Style guides: what to include and how to use them properly

A company’s marketing style helps create a brand for that company. Therefore, a consistent look or presentation in writing and design is important if you want to remain memorable and pulled-together in the eyes of your customers. A style guide (also known as a Brand Book or Brand Bible) will increase organization and communication when you are promoting your business because it conveniently puts all the information your employees will need to build your brand in one convenient location. At MCA, this is called a Corporate Identity Kit.

We suggest including guidelines in the following areas: editorial standards along with font styles and thickness, size and colors of logos and where to use them, layouts of materials, website design, image guidelines, your color palette, and words and taglines to be used in common descriptions and slogans.

There are many choices to make; the best thing to do is simply choose what you prefer and what you are familiar with. Include the most common items or issues that you foresee being important both now and as you grow and change. A good style guide includes plenty of examples and visuals – not to restrict creativity but to provide structure and consistency. It is also easily accessible by others within the company and updated drafts include the dates they were updated.

Remember, your goal is a consistent message. Having a Corporate Identity Kit as a guide for your brand and marketing style is a great tool to use in order to meet that goal. MCA knows: details matter.