A brand book is a short document that records the decisions behind how your business looks. It says what your logo is, what colours and typefaces you use, how to place the logo and what not to do with it. It turns “we have a style” into something anyone can follow.
What goes in it
- The logo. Its versions, the clear space around it and the smallest size at which it stays readable.
- Colour. The exact values of your main colours and when to use each one.
- Typography. The typefaces for headlines and body text, and how they pair.
- Usage rules. Examples of misuse: stretching, tilting, wrong colours and busy backgrounds.
- Graphic elements. A pattern, an icon style or a photo style, if you have one.
- Applications. How the brand looks on a card, a sign, a bag or a web page.
Why a small business needs one
Without a brand book, your look drifts. A sign painter picks a close-enough blue. A printer stretches the logo to fit. A freelancer chooses a different font for the menu. Each choice is small. Together they make your business look less sure of itself.
With a brand book, you hand it to anyone who works for you and the result looks like you.
When to make one
- When you start a business, so every first piece is consistent.
- When you rebrand.
- When more than one person starts making your materials.
- Before you build a new website, a store or a set of print pieces.
How long it should be
For a small business, 8 to 20 pages is enough. A brand book nobody reads is no use, so keep it short and visual.
What to expect from me
I design the identity and the brand book together, then apply it to your website, brochure and landing page so you can see it in use. See brand identity and brand book design and the design portfolio, where every project includes a brand book.
How to start your own simple brand guide
You do not need a 40-page document to begin. Open a new file and write down five things. The first is your logo files, with a note on which one to use on light backgrounds and which on dark. The second is your colours, with exact codes. The third is your two typefaces, one for headlines and one for text. The fourth is three words that describe how your business speaks, for example “warm, direct, practical”. The fifth is two or three examples of how not to use the logo. That page already stops most of the drift.
When the brand book pays for itself
The benefit shows the first time someone else makes something for you. A printer needs your logo and colours. A sign maker needs the exact shade. A new employee needs to know how to write to customers. With a brand book, each of them gets the answer from one page, and your materials look like they come from one business, whoever makes them. Without it, you answer the same questions again and again, and fix mistakes after they are printed.
Mistakes that make a brand book useless
- Making it too long. Nobody reads 60 pages. Short and visual wins.
- Leaving out real examples. Show the brand on a card, a sign, a bag and a web page, so people can copy the idea.
- Keeping it private. A brand book in one person’s drawer helps no one. Share it with every supplier.
- Never updating it. When you add a new product line or a new colour, update the book the same week.
Related guides
A brand book works best alongside a clear website and a printed piece you can hand to people. Read the landing page checklist and the guide to planning a tri-fold brochure.
Want a brand book for your business?
I design the identity and the brand book together, then apply it to a website, a brochure and a landing page so you can see it in use. Tell me about your business and I reply with questions, a plan and a quote. You can request a design quote here, or call, email or message me using the details at the bottom of this page. See the brand identity service for what is included.
