Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Consultant · Marketing Glossary
How Do You Create a Brand Style Guide for a Small Business?
Different logos on the truck, the invoice, and the Facebook page make a business harder to recognize. A brand style guide solves that. Business consultant Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA, walks through what goes in a simple guide for a small business, from colors and fonts to voice, and how to make sure staff actually use it.
Questions? Call or text (321) 948-9588. Dr. Paul answers personally.
Last Updated: 11/07/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
The Short Answer
What Is a Brand Style Guide?
How to create one: write down exactly how your name appears, pick one main logo and a one-color version, choose two or three colors with exact codes, choose two fonts, describe your voice in three words, and show one right and one wrong example. Keep it to one page.
Does Your Business Look Different Everywhere?
In Plain English
One Page That Keeps You Looking Like You
A brand style guide is one page that says exactly how your name, logo, colors, fonts, and voice should look and sound, everywhere.
Three logos. Four shades of green. A different font on every sign. A one-page guide fixes it, and every new sign, shirt, or post starts from the same page.
A Real-World Example
The Landscaper With Four Shades of Green
A landscaping company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has trucks, yard signs, invoices, and a Facebook page that all use different logo versions and colors.
A one-page style guide sets the logo file, two colors, one font, and three phrases the company always uses. New signs and shirts all match within a season. Any lawn care business with trucks on the road gets that recognition for free once the look is consistent.
From Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest
Hazy Hazel and the Three Posters
Doctor Owl was at the general store when he noticed three posters on the board, all for the same squirrel.
One said Heavenly Hazel’s. Another said Hazel’s Grand Events. The third said H.H. Plans. Each was a different color. Nobody in line knew they were the same business.
When Hazy Hazel bustled in, Doctor Owl pointed at the board.
“Best-kept secret in the forest,” Hazel said proudly. “Let’s keep it that way!”
“It is a little too well kept,” Doctor Owl said. He handed her one scroll with one name, one sketch, two colors, and one sentence about what Heavenly Hazel’s Grand Plans does.
From then on, every poster Hazel made started from that scroll. By the next season, creatures stopped her on the path to say they had seen her posters everywhere.
From Book 4 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series, where every business lesson starts with a story.
Dr. Paul’s Insight
Dr. Paul suggests owners keep the guide to one page so it actually gets used.
Put It to Work
What Goes on a One-Page Brand Style Guide
- Name. Exactly how it is written, and how it is never written.
- Logo. The main version, a one-color version, and the smallest size it can be used.
- Colors. Two or three, with exact codes: HEX for screens, CMYK for print.
- Fonts. One for headings, one for text.
- Voice. Three words that describe how you sound, plus three phrases you always use.
- Do and don’t. One correct example and one incorrect example.
Promises like “on time” belong in your service standards, not your voice.
Watch Out
Pitfalls When Creating a Style Guide
A 40-page guide sits in a drawer. One page gets used.
“Green” means something different to every printer.
The guide only works if the people making things have it.
Collect and retire the old logos and templates.
Why It Matters
Benefits of a Brand Style Guide
- Recognized faster
- Cheaper, faster design work
- A professional look everywhere
- Easier for staff and vendors
In Your Business Plan
How Brand Style Guide Shows Up in a Business Plan
A consistent look tells lenders and customers the business is organized. A short brand standards line in the plan shows it is deliberate.
Sample plan excerpt: Marketing Plan, Brand Standards
“A one-page brand style guide defines the logo, two brand colors, fonts, and voice. All signage, vehicles, uniforms, and digital channels follow the guide, and new materials are checked against it before printing.”
FAQ
Questions Owners Ask About Brand Style Guides
What should a brand style guide include?
Do small businesses need brand guidelines?
How do I find my brand color codes?
More From the Series
Keep Building Your Business
Every book in Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series teaches one subject through short stories, real terms, and one-page worksheets.
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Dr. Paul is a business consultant and author with 14+ years of experience and 1,000+ written business plans. He works with owner-run small businesses on plans, financial projections, and the systems that let a business run without the owner doing everything. This page is part of the glossary for Marketing for Small Businesses, Book 4 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal, marketing compliance, or other professional advice. For decisions about your own business, consult a qualified professional.