This is one of the most common branding questions I hear. If you’ve been putting off creating a Brand Guidelines document, you’re not alone.
Watch This Episode: Do I Really Need Brand Guidelines?
But Laura… Do I Really Need Brand Guidelines?
Maybe you downloaded a free template, started filling it in, and then got overwhelmed? Or perhaps you’re in scrappy start-up mode and think this can wait? But here’s the truth. Brand guidelines are a game-changer for brand consistency and long-term business success.
Stick around because, by the end of this, you’ll know exactly why you need brand guidelines and how to get started.
What Are Brand Guidelines? A Quick Recap
Brand guidelines are the blueprint for your brand identity. They outline how your business presents itself visually and verbally to maintain consistency.
Think of them as the instruction manual for your brand strategy, brand identity, and brand execution. Not just a list of do’s and don’ts but a strategic document backed by data.
A brand guidelines document should be structured, clear, and practical. Here’s an example of what a well-organised guidelines document might look like…
Why They Should Be a “Living” Document
Your brand guidelines shouldn’t be static. Instead, they should evolve with your business and market trends.
Here’s what makes them “living”:
- Regular Updates: Ensure guidelines stay relevant to your brand’s growth and industry shifts.
- Team-Wide Access: Everyone in your business, from employees to external suppliers, should follow them.
- Supplier Addendums: New creative partners should contribute to the document for seamless collaboration.
With updated and accessible brand guidelines, your team stays organised, your brand stays consistent, and your business runs more efficiently.
Why Do People Struggle with Brand Guidelines?
At first, creating brand guidelines feels like a fun branding exercise—until it doesn’t.
- You start filling in a template and quickly get stuck.
- The sections seem repetitive or confusing.
- You wonder if you really need all this detail.
Or maybe you’re in the early start-up phase, where flexibility seems more important than structure. If that’s you, focus on securing cash flow first. But once your business moves beyond survival mode, brand consistency becomes essential for scaling.
Brand Guidelines vs. Style Sheets: Know the Difference
Many business owners confuse brand guidelines with a style sheet. Let’s clear this up.
❌ A style sheet is a one-page document covering:
- Brand colours (hex codes, RGB, CMYK).
- Fonts and typography.
- Logo variations.
✅ Brand guidelines, on the other hand, go deeper, explaining:
- Brand mission, vision, and values.
- The tone of voice and messaging.
- Imagery and design principles.
- How to maintain brand consistency across platforms.
A style sheet is helpful. But it’s not enough to keep your brand aligned.
What Happens If You Skip Brand Guidelines?
Not having brand guidelines leads to constant branding inconsistencies and wasted time.
- Frequent Branding Mistakes: Without a guide, team members and suppliers create assets that don’t align with your brand.
- Frustrating Supplier Experiences: Ever worked with a graphic designer, photographer, or marketer and ended with work that just wasn’t right?
- Endless Revisions: If you’re stuck in a cycle of tweaks and redos, a lack of brand guidelines is likely the culprit.
- Internal Confusion: New hires struggle to understand your brand, leading to costly mistakes and management headaches.
If you spend most of your day “putting out small fires” in your branding and marketing, this might be why.
How to Get Started with Your Brand Guidelines (3 Approaches)
1. Get It Done in a Day
Want a fast, done-for-you solution? Book my In-a-Day Intensive service. I extract your brand’s essence, organise it, and deliver a professional guidelines document all in one day.
This is PERFECT for busy business owners who need brand clarity ASAP.
2. Do It Together (With Expert Guidance)
You can apply to join my branding program, where you’ll develop a fully structured, tested brand guidelines document with my support.
- Self-paced with a recommended six-month timeline.
- Flexible – you can go faster or slower as needed.
- Ideal for entrepreneurs who want to actively shape their brand identity.
Join my amazing client Michelle behind the scenes of her journey through this program. See how her creative direction became a slick operation as a result of this.
3. DIY with Strategy
If you prefer to go solo, I recommend that you start with these steps:
- Define your brand mission, values, and personality.
- Outline visual identity rules (logos, colours, typography).
- Document brand messaging and tone of voice.
- Keep everything in one accessible place for easy team reference.
The Game-Changing Benefits of Brand Guidelines
- Save Time: No more explaining the same things over and over.
- Better Creative Results: Designers and copywriters get it right the first time.
- Fewer Revisions: Eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth.
- More Confidence: Feel crystal clear about your brand.
- Prepared for Growth: Whether launching a new product, pitching investors, or scaling your business—brand guidelines make the process smoother.
Bespoke Fitness refined their brand visuals to reflect their luxury brand positioning. We developed a shoot plan based on these guidelines. Here’s how.
Ready to Create Brand Guidelines That Work for Your Business?
If you’ve been procrastinating on this, it’s time to take action. Choose the method that works best for you done-for-you or guided support and start building a more consistent, powerful brand today.
If that feels like too much Right Now
If you’re not sure where to start? Grab my Free Brand Guidelines Checklist to structure your document the right way.
Fancy a chat about your Branding development? Book a call now.
