Help Every Team Apply the Brand Their Way—Without Going Off-Brand

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to brand usage.
Different departments interact with customers, partners, and content in different ways. Cheat sheets give Sales, Product, Support, HR, and others clear brand guidelines tailored to their workflows—without asking them to decode a 40-page brand guide.

Why it's Important

Helps teams apply tone, voice, and visual style correctly in their materials
Saves time by providing ready-to-use examples and guidance
Encourages consistency without slowing down execution
Reduces off-brand work from non-marketing departments
Builds shared ownership of the brand across the company

How to Implement

Identify which departments interact most with external audiences or brand touchpoints
Typically: Sales, Support, Product, HR, Customer Success, Engineering
Interview or shadow team members to understand their common brand challenges
For each team, create a 1–2 page guide that includes:
Key brand principles (tone, personality, visual guidelines)
Sample phrases, responses, or slides in their context
Do’s and don’ts tailored to their communication style
Templates or shortcuts relevant to their tasks
Use visuals, real examples, and plain language—not brand theory
Deliver as a PDF, Notion page, or embedded slide deck
Introduce in team meetings or onboarding sessions
Update as the brand or tooling evolves

How You Know You Got It Right

Non-marketers feel confident creating brand-aligned content
Messaging and tone feel consistent across sales, support, and product
Employees reference the sheets when writing emails, building decks, or making decisions
Brand reviews require fewer corrections or realignments
Cross-functional teams adopt shared brand language
The cheat sheets become part of onboarding for new hires
Teams request updates or more examples as needs evolve

Real-World Examples

Intercom

Developed tone-of-voice cards for Support and Sales with real conversation examples

Dropbox

Created internal slide libraries with pre-approved visuals and messaging for every team

Notion

Offers tailored brand assets and usage notes for Engineering, Marketing, and Community teams

Make It Better

Co-create them with team leads to ensure relevance
Keep it short and visual—less like a guide, more like a playbook
Highlight common mistakes and quick wins for each team
Link to brand templates, tools, and support channels
Include quick-reference formats (e.g., “Say this / Not this” lists)

Don't Make These Mistakes

Copy-pasting brand guidelines without adapting for team context
Making them too long or abstract
Ignoring tone and message nuances between departments
Failing to socialize them or explain their purpose
Letting them become outdated and disconnected from real work