First off, custom branding is a collaborative process between you and the designer. Yes, the designer will be the one to actually craft the visual elements. But you’ll also play an important role in making sure the final product is right for your business goals. When working with a designer, there are some steps you can take to set yourself up for a successful custom branding experience.

HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR TARGET MARKET. 

Since effective branding is more about your ideal client than you, it’s essential to understand who that person is before any design work begins. A designer will typically help you understand your target market more in-depth by asking the right questions. But it’s important that you have a clear vision about who your business serves before the branding process begins. When you work with me, we’ll start by first going through some questions and exercises that will help you really refine this before the design work begins. The first stage in any branding project is defining the strategy through a discovery phase.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

Let me guess, you’re a creative person by nature and also pretty picky when it comes to design? Trust me, I completely get it! If you’re choosing to work with a designer, it’s because you trust their expertise. It’s important to keep in mind that the entire branding process is about the big picture and not each individual element. Each visual element is created with purpose and is meant to work together as a system. The designer’s job is to craft a branding solution tailored to your ideal client while also incorporating your personal preferences and industry standards. So the final brand may not 100% align with your personal style as an individual, especially since you may not be your own ideal client. But it should attract your dream clients and work for your business. With that, you should still love your brand because it’s your business after all!

UNDERSTAND WHERE PROFESSIONAL CUSTOM BRANDING SERVICES WILL HAVE THE MOST IMPACT IN YOUR BUSINESS.

In order to get the most impact out of branding services, it’s a good idea to take a look at your processes and client touchpoints within your business. I like to make sure that my clients are getting the most “bang for their buck” based on their specific needs. Basically, if you’re running a business 100% online and never meet with clients or prospective clients in person, a business card design (or really any printed materials) shouldn’t be at the top of your priority list. On the other hand, if you get a lot of leads that don’t turn into clients after sending them your pricing sheet, we might want to focus on that pricing sheet.

Lastly, if you’re working with a designer on a custom website, you’ll want to make sure you have all of your web content (copy + photos) ready to hand over to the designer before you get started.

If you’re ready to work with a designer on your brand, I’d love to chat!