How to Create a Brand Style Guide (Even If You’re Not a Designer)
Because Your Brand Needs Structure—and You Don’t Have Time to Start from Scratch Every Time
Let’s keep it 100:
Your craft business deserves more than just vibes and good intentions.
You need a system that helps you show up consistently, without overthinking every post, every product listing, or every Canva graphic.
Enter: your brand style guide.
Think of it as your visual + voice cheat sheet.
The one-pager that keeps your brand looking and sounding like you across everything you do.
And no—you don’t need to be a graphic designer to make one. You just need clarity, consistency, and a few creative tools.
What Is a Brand Style Guide?
A brand style guide is a document (or visual board, or Canva file, or Notion page) that defines all the things that make your brand your brand—so you’re not guessing every time you create something new.
It includes:
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Your brand voice
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Your color palette
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Your go-to fonts
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Your photo style
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Logo usage and design rules
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Bonus: sample graphics, packaging examples, or mood board vibes
It’s not about being fancy.
It’s about being intentional.
Why Every Handmade Business Needs One
Your products might be handmade—but your brand experience should be streamlined.
A style guide saves you time, stress, and energy because:
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You’ll always know what colors and fonts to use
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You can create consistent content faster
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You can hand off design tasks without losing your vibe
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You’ll stop second-guessing every little design decision
No more “Does this feel like me?” spiral every time you make a new Instagram post or product tag. 🙅🏽♀️
What to Include in Your Style Guide
Here’s your starter checklist (feel free to build on it as you grow):
1. Brand Voice + Tone
Describe your voice in 2–3 sentences. What’s your personality? How do you want people to feel when they read your captions, emails, or packaging?
Ex: “My brand voice is playful, encouraging, and honest—like your creative bestie cheering you on.”
2. Color Palette
List your 2–3 main brand colors and any accent shades. Include the hex codes so you stay consistent.
Ex:
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Terracotta #D96F45
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Soft Cream #FDF6F0
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Deep Teal #345B63
3. Fonts
Choose 1 header font and 1 body font (max 2-3 total). Include font names and where to use each one.
Ex:
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Header: Playfair Display
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Body: Open Sans
4. Photo Style / Content Aesthetic
Describe how your brand “looks” visually. Bright and clean? Warm and moody? Minimal and soft? Include a few example photos or create a mini mood board.
5. Logo + Graphic Elements
Upload your logo in all variations (color, black/white, icon-only). Include any graphic elements, icons, or patterns that show up in your brand visuals.
How to Create It (Without Fancy Software)
You can make your brand style guide using:
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A free Canva template
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A Google Doc or Slide deck
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A Notion page (great for linking to brand assets)
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Pinterest (as a visual mood board)
The key is to keep it accessible and easy to update as your brand evolves.
Action Step: Build a Mini Brand Guide This Week
Take 30–60 minutes to pull together your:
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Brand voice summary
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Color codes
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Fonts
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3–5 example visuals
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Logo files (if you have them)
Keep it in one place—digital or printed—and use it every time you create something new.
Your Brand Deserves to Be Clear and Cohesive
A style guide isn’t about being “professional.” It’s about being consistent.
It helps your audience recognize you, remember you, and trust you.
So stop guessing.
Start documenting.
And show up with the kind of brand presence that feels as polished as your packaging—and as authentic as your process.