Elizabeth I’s brand guidelines

Once you’ve gone to the trouble of creating a recognisable brand, how do you look after it?

You might think brand guidelines are something for large businesses. But they work for everyone. And they’re not such a new invention.

Elizabeth I, a master at personal branding, was an early adopter. She wished to promote herself as a powerful ruler. So she commissioned a chap called Nicholas Hilliard to create 16 ‘miniatures’ of her and gave them to key supporters.

She then established a council to control her personal image, which was allowed to destroy anything that it felt wasn’t ‘on brand’.

So despite growing wrinkly, toothless and pockmarked, we’re left with the serene image of the chalky white face, neck ruff and jewels.

Thanks counsellors.

Now of course it’s much harder to control things if they go awry.

We have so much media at our fingertips — each one an opportunity to interact with your audience and add a new chapter to your story — but each vulnerable to mismanagement and mistakes.

While it’s unlikely you’ll do a Ratner, it could still be damaging if you fail to keep your brand consistent.

So where do you start?

Take a look at your business as if you’re a client. Think of all those places your brand currently appears. Not just the obvious places like your website, stationery and social media accounts, but less tangible, more ‘multisensory’ elements.

What's it like to phone you, to listen to your ‘hold’ music, to visit your office or use your loo? Is it consistent with that brilliant feeling you created via your website?

Does the email you send to arrange a review reflect the same feeling and tone you use in that meeting, or does it revert to something more formal?

Are your documents as bright and cheery as your logo and imagery? If not, why not? Even a client agreement is allowed to look nice.

After she got tired of sitting for portraits, Elizabeth I gave artists approved facial forms to paint from instead — ensuring ultimate consistency.

You might not need to be quite so rigid, but a set of guidelines — even a page or two long — that explain how your brand works and how it should be presented, can help to enhance recognition and build trust, which can in turn can lead to increased customer loyalty.

This becomes more important as your business grows and as more people become involved in presenting it to the great British public.