Every one of my logo & brand design clients receives a brand board, or brand guide together with their logo files. It shows the logo design, the color palette (with corresponding Pantone and color codes), typography, and style inspirations. For premium packages, that brand guide will also have their alternate logos, patterns, and other graphic elements. Like the one below.
Some clients ask me what they should do with the guide. Here’s ultimately what it’s for: telling your brand story in a consistent way.
You already have a new logo and probably also a pretty new website. But that’s not where it all stops. You interact with the world through social media and also in real life. You create graphics and images for your blog and for Instagram, or Facebook. You print out business cards and hand them out to people. You should carry the same brand identity throughout all of these.
Stick to your color palette (the color codes are there, so it’ll be easy to replicate them on Photoshop or Illustrator). Use the same fonts (please, please please! pretty please with cherry on top!). I don’t include the font files when I send out the brand materials (because that’s not allowed), but you should try to purchase it so that you use it to create your own graphics. Be consistent in your styling.
Here’s one project that did everything right, from the use of consistent colors, fonts, and even the choice of stock photos to use.
Here are some of the ways in which they have told their brand story:
If you check out their Instagram and Facebook accounts, you will find that all the graphics they post have a cohesive look that matches their visual brand identity. From the Facebook page cover, to their regular daily topics, and even their random announcements, everything looks coordinated and well thought out. You will not see neon orange anywhere. Or a handwritten font that’s not part of their typography.
Of course, this is probably a rare case because the clients are business and brand strategists themselves, but I just love how they took what I sent them and made it work beautifully each and every time!
You don’t have to use the same template for everything, because that would be boring. Allow for some flexibility, but stay within the parameters.
If you need more tips, you might want to check out my other post about Branding Your Blog.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions! I’d love for you to let me know where you are struggling in terms of telling a consistent brand story.
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