How to Create a Brand Style Guide Without Spending a Fortune

How to Create a Brand Style Guide Without Spending a Fortune

Have you ever walked into a party and instantly knew who the host was?

They weren’t wearing a name tag. They didn’t have a flashing sign above their head.

But something about their energy, style, and how they moved through the room just screamed, “I’m in charge here”.

That’s what a strong brand does for your business.

And a brand style guide? It’s the secret sauce that makes sure your brand shows up to every party (or, you know, marketing channel) looking and feeling exactly like the boss it is.

I learned this the hard way.

When I started my first business, I thought branding was just for the big boys—the Coca-Colas and Nikes of the world.

Boy, was I wrong?

We were all over the place. One day, our social media was cracking jokes; the next, we sounded like a stuffy corporate memo. Our logo changed more often than I change my socks (and trust me, that’s saying something).

It was a mess.

And our customers? They were confused.

Confused customers don’t buy.

That’s when I realised we needed a brand style guide—a rulebook for our brand’s personality.

Now, I’m not going to lie to you. Creating a brand style guide isn’t a walk in the park. But it’s not rocket science, either.

And the payoff? Massive.

In this post, I will walk you through creating a killer brand style guide, even if you’re on a shoestring budget. Even if the closest you’ve come to design is picking out your outfit in the morning.

Ready to give your brand the clarity and consistency it deserves? Let’s get stuck in.

🔰 TL;DR: A brand style guide is your secret weapon for consistent, powerful branding. This post walks you through creating one step-by-step, from defining your brand’s personality to choosing colours and fonts. You’ll learn how to craft a guide that keeps your brand on point across all channels without breaking the bank or needing a design degree. Let’s dive in and give your brand the clarity it deserves.

What is a Brand Style Guide Anyway?

Before diving into the nitty-gritty, let’s clarify what we discuss here.

A brand style guide is like your brand’s Bible. Its constitution. Its ‘rules of the game’.

It’s a document that outlines exactly how your brand should look, sound, and feel across all touchpoints.

Think of it as a manual for your brand’s personality.

It covers things like:

• Your brand’s mission and values
• Your visual identity (logo, colours, fonts)
• Your brand voice and tone
• How to use your brand elements

You might be thinking, “That sounds like a lot of faff. Do I need all that?”

Short answer? Yes. Yes, you do.

Here’s why:

1. Consistency is key: A style guide ensures your brand looks and sounds the same everywhere. This builds trust and recognition.
2. It saves time: No more debates about which shade of blue to use or whether that social post sounds “on-brand”.
3. It empowers your team: Everyone can confidently create on-brand materials without constant hand-holding.
4. It impresses clients and partners: A solid style guide shows you’re professional and have your sh*t together.
5. It makes scaling easier: As you grow, your style guide keeps your brand intact, even with new team members.

Still not convinced? Let me throw some numbers at you:

According to a 2023 study by Lucidpress, consistent brand presentation across all platforms can increase revenue by up to 33%.

Another study found that 94% of consumers will likely be loyal to a brand that offers complete transparency.

Your brand style guide? It’s your ticket to that consistency and transparency.

So, now that we’re on the same page about why you need a brand style guide let’s talk about how to create one that doesn’t suck.

Step 1: Define Your Brand’s Personality

First things first, we need to figure out who your brand is.

I’m not talking about your products or services here. I’m talking about your brand’s personality.

If your brand was a person, who would they be?

• Are they the life of the party or more of a quiet intellectual?
• Do they speak in snappy one-liners or thoughtful paragraphs?
• Are they a rebel or a peacemaker?

This isn’t just fluffy marketing speak. It’s crucial stuff.

Your brand personality will guide everything else in your style guide.

Here’s how to nail it down:

1. Start with Your ‘Why’

Simon Sinek bangs on about this for a reason. Your ‘why’ is the foundation of your brand.

• Why does your business exist?
• What problem are you solving?
• What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Write it down. Make it concise. This is your brand’s North Star.

2. Define Your Core Values

What principles guide your business decisions?

Are you all about innovation? Sustainability? Luxury?

Pick 3-5 core values that truly represent what you stand for.

3. Identify Your Target Audience

Who are you talking to?

Get specific here. “Everyone” is not a target audience.

• How old are they?
• What do they care about?
• What problems do they have that you can solve?

4. Craft Your Brand Voice

How should your brand sound based on your “why,” values, and audience?

Are you:

• Formal or casual?
• Serious or playful?
• Technical or simple?

Create a list of words that describe your brand voice. And a list of words you’d never use.

5. Create a Brand Persona

Now, bring it all together into a brand persona.

Give your brand a name, an age, a backstory.

What would they wear? What music do they listen to?

This may feel silly, but trust me, it works. It makes it much easier for everyone to understand and embody your brand personality.

Remember, your brand personality should be:

• Authentic: Don’t try to be something you’re not.
• Consistent: Your personality should shine through in everything you do.
• Distinctive: In a sea of sameness, what makes you stand out?

Get this right, and the rest of your style guide will flow much more quickly.

Step 2: Nail Your Visual Identity

Right now, we’re getting to the fun part. (Well, I think it’s fun. But I’m a branding nerd.)

Your visual identity is what people see when they interact with your brand. It’s your brand’s face if you will.

Get this wrong, and you’ll look like a dog’s dinner. Get it right, and you’ll be more recognisable than the Golden Arches.

Here’s what you need to sort out:

1. Your Logo

Your logo is the face of your brand. It’s what people will remember when they think of you.

I’m not saying you need to spend thousands on a fancy design agency. But please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t use ClipArt.

Here are a few tips:

• Keep it simple. The best logos are often the simplest.
• Make sure it works in black and white.
• Create variations (full colour, black, white, icon only).
• Define clear space around your logo.

📌 Pro Tip: Include examples of how NOT to use your logo. Trust me, someone will try to stretch it, recolour it, or slap it on a busy background if you don’t explicitly tell them not to.

2. Your Colour Palette

Colours evoke emotions. Choose wisely.

• Pick a primary colour that represents your brand’s personality.
• Choose 2-3 complementary colours.
• Include neutral colours for backgrounds and text.

For each colour, define:

• The hex code
• RGB values
• CMYK values (for print)

And please, for the love of all that is good and pure in this world, use colour psychology.

Don’t just pick colours because they look pretty. Choose colours that mean something to your brand and your audience.

3. Your Typography

Fonts matter. A lot.

Choose:

• A primary font for headings
• A secondary font for body text
• A tertiary font for accents (if needed)

Define:

• Font sizes for different heading levels
• Line spacing
• Letter spacing

And remember: legibility trumps everything. That funky handwritten font might look cool, but what’s the point if no one can read it?

4. Your Imagery Style

What kind of images represent your brand?

• Photographs or illustrations?
• Bright and colourful or muted and subtle?
• People-focused or product-focused?

Define guidelines for:

• Image selection
• Filters or editing styles
• Image placement

5. Your Iconography

If you use icons, keep them consistent.

• Choose a style (filled, outlined, flat, 3D)
• Define sizes and colours
• Create guidelines for when and how to use them

Remember, your visual identity should:

• Reflect your brand personality: Don’t use stuffy corporate blues and greys if you’re a fun, quirky brand.
• Be versatile: It should work across all mediums, from business cards to billboards.
• Be timeless: Trends come and go. Your brand should stand the test of time.

Get your visual identity right, and you’ll be halfway to a killer brand style guide.

Step 3: Find Your Voice

Right, we’ve sorted out how your brand looks. Now, let’s talk about how it sounds.

Your brand voice is crucial. It’s what makes you sound like you and not some faceless corporation.

Get this wrong, and you’ll sound about as authentic as a politician’s promise.

Get it right, and your audience will feel like chatting with an old friend.

Here’s how to nail your brand voice:

1. Define Your Tone

Your tone is the attitude behind your words. It’s not what you say but how you say it.

Are you:

• Friendly and casual?
• Professional and authoritative?
• Witty and irreverent?

Choose 3-5 words that describe your tone. And 3-5 words that definitely don’t describe it.

2. Create a Voice Chart

A voice chart helps you understand how your brand sounds in different situations.

For example:

This gives your team a quick reference for how to communicate.

3. Develop Writing Guidelines

Now, get specific about how your brand writes:

• Sentence structure: Short and punchy or long and detailed?
• Vocabulary: Simple or technical? Any words to avoid?
• Punctuation: Do you use exclamation marks? Ellipses?
• Emojis and slang: Yes or no? If yes, which ones?

4. Create Brand-Specific Terms

Do you have any unique terms or phrases associated with your brand?

List them out, along with their definitions and how to use them.

5. Provide Examples

Show, don’t just tell.

Give examples of your brand voice in action:

• Social media posts
• Email subject lines
• Product descriptions
• Customer service responses

And provide examples of what not to do, too.

Remember, your brand voice should be:

• Consistent: Regardless of the channel, it should sound like the same person is talking.
• Authentic: It should reflect your brand’s true personality, not what you think people want to hear.
• Adaptable: It should be able to flex slightly for different audiences or situations without losing its core identity.

Get your brand voice right, and your audience will feel like they know you. And people buy from brands they know and trust.

Step 4: Put It All Together

Right, we’ve got all the pieces. Now, it’s time to assemble them into a proper style guide.

This is where the magic happens. All your hard work comes together into a document that’ll keep your brand on track for years.

Here’s how to structure your style guide:

1. Introduction

Start with a brief overview of the style guide and why it’s essential.

Include:

• Your brand’s mission statement
• Your core values
• A summary of your brand personality

2. Logo Guidelines

Provide details on how to use (and not use) your logo.

Include:

• All variations of your logo
• Minimum size requirements
• Clear space rules
• Do’s and don’ts of logo usage

3. Colour Palette

List all your brand colours and their values.

For each colour, provide:

• Hex code
• RGB values
• CMYK values
• Pantone number (if applicable)

Include examples of colour combinations and usage guidelines.

4. Typography

Detail your font choices and how to use them.

Include:

• Primary and secondary fonts
• Font sizes for different purposes
• Line spacing and kerning guidelines
• Examples of typographic hierarchy

5. Imagery

Provide guidelines for selecting and using images.

Include:

• Preferred style of photography or illustration
• Image treatment guidelines (filters, cropping, etc.)
• Examples of on-brand and off-brand imagery

6. Brand Voice

Detail how your brand communicates.

Include:

• The tone of voice guidelines
• Writing style tips
• Brand-specific terminology
• Examples of on-brand copy for different channels

7. Applications

Show how all these elements come together in real-world applications.

Include examples of:

• Business cards
• Letterheads
• Social media posts
• Website design
• Product packaging

8. Do’s and Don’ts

Summarise key points with clear examples of what to do and what not to do.

This section is crucial. It’s where you prevent those “What were they thinking?” moments.

Remember, your style guide should be:

• Clear: Anyone should be able to understand and apply it.
• Comprehensive: It should cover all aspects of your brand.
• Flexible: It should allow for creativity within set boundaries.
• Accessible: Make sure everyone who needs it can easily access it.

And here’s a pro tip: Make it digital.

A PDF is fine, but a web-based style guide is even better. It’s easier to update and ensures everyone always has the latest version.

Step 5: Implement and Evolve

Congratulations! You’ve created your brand style guide.

Pop the champagne! Break out the party hats! Do a little dance!

… all right, celebration over. Now, the real work begins.

Creating your style guide is only half the battle. The other half? Getting people to use it.

Here’s how to make sure your shiny new style guide doesn’t just gather digital dust:

1. Train Your Team

Don’t just email out the style guide; hope for the best.

Hold a training session. Walk through the guide. Explain the reasoning behind your choices.

Make it fun. Maybe even turn it into a game. “Spot the Brand Fail”, anyone?

2. Make It Easily Accessible

Your style guide should be easier to find than a cat video online.

Put it somewhere prominent. Like, it’s really obvious.

And make sure it’s in a format everyone can access. No fancy software is required.

3. Lead by Example

Use the style guide yourself. Religiously.

If the boss doesn’t care about brand consistency, why should anyone else?

4. Create Templates

Make it easy for people to stay on brand.

Create templates for standard documents:

• Presentations
• Reports
• Social media posts
• Email signatures

The easier you make it to stay on brand, the more likely people will do it.

5. Review and Update Regularly

Your brand will evolve. Your style guide should, too.

Set a regular review date once a year is a good start.

But be open to making more minor updates as needed.

6. Celebrate Success

Shout it from the rooftops when someone nails it with the brand guidelines.

Share great examples. Give out silly awards. Staying on brand is something people want to do.

Remember, implementing your style guide is about changing behaviour.

Changing behaviour is complex. It takes time. It takes persistence.

But stick with it; your brand will be more consistent than a Swiss train timetable before you know it.

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