Working with a Brand Designer – sharing my process

There are many aspects of running a successful business, and finding the right people to help you along the way is definitely one of them. It can be quite a daunting thought to bring someone else in –  I know I feel this way, so I can’t be alone in that fact! This article walks you through when the right time might be to invest in some help with your branding, and also how we go about it. I share my process, so you have an idea of what to expect, hopefully making it a whole lot less daunting. Let’s dive in!

Why invest in a brand designer

As a creative business owner, we wear many hats. We’re resourceful and figure stuff out as we go along, we get scrappy and though we don’t  know how to do everything we make it work and  get by.

But there comes a time, when we realise that our good enough is no longer enough!

If we want to make the best of our business, we have to invest in areas that we are not 100% confident in, that we know could be so much better.

You want your brand to feel cohesive and aligned with your soul clients, and as a brand designer, I help you to achieve that.

We take a strategic approach, and dig into far more than if you like a certain colour and font. There is time spent taking into consideration your vision and goals, who your soul client is and why they would be drawn to your brand over another.

When is the right time to hire a brand designer?

To be honest, it depends. It’s when you’re ready, and I think deep down you already know. The fact that you’re considering your options and thinking about it probably means that you’re ready for some help with your brand design. For some people this may be at the very start of their business journey, for others it may be further along, when they’ve been in business for a few years and have quite a solid foundation.

As a service based business, who’s just starting out, I would recommend the Mini Design package to start with, as there’s still quite a lot of figuring stuff out, finding out who you actually really love to work with. The Mini gives you a solid foundation, but without investing too heavily, when things may change and realign.

When you’ve been in business a bit longer you have a clearer picture of who your soul clients are, you know which services you’re offering, you will have gained more knowledge and have found your feet, so it’s a good place to figure out your brand strategy, because you have a solid foundation to draw experience from.

You may also have some clear signs that you’re ready, this article goes through some of the signs that you’re ready for a rebrand.

How to choose a brand designer

So you know you’re ready to get some help with your brand design, but how do you choose? 

You go with your gut! 

Make sure that you’ve seen their work and you like their style. Look on their website and Instagram at previous design projects. If you’re drawn to their style and feel that they could be a right fit for you, then reach out to them! 

The Kindred Calling Process

Every designer will have their own unique process. This is an overview of the process I take my design clients through. There are three stages; Discovery and Strategy, Concept Development and Delivery.

Phase 1: Discovery & Strategy

After your contract is signed and invoice paid, then one of the first steps is to complete the branding questionnaire. This is designed to help me get to know your brand on a deeper level.

For example questions like:

• Why did you start your business?
• Describe your soul client?
• What are your brand goals for the future?

These help us both to understand and gain clarity on the deeper why behind your business, who you’re wanting to attract, and where you plan to take your brand in the future so we can get a sense of what may be needed to help you get there.

Next we have a strategy session (this isn’t included in the mini brand design package). 

During this 90 minute session we look at different areas of your brand – brand why,  brand attributes, audience, and competitors. Gathering as much info as possible in this stage helps us to craft a strong and strategic approach when defining your overall brand message, personality and approach.

After our strategy session, a couple of different creative directions will be presented – these moodboards, help us to get a feel for how your brand could be represented visually, helping us to get a feel for the colours, styles, and imagery, allowing you to get a sense of the direction we could take the brand, before any actual design is formed. 

It acts as kind of a general idea that guides the way.

Phase 2: Concept development

Next your chosen direction is taken forward and developed into an actual brand identity. 

Because we’ve done a lot of groundwork in the discovery and strategy phase, I already have a very clear idea of the direction we’ll be going in, now I just have to design it. 

There is a lot of the behind the scenes work that will never see the light of day. Plenty of trial and error, seeing what works, and what doesn’t, what feels right and what is a definite no – there are plenty of those! 

But eventually some creative magic happens, and things start to come together. Something emerges that has potential, then I go on to develop further, get excited, and find my flow.

Colours, multiple logo variations, typography choices, and imagery are crafted and curated, allowing you to see not just a logo, but how your new brand identity could actually look and feel, when in use. It’s immersive, it feels tangible.

This brand identity will be presented to you, and you’ll have the opportunity to share your thoughts and feedback. If something feels off, you must share that, it has to feel right, this is your business after all!  

Working with you and your feedback is an essential part of the process. 

Any revisions are made and we go back and forth until you’re happy with how everything looks. There aren’t usually many revisions, but it’s good to have the space available should  we need to refine something.

Brand add ons

If there are any additional brand assets needed, for example illustrative icons, business cards, thank you cards, ect. These will be developed after the initial brand identity is created. Moving through the design process, and allowing time for feedback and revisions for each asset.

Phase 3: File prep and delivery

Once you’re happy with the look and feel for all of your brand assets, the final stage is preparing all of the individual elements. I like to make sure that you have all the file options that you may need, this includes files in various colours and black and white.

Here’s a list of what’s usually included:

• Primary logo – colour, all black, all white
• Secondary logo – colour, all black, all white
• Icon – all brand colours
• Badge or sub mark – all brand colours

These are shared with you in a google drive, with folders for each file type:

• PDF 
• Transparent PNG
• SVG

Brand guide

A one page PDF, is a quick reference to your brand colours, fonts and brand assets.

Brand guidelines

A detailed guide sharing your brand strategy,and how to best implement your brand assets going forward. This is essential for sharing with team members to make sure your brand stays cohesive across all touchpoints. (not included in the mini brand design package)

Image library

A collection of images sourced on the free stock photography site Pexels will be provided. So you have a good idea of the image style that works for your brand. I may also recommend a premium stock membership that could be suited to your brand.

Implementation & Beyond

You have your new branding, and you’re excited, but what next?

Make a list of all the areas you need to update:

• Social platforms
• Email
• Website
• Documents
• Contracts
• Marketing materials
• Signage
• Uniforms

And then map out a plan for updating each area, then you can check them off as you go.

Rebranding your website

If the next phase involves your website having a bit of an overhaul to align with your new brand identity (which I highly recommend!) you have two options…

1. you can keep your current site live with any branding you had previously, and wait to reveal everything together. 
2. Or you can create a bit of an event around your new brand identity. Have a coming soon page active on your site, where you can gather emails, let people know that something exciting is happening behind the scenes, and create a bit of a buzz on your social media/email, maybe count down to the big reveal.

Using imagery

Imagery is a massive part of your brand’s personality, and is something that will be included on your website and most likely on your social media too. When going through the design phase the style of imagery that will align with your brand personality will have been defined, you’ll have a library of images in Pexels, which will help you get started, and help to guide you on any images you choose going forward.

Your brand will always be evolving

As there is constant growth, and movement, it’s a good practice to make time to check in with your brand every so often. I like to do this around the new year. Just a check in to make sure that everything feels good and is aligned to the vision going forward. 

When we check in often, we can make adjustments and move with alignment.

I hope you found this post helpful, and has made the thought of reaching out to a designer for some help with your business, a little less daunting.

If you’re seeking support with your branding, I’d be truly honored to guide you through the process. 😊

Feel free to drop me a message on Instagram or fill out the enquiry form here.