If you’ve ever watched your “consistent” messaging get chewed up by rogue slide decks or off-brand graphics, you’re not alone. Brand guidelines are great in theory, but in practice? They get ignored, bent, or lost in email chains. If you want your team’s go-to-market stuff—sales decks, one-pagers, proposals—to actually look and sound like you, you need templates that are easy to use and hard to mess up.
That’s where Popcomms comes in. It’s a platform built for interactive sales content, but it won’t magically fix your branding problems. You still need a plan, some design sense, and a willingness to revisit what’s working (and what isn’t). This guide walks you through making branded templates in Popcomms, with an eye on real-world use—not just ticking a box.
Who is this for?
Anyone responsible for keeping brand consistency across sales and marketing collateral—especially if you’re tired of “just use the logo” being your only instruction. In-house marketers, sales enablement folks, designers supporting non-designers, and anyone who’s had to remake a deck at the last minute because it looked “off.” If you want templates that work in the wild, not just in theory, keep reading.
Step 1: Get Your House (and Assets) in Order
Before you even open Popcomms, get your brand basics sorted. Templates only help if you’re clear on what they should look and feel like.
- Find your latest brand guidelines. If you don’t have these, make a one-pager: logo, colors, typefaces, image style, and tone of voice. Don’t get lost in a 40-page PDF.
- Gather your assets. Logos (in SVG or PNG), approved images, icons, and any fonts you need.
- Know your use cases. What are you templating? Sales decks, product demos, case studies? Each might need a slightly different layout.
Pro tip: Ask someone outside marketing to use your current template. If they get lost or go off-brand, your template isn’t good enough.
Step 2: Map the Core Layouts You Actually Need
Don’t try to template everything. Focus on the 3-5 layouts that get used most.
- Title/cover slide: Where your logo, tagline, and big headline live.
- Content/master slide: For most of your info—text, images, maybe a quote or two.
- Section divider: Breaks up long decks or sets up a new topic.
- Contact/CTA slide: How people get in touch or what you want them to do next.
- Optional: Product overview, team slide, or case study format.
Write down what each layout must include (logo, headline, space for image, etc.). This isn’t busywork—it stops “creative” improvisation later.
Step 3: Set Up Your Brand Kit in Popcomms
Popcomms lets you set up brand kits to lock in colors, fonts, and logos across templates. Do this before you start designing individual slides.
- Add your brand colors. Use hex codes, not “close enough.”
- Upload your logo(s). Main logo, alternate (for dark backgrounds), and any sub-brand marks.
- Set your fonts. If your fonts aren’t in Popcomms, use the closest match. Don’t waste hours fighting for a font no one can tell apart.
- Define text styles. Headings, body copy, captions. Set sizes and weights for consistency.
- Image guidelines. If you always use a certain photo style (e.g., black-and-white, no stock photos), make a note in the template or add example images.
What to ignore: Don’t bother with every color or font your brand has ever used. Stick to what actually gets used in customer-facing materials.
Step 4: Build Your Master Templates
This is where most templates fall apart—too rigid, too flexible, or just plain ugly. Aim for “can’t mess it up, but doesn’t look cookie-cutter.”
- Start with a blank canvas or a Popcomms template. If a default template is close, use it as a base. No need to reinvent the wheel.
- Lock down key elements. Logo placement, background colors, and footer info should be fixed or hard to move.
- Use placeholders, not lorem ipsum. Label fields clearly: “Insert main headline here,” “Add chart or key image.”
- Limit choices. Too many color or font options = chaos. Set only what’s necessary.
- Test for real content. Drop in actual headlines and images from past projects. Does it still look good, or does it break?
Pro tip: Build a “Do Not Touch” layer with elements users shouldn’t move. It saves you headaches later.
Step 5: Add Interactivity (If You Really Need It)
Popcomms shines with interactive elements—navigation menus, clickable tabs, pop-ups. But don’t force it. Only use interactivity if it helps tell your story or makes the template easier to use.
- Navigation menus: Good for product demos or complex overviews.
- Clickable sections: Useful for FAQs or showing/hiding details.
- Embedded video or links: Only if your team will actually use them.
What doesn’t work: Overloading templates with interactive bells and whistles. If it confuses your least technical user, dial it back.
Step 6: Set Rules and Guidance Inside the Template
Templates are only as good as the instructions people get. Add notes and guidance directly in the template.
- Inline instructions: “Headline should be 5-7 words.” “Use team photos, not stock images.”
- Examples: Show a filled-out version as a reference.
- Do’s and don’ts: One slide or sidebar listing common mistakes (e.g., “Don’t stretch the logo”).
Remove these notes before going live—or, if Popcomms supports it, hide them from final exports.
Step 7: Test With Real Users (Not Just Designers)
Hand your template to the people who’ll actually use it—sales reps, product managers, whoever creates the content.
- Ask them to make a deck or doc from scratch.
- Watch for where they get stuck or go off-brand.
- Collect feedback honestly. If everyone ignores a template section, maybe it’s not needed.
What to ignore: Don’t just ask for “thoughts.” Give them a specific task and see what they produce.
Step 8: Publish, Share, and Police (Lightly)
Once your templates are tested, publish them where your team will actually find them—inside Popcomms, linked in your intranet, or pinned in Slack.
- Make it the default. Remove old, outdated templates wherever you can.
- Share a quick how-to guide or Loom video. Show how to use (and not break) the template.
- Monitor use. If you keep seeing off-brand decks, revisit your template or your rollout.
What doesn’t work: Yelling at people for using old templates. Make the right one easier to find and use.
Step 9: Review and Refresh (Quarterly, Not Yearly)
Branding isn’t set-and-forget. Set a calendar reminder to review your templates every few months.
- Are people using them? If not, why not?
- Has your brand changed? Logo tweaks, new colors, messaging updates.
- Are there new needs? New products, markets, or channels might need new layouts.
Don’t wait for a “brand refresh” to make small improvements.
Honest Take: What Works, What Doesn’t
- What works: Simple, locked-down templates with just enough flexibility for real content. Clear instructions and real examples.
- What doesn’t: Overly complex templates, too many choices, or assuming people will read a style guide before using your template.
- Ignore: Fancy features you don’t need, endless variants, or getting every pixel perfect. Focus on usability.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
The key to consistent go-to-market messaging isn’t just a pretty template—it’s a usable one. Start simple, fix what breaks, and don’t be afraid to trim what nobody uses. The best branded templates help your team do their jobs faster without thinking too hard about design. Aim for “hard to mess up, quick to update,” and you’ll spend a lot less time chasing rogue decks—and a lot more time actually getting your message out there.