Everything you need to know for your business
Before we dive deep into the WHY you need a visual brand standards guide, it’s important to understand what exactly brand standardization is. In a nutshell, brand guidelines (also referred as a brand style guide or brand standards) are essentially an instruction manual and rule book on how to communicate your brand. In this document or guide, you will find a layout of all the visual details, including colour palette, typeface, spacing, use of cases, etc. In some instances, with in-depth brand standard guides, you may find important notes about the company’s voice, tone, and messaging; conceptual signage, audience avatars, your mission statement etc.
And now onto the WHY your business needs a brand standards guide…
All of us – in work and in play – scroll past hundreds of messages every single day in an array of media formats, and only remember a fraction of what we see. Your business’ audience is exactly the same. They are speed-reading articles and news bulletins, scanning emails and making their way through their favorite apps fast, and often without thinking about who is providing them with the content they are seeing. Building a trusted brand voice that stands out in a noisy marketplace takes consistency, and that’s what brand standardization can bring to your organization.
So how do you stop users in their tracks and get them to truly listen? A great brand guide can be exactly what you need to help captivate your audience. It goes without saying that creating an attractive Instagram grid is always a plus, but if you can follow a brand guide, you can do far more than simply gaining followers. You want real, measurable results. First and foremost, brand harmony is a big money-maker in pretty much every industry. This is a no brainer. When you follow brand guidelines across all your marketing collateral including your website, blog posts, social media, advertising campaigns (print and digital), business cards, postcards, marketing material, and signage you will increase your revenue and increase the value of your brand. Repetition drives brand recognition, which is the power of consistency and is critical in building trust. This leads to professionalism, polish and not only brand visibility, but builds authenticity and brand loyalty.
A thoughtful and well laid out set of brand guidelines will also lay the foundation for more efficient and higher quality work with your team. When you set brand identity guidelines, it is an easier method to send your marketing, advertising and creative efforts in the right direction before ideation begins. When you start brainstorming, your brand standards quickly help weed out the “wrong” ideas or steer you away from a path that doesn’t align with your brand. It helps narrow down your best options and discover solutions to brand challenges quickly (and lets you focus on new creative approaches). The decision-making is sped up and your team will appreciate the clear direction and support!
Every company has a brand in some way, shape or form…but some are much more clearly defined and “iconic” than others. Without a concrete brand and subsequent voice for your messaging, you’ll end up building that definition by the seat of your pants. And while your product or service are both huge parts of how your audience connects with your company, making sure that you have a consistent way to communicate what you do, what you offer, and who you are will help create the strongest impression.
Having your brand guidelines pulled together means that all the elements that make up who you are can be found in one place, so you can build upon your creative identity and ensure that it extends far beyond what you sell. Your voice then becomes a clear message to your audience, who will be able to imagine who you really are, beyond what you sell or do. This is where your ‘brand personality’ can come into play – are you sassy, cold, heartfelt, cool, sporty? Committing to your personality and staying within your own set of brand guidelines can help you not only boost brand awareness, but build trust, faith and reliable followers and customers, and you will become a brand that people can’t wait to hear from. This can be in newsletters, mailouts, social media marketing, blogs, etc. Be unforgettable and sought after!
Kleurvision is a branding powerhouse. We love the creative process and working closely with our clients from start to finish during the branding process. If you have questions or want to talk branding, marketing and your business, reach out – we love to talk shop. Let us take you through a brand process and organize the elements that define you in your market.
