What is brand Manual (Brand Identity Guidelines)
Brand identity guidelines are the manual explaining how usage of the brand should be both internally and externally. If the brand logo looks different everywhere you see it; there would be no way to establish an instant connection in consumer’s mind about logo and brand promise.
The brand identity guidelines are formed to instruct how tangible elements of the brand should be used in branded communications from business cards to packing design. Following brand identity guidelines will help your brand leave fingerprints across all communication touch points. Brand guidelines will dictate instructions related to all aspects of the brand like colour, fonts, and layout. It also includes sections about offline and external communications and co-branded communications. It includes all forms of brand marketing and advertising. Even internal business presentations that use brand name and logo forms to be a part of brand communications so, these communications should abide brand identity guidelines as well.
“Authentic brands don’t emerge from marketing cubicles or advertising agencies. They emanate from everything the company does.” Howard Schultz
Contents of brand guidelines
Determining the contents of brand guidelines means deciding on the various elements you want to include in brand identity guidelines. The most common elements of brand identity guidelines include
BRAND PLATFORM
The brand platform contains elements like a brand mission, vision, core values of the brand, its attributes and promise. The components talk about who you are and what your brand is. It tells the overall story what your brand tells to the audience.
KEY MESSAGES AND VOICE
Your brand needs to have certain language requirements depending on the industry you work in. The brand identity guidelines about key message and voice tell how the brand should present itself through voice. The guidelines stated here will be about word choice, tone, and voice used in the brand message. It also dictates a structured elevator pitch for the brand. The key message of the brand passes intentional guidelines about how your brand should be described and promoted by others. It also tells what they should not say about you. The way you talk about brand hold key importance so, you should have guidelines related to specific message requirements. When you are more specific about the usage of guidelines, less likely are the chances of your brand being misrepresented. It will be easier to maintain brand consistency which will lead to brand trust that brings a good impact on your sales number.
VISUAL IDENTITY
Visual identity of the brand is composed of various elements like logo usage guidelines, iconography and graphic styles, color palette, photography guidelines, typography guidelines, and template guidelines. Understanding how the brand should be represented visually is an important part of brand guidelines. The visual appearance of the brand is the first interaction with the customers so; it should one of the important sections of brand identity guidelines.
PERSONAS AND AUDIENCE JOURNEYS
Sharing your brand story without knowing the target audience turns to be difficult. Have a deep look at the buyer’s journeys and personas to know the best way to convey your brand and connect with the target audience. Buyer’s personas give you a clear picture of your target audience so that your steward know to whom they are speaking to. Buyer personas include elements like Persona Name and Role, age, educational qualification, income, few personality traits, a short bio about them, challenges, decision-drivers, and questions. As you understand the personas of the people your brand is targeted to, your brand will resonate with the right people.
Define usage guidelines
Guidelines about how not to use your brand are as important as how to use the brand at best. These rules refer to variations in treatment, color usage, logo, and massage guidelines as well.
TYPE TREATMENT
It is important to include rules about the usage of brand fonts in brand guidelines. Many companies use standard fonts for headlines, subheads, and text of the body. The guidelines also include specifications about the brand fonts used in the digital formats as well. They should provide clear examples of the right usage of brand fonts and also specify the type of fonts and treatments that are not allowed.
LOGO AND COLOR VARIATIONS
The color palette in the brand logo is used to represent the brand positively along with its mission so, guidelines have to include few specifications about don’ts in the logo like a change of colors, usage of colors, making logo semi-transparent, not to rotate logo scale. These guidelines will help to maintain your brand’s integrity.
ADVANTAGES OF BRANDING GUIDELINES
Brand guidelines are nothing but fundamentals to create a connection between the customers and the business. These guidelines help to establish consistency in the brand. Failing to have this your brand will lose the trust of the customers. Brand consistency needs focus and commitment that is essential for the success of the business.
Consistency
This is an important thing that any brand should hold to gain the trust of the customers. Using brand guidelines will give desired consistency for the brand that helps in avoiding customer confusion. It’s important to convey clear info. to the customer through your brand to establish and maintain relationships with them.
Brand trust
Brand guidelines are needed to deliver expectations down to every small detail of branding. When you can establish a brand trust with the help of the guidelines, the customers will be willing to pay more for the service you offered, and it will increase sales margins of the business.
Returns on investment
Increased margins are visible financial benefits of branding guidelines. There are in direct benefits like effective marketing, efficient budgets. Effective marketing means to say that budgeted money for marketing is spent well. All the materials of marketing will be uniform and collaborate together to give maximum marketing effect and true value for money spent.
Establishment
Only uniform marketing can create a charismatic brand in the market, i.e., the brand with no substitute. When you have a charismatic brand in the market, there will be no room for competition to step in. The business can take its place effectively taking control of the market where the brand is promoted.
Bottom line
Branding guidelines open up doors for new opportunities and also make use of existing templates to expand into new sectors. When you expand your business, make sure the new venture is linked to the original company which is meant to say that stay connected with the existing customers. Securing and moving on success is important for any business. Maintaining strongly recognizable templates is a way to do this easily.
