline any specific grammar, spelling or styling requirements.

6. Provide and outline for media content. Again, outline dos and don’ts and provide examples.

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