diff --git a/README.asciidoc b/README.asciidoc
index c7205a4..a1e6942 100644
--- a/README.asciidoc
+++ b/README.asciidoc
@@ -89,6 +89,29 @@ go install .
 
 === Verifying the installation
 
+Run `spruce` to verify your installation. You should see the usage printed onto your screen.
+
+[source,console]
+----
+$ spruce
+A tool for building CVs
+
+Usage:
+  spruce [flags]
+  spruce [command]
+
+Available Commands:
+  create    create a new CV JSON file
+  generate  generate a PDF file from an existing CV JSON file
+  version   print the application's build information
+
+Flags:
+  -h, --help
+        print the help message for spruce
+
+Use "spruce [command] --help" for more information about a command.
+----
+
 If you have installed spruce with Mage, you can get the build information to confirm that you have installed the correct version.
 [source,console]
 ----
diff --git a/internal/cmd/cmd.go b/internal/cmd/cmd.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..626459b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+type Runner interface {
+	Parse([]string) error
+	Name() string
+	Run() error
+}
+
+func SpruceUsage() {
+	usage := `A tool for building CVs
+
+Usage:
+  spruce [flags]
+  spruce [command]
+
+Available Commands:
+  create    create a new CV JSON file
+  generate  generate a PDF file from an existing CV JSON file
+  version   print the application's build information
+
+Flags:
+  -h, --help
+        print the help message for spruce
+
+Use "spruce [command] --help" for more information about a command.
+`
+
+	fmt.Print(usage)
+}
+
+func usageFunc(name, summary string, flagset *flag.FlagSet) func() {
+	return func() {
+		var b strings.Builder
+
+		w := flag.CommandLine.Output()
+
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "%s\n\nUsage:\n  spruce %s [flags]\n\nFlags:", summary, name)
+
+		flagset.VisitAll(func(f *flag.Flag) {
+			fmt.Fprintf(&b, "\n  --%s\n        %s\n", f.Name, f.Usage)
+		})
+
+		fmt.Fprint(w, b.String())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/cmd/create.go b/internal/cmd/create.go
index f3c5aa5..d4c5e99 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/create.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/create.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 type CreateCommand struct {
 	*flag.FlagSet
+	summary   string
 	firstName string
 	lastName  string
 	jobTitle  string
@@ -22,12 +23,15 @@ type CreateCommand struct {
 func NewCreateCommand() *CreateCommand {
 	cc := CreateCommand{
 		FlagSet: flag.NewFlagSet("create", flag.ExitOnError),
+		summary: "Create a new CV JSON file.",
 	}
 
-	cc.StringVar(&cc.firstName, "first-name", "", "specify your first name")
-	cc.StringVar(&cc.lastName, "last-name", "", "specify your last name")
-	cc.StringVar(&cc.jobTitle, "job-title", "", "specify your preferred job title")
-	cc.StringVar(&cc.filename, "filename", "cv.json", "specify the filename of the created JSON document")
+	cc.StringVar(&cc.filename, "filepath", "cv.json", "specify the path where the CV JSON document should be created.")
+	cc.StringVar(&cc.firstName, "first-name", "", "specify your first name.")
+	cc.StringVar(&cc.jobTitle, "job-title", "", "specify your current job title.")
+	cc.StringVar(&cc.lastName, "last-name", "", "specify your last name.")
+
+	cc.Usage = usageFunc(cc.Name(), cc.summary, cc.FlagSet)
 
 	return &cc
 }
diff --git a/internal/cmd/generate.go b/internal/cmd/generate.go
index 95cb6d7..7084339 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/generate.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/generate.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ var templates embed.FS
 
 type GenerateCommand struct {
 	*flag.FlagSet
+	summary           string
 	input             string
 	output            string
 	employmentHistory int
@@ -30,12 +31,15 @@ type GenerateCommand struct {
 func NewGenerateCommand() *GenerateCommand {
 	gc := GenerateCommand{
 		FlagSet: flag.NewFlagSet("generate", flag.ExitOnError),
+		summary: "Generate a PDF file from an existing CV JSON file.",
 	}
 
 	gc.StringVar(&gc.input, "input", "", "specify the CV JSON file that you want to input to the builder.")
 	gc.StringVar(&gc.output, "output", "", "specify the name of the output CV file.")
 	gc.IntVar(&gc.employmentHistory, "employment-history", 10, "show employment history within these number of years.")
-	gc.BoolVar(&gc.verbose, "verbose", false, "set to true to enable verbose logging")
+	gc.BoolVar(&gc.verbose, "verbose", false, "set to true to enable verbose logging.")
+
+	gc.Usage = usageFunc(gc.Name(), gc.summary, gc.FlagSet)
 
 	return &gc
 }
diff --git a/internal/cmd/version.go b/internal/cmd/version.go
index fb59aac..51eb80d 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/version.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/version.go
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 type VersionCommand struct {
 	*flag.FlagSet
+	summary       string
 	fullVersion   bool
 	binaryVersion string
 	buildTime     string
@@ -21,28 +23,24 @@ func NewVersionCommand(binaryVersion, buildTime, goVersion, gitCommit string) *V
 		buildTime:     buildTime,
 		goVersion:     goVersion,
 		gitCommit:     gitCommit,
+		summary:       "Print the application's build information.",
 	}
 
-	vc.BoolVar(&vc.fullVersion, "full", false, "prints the full version")
+	vc.BoolVar(&vc.fullVersion, "full", false, "prints the full build information")
+
+	vc.Usage = usageFunc(vc.Name(), vc.summary, vc.FlagSet)
 
 	return &vc
 }
 
 func (v *VersionCommand) Run() error {
-	var version string
+	var b strings.Builder
 	if v.fullVersion {
-		fullVersionFmt := `Spruce
-  Version: %s
-  Git commit: %s
-  Go version: %s
-  Build date: %s
-`
-
-		version = fmt.Sprintf(fullVersionFmt, v.binaryVersion, v.gitCommit, v.goVersion, v.buildTime)
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "Spruce\n  Version: %s\n  Git commit: %s\n  Go version: %s\n  Build date: %s\n", v.binaryVersion, v.gitCommit, v.goVersion, v.buildTime)
 	} else {
-		version = v.binaryVersion + "\n"
+		fmt.Fprintln(&b, v.binaryVersion)
 	}
 
-	fmt.Print(version)
+	fmt.Print(b.String())
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 29cf4bc..6023086 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -8,12 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"codeflow.dananglin.me.uk/apollo/spruce/internal/cmd"
 )
 
-type Runner interface {
-	Parse([]string) error
-	Name() string
-	Run() error
-}
-
 var (
 	binaryVersion string
 	buildTime     string
@@ -22,6 +16,13 @@ var (
 )
 
 func main() {
+	args := os.Args[1:]
+
+	if len(args) < 1 || args[0] == "--help" || args[0] == "-h" || args[0] == "help" || args[0] == "-help" {
+		cmd.SpruceUsage()
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+
 	logOptions := slog.HandlerOptions{
 		AddSource: false,
 	}
@@ -30,23 +31,25 @@ func main() {
 
 	slog.SetDefault(logger)
 
-	commandMap := map[string]Runner{
-		"version": cmd.NewVersionCommand(
+	subcommand := args[0]
+
+	var runner cmd.Runner
+
+	switch subcommand {
+	case "version":
+		runner = cmd.NewVersionCommand(
 			binaryVersion,
 			buildTime,
 			goVersion,
 			gitCommit,
-		),
-		"generate": cmd.NewGenerateCommand(),
-		"create":   cmd.NewCreateCommand(),
-	}
-
-	subcommand := os.Args[1]
-
-	runner, ok := commandMap[subcommand]
-
-	if !ok {
+		)
+	case "generate":
+		runner = cmd.NewGenerateCommand()
+	case "create":
+		runner = cmd.NewCreateCommand()
+	default:
 		slog.Error("unknown subcommand", "subcommand", subcommand)
+		cmd.SpruceUsage()
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}