How To Pick The Right Designer For Your Branding Project
You’ve decided to make branding a priority. That’s great because your business is going to really benefit from this investment. Whether you’re starting a new business or looking to rebrand, picking the right brand designer for your business matters.
It’s a competitive industry with many agencies, studios and freelancers to choose from. Recommendations are helpful but it’s important to consider what you want to get out of the process. Building your brand should be a fun, empowering and rewarding experience. But that’s only when you find the right person for you and your business. We’re going to share with you some of our favourite tips so you can get the most of of the experience.
1) Understand your purpose
Is it the right time to invest in branding? There’s no point spending money if you don’t know what you’re looking to get out of the process. Have clear goals so you can give the brand designer the information they need to build your brand.
Studio Sulis along with many other studios and freelancers start with a brand questionnaire. This helps us get to know your business and what you want to get out of the project.
Define the purpose of your business, who it’s for and why you are different. Think about what you want to be known for. A brand designer will clarify your message and present the best way to communicate this with your brand.
2) Find out who you’ll be working with
Branding is a collaborative process. You’ll be working closely with the brand designer to bring your vision to life. It’s important to consider who they are. Is it a freelancer or is there multiple people involved. This might be an important factor for you because working with multiple experts in a studio setting will be different to the 1-1 support you’d expect from a freelancer.
3) Look at value as well as price
Think of branding as an investment and not a quick fix. Consider what the brand designer is offering and reflect on how you will benefit at this stage of your business. Be curious and ask questions about the purpose of each deliverable and design phase. A brand designer will appreciate your interest in wanting to learn more about branding and the design process.
4) Are you a good match?
Whatever your goals are for your business, it’s important to work with an studio or freelancer who are a good fit for your business. It’s easy to choose a brand designer that has previously worked with a brand you like. However they might be different to what you’re business is looking for. Do your research and go into it with an open mind. It’s easy to be impressed by larger studios and agencies who’ve worked with big brands but is this really what your business needs.
Studios, agencies and freelancers are all available at different scales and budgets. Do you want to work with an individual and have a closer relationship with your designer or a larger agency. Think about how you want to work.
5) Work with a branding specialist
More generalist designers might offer a graphic design or logo service. Others might be website designers but are also happy to do your logo. A branding specialist will provide an in-depth package of brand strategy, visual identity etc. Your brand is more than your logo, so work with a branding specialist who understands what branding means for your business.
Have a look at their services but also their portfolio. Some designers might specialise in businesses like yours and will most likely understand what your brand needs.
6) Does their work reflect the style you’re looking for?
Every designer has their own style. Whether that’s minimal and sophisticated or bright and daring. Although we design to fit our clients, some designers will create work that they’re particularly drawn to. Take a look at their past work to get an idea of the kind of clients they work with and the style of branding they produce.
Final Note
At Studio Sulis, we want to work with creative businesses who are really going to benefit from our services. That’s why we’ve considered this an important part of our approach. Here’s what we offer to help you make the right decision for your business.
Branding Essentials Guide
It’s free to download and includes 3 chapters of 29 key elements you need to build an effective brand. Each one describes its role, as well as the impact it will have on your business. Download a copy here
BrandLite
We have an introductory package for all new clients. We’ll share with you some of our favourite branding tips, as well as potential concepts for your new brand with moodboards and mockups. It gives you an insight into how we work with no pressure or commitment. You can see if we’re a good match before taking the next steps.
Find out more about the BrandLite Package here