What is the Brand Design Process?
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again and again (and again), branding your business is one of the most impactful investments you can make. And it’s true. Of course, as a brand design studio, that might come across as biased – but based on research-based facts, having a brand strategy can land you your ideal clients AND help build your business. As with any other move you make for your business, there are obvious apprehensions that come with it. We get it, you want to make sure you’re putting your investment in the best place. Sometimes the best way to cure apprehension and soothe any worries you have as a business owner, is to answer all the questions you have about the process; the who, what, when, where and why. The best way to combat uncertainty is to replace it with knowledge. With that said, we want to help you get to know the design process inside and out. That way you know what you’re in for if you choose to build a brand with us. We broke down the process from start to finish into 8 simple steps. Keep reading to learn about the brand design process from the moment you initiate communication, to the start of implementing your brand into your business.
The Brand Design Process
Building a brand for your business is so much more than a logo and color palette. While those things are a part of the process, there’s integral steps and lots of intention that goes into a powerhouse brand strategy. If you hire our team to collaborate with you to create a brand design, we will ensure that you get not only the perfect brand, but the best experience possible. From the moment you book that first “get to know you” call, to the moment you publish your brand for the first time – we will give you our heart, soul, knowledge and utmost effort. With that said, you might be wondering what that process really looks like. Here are the 8 steps we follow in creating a brand design for your business.
1. Discovery call
If you’re interested in hiring us to be your brand design team, we want to give you an opportunity to see if it’s the right fit before you take the leap. This call gives you a chance to chat with us, put a face to the name and hear more about what we are all about AND what we can offer your business specifically. You can pick our brain with any design questions or ask us questions about our mission and values as a business. We pride ourselves on our client relationships and want to be an open book for you. We’ll do our very best to answer your questions and give you all the insight you need to make your decision, understanding that not everyone can be the “right” fit. You have to follow your heart and do what’s best for your business. We will come into the discovery call with questions we have for you about your business as well, so that we can be sure to give you the best of the best.
Pro tip: sometimes the thought of a discovery call can be overwhelming – it helps to think about what you’re wanting out of it beforehand and even write out some questions you want to ask. This will make sure you cover all your bases and leave the call feeling satisfied.
2. Onboarding process (booking & contracts)
Once you’ve landed on a decision to book us (YAY!), we’ll begin the onboarding process. It may not be your area of expertise, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We have a seamless system of booking and paperwork that will make sealing the deal as quick and painless as possible. All you’ll have to do is review the contract, pay your deposit and sign on the dotted line. Once we’re all squared away with our contract, we’ll proceed with the design process and get the fun part started!
3. Strategy session
Now that everything is “official”, it’s time to arrange a meeting for a two-hour strategy call. This can be in-person or through a zoom meeting, based on whatever feels most comfortable to you. What this strategy call covers is basically, well, everything. We will take this opportunity to get to know you and your business inside and out. We will try our best to get inside your mind, so that we are able to create a brand that fits specifically to you.
In the strategy call, we will focus on:
Getting to know your values – the heart and soul of your business
Collaborate in finding your brand voice
Decide on your messaging and what you want to convey
Identify your true WHY (this one’s important)
Learn what you DO like and what you definitely do NOT like
Discover your brand vision and what you imagine your brand to be
The strategy call is crucial in the design process. In order for us to create the powerhouse brands that we promise, we have to really learn about you and your business. It’s important for us to understand you, but equally important to know what YOU want and envision now and in the future. Your brand is a long-term investment and should grow with you and help you reach your business goals. At the end of the day, the thing we value the most is that your brand is not only impactful and successful, but also that it comes from your heart and soul and feels right to you. The strategy call allows us time to intricately collect all the information to be able to accomplish that.
4. Color palette development
This often gets looked at as the “easy” part; it’s just throwing together some colors that all look good, right? Not quite! Choosing a color palette has a lot of intention and reason behind it. Each color represents an aspect of your business, mission and values AND serves a purpose in conveying those things to your ideal clients. There are many things we consider in choosing a color palette for your business, and you can read in depth about that process here.
Some of the key questions we ask and consider in your color palette design are…
What are the main values of your brand?
How would you describe your ideal client?
What are 3-5 colors that come to your mind when you think of your brand?
When thinking of your brand, how do you want your ideal client to feel?
What are a few adjectives you would use to describe your brand?
From there, we take that information and the knowledge we have about color purpose and representation and create the best color palette for you. Your colors will be at the core of your brand design and will be included in every aspect of your business!
5. Logo design
The logo we design for your business is a big deal. It’s the symbol that represents your brand through an intentional combination of images and words. Usually, the logo is the part of a brand that gets the most recognition or emphasis. It will be used in every aspect of your business from business cards, to your website, to any merchandise. If you want a logo for your business, you want it done right. When we design your logo, we put knowledge and strategy behind our decisions, to ensure the most impactful logo design you can ask for. We talk all about the strategy behind logo design in our blog - all the things you DO and DON’T want to do when creating a logo.
6. Business package design
An important piece in our brand design process, is business package design. This is when we cover all of our bases in the professional aspect of your brand design. We aim to make every piece of your brand cohesive, genuine and professional. What we implement in your colors and logo, we will carry through to your business package. Business packages vary from client to client depending on the needs of your business and how you operate. We will tailor this package to you and make sure you walk away with everything you need to roll out your new brand.
Things that may be included in your business package design include:
Business cards
Letterhead
Envelopes
Notecards and Thank You Cards
Rack Cards
Brochures
Return Address Labels
Email Signatures & More!
The beauty of branding your business through a designer, is that we consider and include all of the things that are easily forgotten but incredibly important. If there is fluidity and consistency with your brand into every aspect that your potential clients see, it sends the message that your business is organized, intentional, professional and worthy of investing in.
7. Website design
The website you have for your business packs a BIG punch. It will most likely be the place people visit the most to learn more about you, your business and any other information they may want to gather. According to a study done by Stanford University, 75% of judgements on a company’s credibility are based on its website design. If you don’t have a professional website design, you’re risking losing a shot with many clients for a few different reasons. Going the DIY route for your website can work, but it will not have the same business-building qualities that it would if you hired a designer.
As your designer, we’ll take all of the information about your business that we’ve already gathered; your why, values and mission, ideal client, your vision, as well as your likes and dislikes, and combine it strategically with what we have already crafted for your brand design such as colors, fonts and logos.
Our goal is to create a website for you that embodies these things:
Well-organized
Aesthetically appealing
Clear calls to action to get clients to sign up, purchase, or become a customer
User friendly/easy to navigate
Informative
Current with the latest trends
Clean and simple
You can learn more about website design on our blog and take a look at some of our work!
8. Any additional design and marketing pieces
Beyond those steps in the design process, is any “extras” that you may choose to add-in for us to design. Sometimes clients need design help with things like their social media marketing, interior design or print advertising – we are more than happy to help you master those areas of your business and carry your powerhouse brand design through every aspect of your business that we can!
Hopefully after reading this, you can have a better understanding of what the brand design process looks like. While there is a LOT that goes into it, it’s not as complicated as one might think – especially for the professionals who are doing it. If this branding process break down gave you the boost you needed in the right direction and you are ready to jump in head first with us, you can start at step one with a free discovery call! We are eager and ready to answer all your questions and see if we are the right fit for you!