Simple Brand Manual Template for Small Businesses (The 15-Minute Version)
The Reality: You’ve probably seen it: your logo looks perfect on your website, but then you see it on a flyer or a social media post, and the colours are "off," or the font looks like something out of a middle school project.
It’s frustrating because it makes a business look disorganised. But let’s be real, nobody has time to read a 50-page brand guide.
You only need one page. I call it a Brand Cheat Sheet. Here is what goes on it so you can stop babysitting every single post:
The "Official" Colours: Get the actual codes for your colours (they look like #000000). Put them in a list. Now, whenever you need a sign or a post made, you just copy-paste the code. No more guessing which "blue" you use.
The Fonts: Pick two. One for big titles, one for the small stuff. Write the names down. Stick to them.
The Logo Rule: Most people stretch or squish logos to fit a space. Just write one rule: "Never stretch the logo."
The Tone: Are you the kind of business that says "Good morning, family" or "Dear Valued Customer"? Write it down so whoever helps you with your social media knows how to talk to your people.
That's it. Keep this in a folder or on your phone. The next time you hire someone to print shirts or run an ad, just send them this page. It saves you a headache and keeps your business looking sharp.
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