This simple question from a member of our writing team sent me spiraling for a full five minutes.
“Do we call the people who use our services ‘clients’ or ‘customers’?”
My immediate answer was “clients, obviously.” But then I started stewing on the word “customers.” Technically, we could call the businesses we partner with “customers,” since they purchase our “product” of digital marketing services.
But the word “customers” just didn’t feel quite right.
It sounded too much like we were an e-commerce company, where you’re able to drop products into a cart and pay instantaneously. The word “customers” didn’t feel like the Big Storm brand.
My internal debate and my team member’s question are exactly why every smart business needs a brand communications guide.
This single document lays out your brand from top to bottom, acting as your primary source of truth for how your company sounds, looks, and interacts. That way, when questions pop up, you can know for a fact how your brand should communicate at every turn, sounding professional and cohesive at every touchpoint.
Let’s take a look at how a brand communications guide can help you put your best foot forward with every word and keep your clients (or customers) trusting your brand.
What is a Brand Communications Guide?
A brand communications guide (also known as brand guidelines or a communication guide) is your brand’s playbook for how it speaks, looks, and shows up in the world. It defines your company’s personality, voice, and visual identity. That way, your messaging doesn’t depend on who happens to be writing that day.
Think of it as your brand’s GPS. It helps every piece of communication—from social media captions to sales decks—stay on the same path. A good guide goes beyond rules for how to communicate. It captures the why behind how you communicate, turning your mission and values into actionable, everyday language that feels unmistakably yours.
Do I Really Need a Brand Communications Guide?
Yes. Even if your team is small. Even if you think everyone already “gets it.”
The truth is, as your business grows, your message naturally starts to drift. New people join the team. Freelancers step in. Agencies contribute. Before long, your brand voice starts to sound like a group chat instead of a cohesive conversation.
A brand communications guide stops that drift before it happens. It makes your brand scalable, giving everyone the clarity and tools they need to communicate confidently. Whether you’re launching a new product, pitching a client, or responding to a review, your brand stays consistent, intentional, and unmistakably you.
While you can build a guide internally, sometimes it helps to have an outside perspective. Hiring a digital marketing partner or agency can bring the clarity and coordination you might not have the time—or distance—to manage yourself. An experienced team can help uncover blind spots, define your voice objectively, and make sure your guide feels as practical as it does polished.
5 Ways a Brand Communications Guide Levels Up Your Brand
1. Brings Clarity and Consistency to Everything You Say
When your team is guessing what to say, your message starts drifting. A brand communications guide eliminates that by defining how your brand actually sounds—your tone, language, and personality. Suddenly, every email, post, and proposal feels unmistakably you. That kind of consistency builds trust fast, both inside your team and with your audience. You stop overexplaining and start communicating with confidence.
2. Saves Time and Keeps Everyone Aligned
We’ve all played the “Does this sound right?” game. It’s exhausting and unnecessary. A brand communications guide becomes your shortcut to clarity. It’s the reference point that speeds up reviews, reduces rewrites, and gets everyone on the same page, from your newest hire to your agency partners. Less guessing, more doing!
3. Makes Your Creative Work Stronger
Structure sharpens creativity. When your team knows the rules of your brand voice, they can push boundaries without breaking them. A great guide gives creatives freedom to experiment within a clear framework. The result? Ideas that still feel fresh but always sound like you.
4. Strengthens Audience Connection and Trust
Familiarity builds trust. The more consistent your voice, the more familiar you feel to your audience. A brand communications guide helps your company show up with that same confident energy everywhere: your website, your social channels, your inbox. When people recognize and trust your voice before they even see your logo, that’s when you know your brand is working.
5. Future-Proofs Your Brand as You Grow
A brand communications guide is for today’s and tomorrow’s team. As you expand, onboard new employees, or work with new partners, your guide ensures your brand’s voice stays intact. The guide scales with you—making it easy for every new team member to step in and sound like they’ve been there all along. It’s your brand’s built-in quality control for communication, no matter how big you get.
What Should I Put in My Brand Communications Guide?
Your brand communications guide should capture the DNA of your brand—everything that defines who you are, how you speak, and how you want people to experience you. It’s more than a rulebook; it’s your reference point for every decision, campaign, or conversation that carries your name.
Here’s what every great guide includes (and how to make each part actually useful):
1. Brand Foundation
This section keeps everyone on the same page about your purpose, not just your products. Your foundation section explains why your brand exists and gives every message purpose. It’s what connects your team’s day-to-day work back to your bigger vision. Here are some elements to include in your brand foundation section:
- Mission Statement: Defines your reason for existing and what you aim to achieve.
Example: “We build spaces and systems that help communities live and work better.” - Vision Statement: Paints a picture of where you’re headed.
Example: “To be the most trusted name in sustainable construction across the Pacific Northwest.” - Core Values: Outline the principles that guide your work and relationships.
Example: “Safety, craftsmanship, and integrity guide every project we take on.” - Brand Promise: Captures the experience your clients can expect from you every time.
Example: “We’ll communicate clearly, deliver on schedule, and treat every project like it’s our own.” - Positioning Statement: Explains who you serve, what you offer, and what makes you distinct.
Example: “For commercial property owners seeking reliable engineering support, we deliver precision-driven solutions that stand the test of time.”
2. Brand Voice and Tone
A clear voice prevents brand drift. Everyone sounds aligned, no matter who’s writing. Your voice is your brand’s personality in words—the style and energy that make you recognizable before people even see your logo. To establish a clear brand voice and tone for your team, here are some elements to include in your guide:
- Voice Description: Capture your personality in a few sentences.
Example: “Professional, practical, and approachable. We explain complex work clearly—no jargon, no fluff.” - Tone Flexibility: Show how your voice adapts across situations.
Example: “Proposal: confident and technical. Website: informative and friendly. Service email: reassuring and direct.” - Do’s and Don’ts: Clarify expectations with realistic examples.
Example: Do say, “We’ll handle the permitting process so you don’t have to worry about it.” Don’t say, “We’ll streamline municipal documentation workflows for optimized project efficiency.” - Sample Phrases or Vocabulary: Include phrases that feel true to your field and brand personality.
Example: “We take pride in doing the job right the first time,” instead of “We leverage proven methodologies to deliver scalable outcomes.”
3. Messaging Framework
This section translates your brand strategy into real, usable language your team can rely on in proposals, presentations, and day-to-day client interactions. Your messaging framework keeps your communication strategic and consistent, so everyone knows exactly how to talk about what makes your company the right choice. Here’s what to include:
- Elevator Pitch: A quick, confident summary of what you do and why it matters.
Example: “We design and install energy-efficient systems that make commercial buildings more comfortable, reliable, and cost-effective.” - Key Messages: The big ideas that should come through in every piece of communication.
Example: “We combine technical precision with customer-first service,” or “Our process saves clients time and reduces costly rework.” - Supporting Proof Points: Real evidence or success stories that back up your claims.
Example: “98% of projects completed on time and within budget,” or “Our HVAC retrofits reduce energy bills by an average of 25%.” - Tagline or Slogan: A short, memorable phrase that captures your core promise.
Example: “Built Right. Delivered On Time.” or “Engineering Trust, One Project at a Time.” - Audience-Specific Variations: Adjust your message for who’s listening.
Example: For business clients: “Reliable project delivery without surprises.” For homeowners: “Quality work you can count on, from blueprint to finish.”
4. Visual Communication Guidelines
Visuals often speak louder than words. For service-based companies, a cohesive visual identity builds credibility and professionalism from the first impression. Consistent visuals communicate reliability and professionalism—two traits clients look for when choosing a service provider. Here are some elements you can include:
- Logo Use and Variations: Outline how your logo should appear on signage, uniforms, trucks, and digital platforms.
Example: “Use the full-color logo on white vehicles and the reversed version on dark backgrounds for legibility.” - Color Palette and Meanings: Explain what each color represents.
Example: “Navy blue reflects trust and stability. Orange represents energy and progress.” - Typography and Hierarchy: Define which fonts to use and why.
Example: “Headers use bold sans-serif fonts for modernity; body copy uses a clean serif for readability.” - Imagery Style: Describe how your brand should be visually represented.
Example: “Use real project photography—teams on-site, materials in action—rather than stock images.” - Design Do’s and Don’ts: Provide visual examples to reinforce your brand standards.
Example: Do maintain consistent logo spacing and color usage. Don’t stretch or alter proportions or swap approved fonts.”
5. Audience and Channel Guidelines
Different platforms and people call for different tones—but your brand identity should always come through clearly. Consistency across channels builds trust. It shows clients that whether they’re reading your proposal or a social post, they’re hearing the same dependable brand. To connect with your audience and channels, include these factors in your guide:
- Audience Personas or Segments: Define your primary audiences and what they care about most.
Example: “Facility managers want responsive communication. Homeowners value transparency and follow-through.” - Tone by Channel: Explain how your tone flexes across marketing and communication channels.
Example: “LinkedIn: authoritative and technical. Instagram: approachable and community-focused. Email: efficient and reassuring.” - Response Guidelines: Outline how to handle client feedback, reviews, or questions.
Example: “Respond within one business day, thank them for the feedback, address the issue clearly, and offer a next step.” - Inclusive Language Principles: Set standards for clear, human communication.
Example: “Avoid slang, acronyms, or industry jargon when speaking to the general public. Use language everyone can understand.”
6. Practical Tools + Examples
This is where your guide turns from concept to action. Equip your team with examples and templates they can use every day. Giving your team clear, real-world examples helps them understand and apply your brand’s tone faster than definitions ever could. Here are some sections to include:
- Real Copy Examples: Provide examples of real-world communication.
Example: “We’ll walk you through each step of the permitting process and keep your project moving.” - Templates or Message Blocks: Create ready-to-use snippets for proposals, bids, and follow-up emails.
Example: “Thank you for considering [Company Name]. We look forward to delivering solutions that exceed your expectations.” - Editorial Guidelines: Define your standards for grammar, formatting, and professionalism.
Example: “Keep sentences short and clear. Avoid filler words. Use client-first language (‘you’ and ‘your project’) over company-first language (‘we’ and ‘our team’).” - Internal Communication Tone: Offer direction for internal memos, team updates, or onboarding materials.
Example: “Celebrate wins, communicate challenges transparently, and always write like you’re talking to a trusted colleague.”
How to Keep Your Guide Alive
We’ve all had those corporate documents that were created with the best intentions but end up sitting in a Google Docs folder, lonely and untouched. Your brand communications guide should never be that kind of document. Your business grows and evolves with time, so your guide should too.
Here’s how you can keep your brand communications guide alive and relevant:
- Assign Ownership: Choose one person (or team) to maintain and update the guide. They’ll make sure it grows with your business.
- Include it in Onboarding: Make your guide part of every new hire’s training so they start communicating on-brand from day one.
- Set an Update Schedule: Review and refresh your guide at least once a year—or anytime your offerings, team, or strategy changes.
- Keep It Accessible: Store it where everyone can easily find the latest version. A guide only works if people can actually use it.
Ready to Build (or Refresh) Your Brand Communications Guide?
Your brand already has a voice—it just might not be documented yet. A brand communications guide helps you capture that voice, scale it across your team, and make sure every message feels intentional.
If you’re ready to create a guide that actually gets used, not forgotten, Big Storm can help. We’ll work with you to clarify your messaging, sharpen your tone, and build a communication guide that reflects who you are and where you’re headed.
Let’s bring your brand’s story to life—reach out to us today.