How to Safely Share a Brandbook and Use It Without Worries?

Introduction

The more extensive your document, the more key elements it describes, the more sensitive data it contains, the more it should be treated as a confidential file. To be able to efficiently share information with different entities, while simultaneously protecting yourself from the leakage of important information, take care of security measures when sharing files and ensure clear reception of the document.

Data Protection

Determine the scope of confidentiality

Establish clear rules for using, further sharing, or prohibiting the use of the document for purposes other than those specified within the scope of cooperation. Apply necessary and unambiguous provisions in the agreement with anyone who has access to your brand book. In the case of sensitive materials, always consider entering into a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

Mark copyright

Make sure that the brand book is copyrighted and mark this clearly in the document.

Send only the necessary sections

You can choose to only share certain chapters or sections if the target recipient does not need a broader context. In the case of confidential data and situations where only selected information is needed to perform a task, this is completely sufficient.

Protect the file with a password

A basic protection is to add a password to the PDF file itself. To do this, you can use tools available in popular PDF editing programs, such as Adobe Acrobat or Foxit Reader.

A little more is needed for the authentication process to cover two levels of security, which is known as two-factor authentication (2FA). It involvesafter sharing the file, the password to open it is delivered to the recipient through a different communication channel than the one used to send the document – for example, by phone or through a secured communication app.

By doing this you minimize the risk of unauthorized access to the document, even if the file itself leaks outside the trusted circle of recipients. Taking care of a strong password, which combines uppercase and lowercase letters, special characters, and numbers, as well as regularly changing the password are additional practices that help maintain a high level of security.

Control access

Forget about attaching a brand book directly to an email if you don't want to risk interception of your materials. It's worth using dedicated platforms for sharing files, which offer various access control options, authentication, encryption, or activity monitoring. Examples include Google Workspace, Dropbox, or SharePoint.

Clear communication

Create a 'Do's and Don'ts' section

You can add a module to the brand book with clearly described rules on what can and what cannot be done with the materials contained therein. In this section, you can include guidelines for proper use of brand elements (e.g., logos, color palettes), as well as provide examples of incorrect usage. This should cover both visual examples and clear, written instructions.

Collect feedback

For this purpose, you can create a special feedback channel, e.g., a dedicated email address, which will make it easier for you to collect comments and suggestions about the brand book from different users. This can be a way to gather valuable opinions as well as a tool for reporting problems or inaccuracies in the document.

Educate your recipients

If necessary, organize training, online workshops, or record a short video course that you can play back multiple times to explain the rules of using your brand's brandbook.

Best Practices

Update and organize versions

Instead of complicated version management methods, you can create a simple version numbering system and dating, which will allow for easy identification of the latest brandbook version.

Create secure backups

Remember to keep backup copies. You can store them in the cloud (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox), on company servers, or on external hard drives. It is crucial that the backups are updated regularly and stored in different physical locations to minimize the risk of file loss. Regularly test data recovery procedures to ensure that the backups are functional.

Prepare procedures for data breach incidents

Especially important in the case of extensive documents that precisely describe a brand's visual guidelines, which could facilitate the creation of competitive advantages. Develop a communication plan to be used in the event of an unauthorized data leak. The procedure should include stages of leak identification, scope of damage analysis, and also determining the potential impact on the company. It is essential to notify all concerned parties quickly and take corrective steps. These could be legal actions, but also external and internal communication aimed at protecting the company's image – such as trainings or updates to security measures.

Prepare a checklist and FAQ

At the end of the document, you can include a checklist with rules for safe sharing, so that users can quickly review the key points before sending it to others. To improve the process of assimilation of information by new business partners, you can also add an FAQ section that will answer the most frequently asked questions – including those concerning the safe sharing of the brand book.

Summary

Securing your brand book is crucial to maintain brand image consistency and to prevent unauthorized use of the materials.

Remember about:

• defining the confidentiality scope and securing copyright to the brand book
• safely sharing selected sections of the document
• implementing security measures such as a password for the file and two-factor authentication
• access control through dedicated platforms
• clear communication and the preparation of a 'Do's and Don'ts' section
• regularly creating backups

By keeping the above guidelines in mind, you can be confident that the directives regarding your brand's image will be safe and used as intended. Don't forget to constantly update security procedures to meet the dynamically changing conditions and threats. Thanks to this, your brand book will be a tool supporting your brand at the highest level.