Now that we've covered some of the basics of brochure design and style guides, let's explore some things every small business owner should know about printing. When most people think about printing, they think about printing an article or invoice on their home or office printer. What I want to discuss is commercial printing.

As a business owner, you'll need to print various things, from business cards to brochures to coupons to invoices, and so on. Some of this you can take care of at home and some you'll need to take to a commercial printer. Over the next few weeks, we'll talk about everything you need to know to avoid problems and headaches in dealing with your local print shop, including file formats, types of printers, paper choice, turnaround times, and cost. 

Stay tuned.

The last thing we’ll discuss to include in your style guide is fonts. We need to think of fonts as observed by Caroline Archer: “Fonts are the clothes words wear.” There are a few things you should consider regarding how to use fonts in your corporate branding.

First, the font you use in your logo should not be the only font you use. Though you should include it in your style guide, it’s probably a good idea to reserve this font for your logo, headlines and titles.

Second, use font families for your style guide. Font families are variations on a single font. For example, the Frutiger font family includes bold, italic, roman, light and so on, as seen below.

Using a font family will make it easier to follow text on a website or brochure without using a myriad different fonts, which can be distracting. As with your color palette, keep your selection simple and minimalist.

Third, select different fonts for web and print applications. Normally, sans serif fonts like Arial are used for the web because they’re easier to read on a computer screen, and conversely, serif fonts (like Times New Roman) are often preferred for print applications. So choose a nice serif font family and a sans serif font family for your various uses.

You’ll also want to outline what size fonts are to be used and when (i.e. headlines, subheadings, bullet points, copy, etc.).

By incorporating all these things you’ll have yourself a great style guide that will keep your brand on track.

Another part of creating a high quality style guide is to establish the color palette. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s good to have documented rules on color usage in place for all employees.

To understand the importance of keeping colors consistent, think about your favorite sports team. Immediately, their colors come to mind. L.A. Lakers: Yellow & Purple.  NY Yankees: Navy & White, and so on. Consistent messaging is key to creating a brand, and you need to convey that with consistent use of your colors.

Most style guides use PANTONE color standards as a guidepost. In this system, every color imaginable is assigned it’s own code. Your company, for example, may use PANTONE 584 U as a primary color, which is a shade yellow. You’ll want to include a sample of the color and it’s code in your style guide. Most printers are also set up to recognize PANTONE colors so you can be sure the colors will be right.

Most design software allows you to design your logos etc. using PANTONE colors so you can be sure you’re always using the same exact color.

For your style guide, choose one or two primary colors, which will be your main brand colors. Then select a few (3-5) secondary colors. These may be colors in your logo or colors you feel accent your logo well. It’s also a good idea to have a few tertiary colors in mind as well, so when you design your website, brochures, packaging etc, you’ll already know what colors look nice with your logo.

One of the most basic parts of a style guide is describing the appropriate use of the logo. In this section, you’ll want to lay down some ground rules about what modifications are allowed (if any), how to use the logo in different backgrounds, and any spacing or size limitations.

Standard rules for logos outline these basic principles:

1. Don’t alter the color, angle or layout of the logo (when possible, use PANTONE color standards to keep consistency).

2. A clear zone must surround the freestanding logo. You don’t want your logo to be crowded. Many companies use a ratio for required space—for example, leaving a space around the mark equivalent to the height of the text in your logo.

3. The logo should always be easy to read so don’t put the logo on a multicolored background or over the top of a photo. Logos with a dark background should be reversed (white only).

4. Only use black and white when you can’t reproduce your logo in its original color.

You’ll also want to provide visual examples of what is/is not approved, so there is no confusion as to what to do in a given situation. For example, show what the logo would look like stretched vertically or horizontally and cross it out as a bad example.

Although these rules may seem needlessly specific, they will help you keep a consistent, professional image so you’ll be able to build a strong brand.