Brand Guidelines; The solution to Overcoming Small Business Identity Issues
Read Time: 6 Minutes
Introduction
THIS BLOG WILL HELP YOU UNDerstand the solution to small business identity issues
What is a Brand?
A brand is how a business talks to its customers and projects its identity. It can build meaningful relationships over time through its name, logo, or any distinguishing factor that sets it apart from the competition. Basically, with a strong brand, your business can stand out in the market.
Key Takeaways of What a Brand is (W. Kenton.2022)
- A brand is an intangible marketing or business concept that helps people identify a company, product, or individual.
- People often confuse brands with things like logos, slogans, or other recognizable marks, which are marketing tools that help promote goods and services.
- Brands are considered to be among a company’s most important and valuable assets.
- Companies can protect their brands by registering trademarks.
- Types of brands include corporate, personal, product, and service brands.
A strong brand builds a personal, intangible bond with its customers that reaches beyond the product itself.

What are Brand Guidelines?
Brand guidelines provide the framework for a consistent and recognizable brand identity across all platforms. They outline specifications for Brand Elements such as typography, color palette, tone of voice, and Brand Strategy, which outlines the brand’s mission statement and much more. A comprehensive brand style guide makes ensuring a consistent and reliable brand experience.
Why are Brand Guidelines Important for your Business?
These guidelines let us show the brand’s human side. Whether it’s the content creators crafting the perfect collateral or the customer support agents helping out an unhappy customer, everyone will speak with one voice. Because everyone is employed to reflect the brand’s personality, making sure everyone they meet feels that sense of human connection.
Who needs Brand Guidelines?
What are in Brand Guidelines?
In simple terms;
- BRAND STRATEGY = The soul of your Brand (The fire of your brand).
- BRAND ELEMENTS = The inner & outer beauty of your Brand (The attractive qualities).


Brand Strategy is the Soul of your Brand
Brand Elements are the Beauty of your brand

Brand Strategy and Elements comparison
Brand Strategy = Soul
- Reveal your Brand’s “Why”
- Define your Brand
- Understand your Industry
- Check out your Competition
- Create your Brand’s Core Values
- Define your Vision & Mission Statement
- Find your Unique Selling Point
- Develop a catchy Strapline
Brand Elements = Beauty
- Define your Brand Personaility
- Pinpoint your Brand Personality Spectrum
- Find your Brand Voice
- Select your Brand Colors
- Choose Brand’s Content Typeface
- Create a Versatile Logo
Key Takeaways
- Brand Guidelines contain the Brand Strategy & Brand Elements.
- BRAND ELEMENTS = The inner & outer beauty of your Brand.
- BRAND STRATEGY = The soul of your Brand.
- Brand Elements helps content creators represent the Brand and ensures its personality and identity are consistent across all the channels
- Brand Strategy helps content creators represent the Brand and ensures its identity is recognizable regardless of the channels consumers view them from.
- Brand Guidelines help create an authentic humanized company that consumers can align themselves with.
- Brand Elements attract consumers through interactions & beauty. In contrast, the brand’s Strategy keeps the consumers engaged in a loving and lasting relationship because, similar to human relationships, beauty attracts us. Still, it’s the soul we fall in love with.
Summary
Brand Elements are all about getting people’s attention and sparking their interest. They’re what draw customers in. But it’s your Brand Strategy that keeps them engaged and attracted. Just like in human relationships, looks may attract us initially, but it’s the substance of the bond that keeps us in love.

WORKS CITED/ RESOURCES
- Will Kenton (2022). Brand: Types of Brands and How to Create a Successful Brand Identity. investopedia.com