What An Interior Designer Should Consider Before Investing In Branding
Branding is often the first impression people will have of your interior design services. Making genuine connections with the right people will grow your business and attract the work you want. That’s the power of branding. It can influence how people think and feel about your business. This will ultimately affect enquiries and why clients decide to work with you.
It’s important to find the right studio or freelancer to build your brand because they’ll all have their own approach. That’s why you need to do your research so you can make an informed decision that’s right for your business.
In this article we’re going to talk about:
How you know it’s the right time to invest in branding
Why you should hire a Brand Designer
Finding the right Brand Designer for you
How you know it’s the right time to invest in branding
You want to take your business to the next level
You know who your ideal client is but not sure how to reach them
You’re spending time and money with no clear strategy
Your brand isn’t attracting the right clients
Clients are questioning your prices
You’re embarrassed about your current website
You feel overwhelmed as to what to do next
These signs are telling you that you might want to invest in your brand. But before you do that, it’s important to solidify your business offering.
It doesn't matter how old your business is. There’s no point investing in branding if you end up making changes later on. This can be expensive as you’ll either have to rebrand again or end up working with branding that’s no longer as effective.
Why you should hire a Brand Designer
A Brand Designer is an expert in building identities for businesses, charities or people. There are many reasons why you might hire a Brand Designer. Whether you’re looking to elevate your brand, want some expert advice or because you simply don’t have time to do it yourself.
As an Interior Designer you might have an eye for design, but there’s still more to know when it comes to branding. A Brand Designer will realise what your business needs and will be able to translate your goals and purpose into a captivating brand. You’re investing in their design skills, the professional software they use, their expertise and experience. They’ve spent years practicing their skills and developing their knowledge so they can help businesses just like yours get results.
How to find the right Brand Designer for you
Brand Designers have the ability to work with a lot of different clients. This means they often choose to specialise in a certain sector. It’s important to work with a Brand Designer who’s a good fit for your interior design business. After all the branding process is a partnership. You want to trust their approach and skills to build the brand your business needs. Here’s what you should consider:
Communication
Conversation between you and the Brand Designer is important. You both need to be able to communicate your ideas and respond to each other in a way that will benefit the project.
At a larger studio there could be several people working on the project. While working with a smaller studio or freelancer might mean a more personal approach. Both will probably produce good quality work but it’s important to consider so you get the right support.
Expertise
Take a look at testimonials, portfolios and blogs to get an idea of who you’ll be working with. Do they have experience working with Interior Designers?
Their work will give you an idea of their style and approach to working with businesses like yours. Brand Designers with the right knowledge and expertise will build the brand your business needs.
Style of work
Choosing to work with a designer wholly based on their design skills isn’t always a good route to take. They may design aesthetically pleasing business cards and logos but branding is more than what you see.
If you’re looking to build a brand with clarity and purpose, strategy should be the driving force. It will allow you to make definite decisions across every aspect of your brand. Whether your goal is to build a reputation, grow your business or attract more work. For this to happen brand strategy has to be part of the design process.
Questions to ask
Most Brand Designers are also looking to work with clients who are a good match. Here’s what you should find out to help you make the right decision.
What do your brand design services include?
What is your design process?
How are you different from other Brand Designers?
Do you create completely custom designs?
What’s your turnaround time?
What are your payment terms?
Could there be any additional fees?
Will you manage the printing of brand stationery?
Is all the work done inhouse?
When can we start?
If you’re happy with the answers to these questions you’re probably speaking to the right Brand Designer.
Final Note
Building an effective brand identity will help create a cohesive and professional look. You might have an idea of what you want your brand to look like, but a Brand Designer has the skills to take it to the next level.
Choosing to work with a Brand Designer is an investment that shouldn’t be taken lightly. That’s why at Studio Sulis we offer our introductory BrandLite package to all our new clients. Find out more here.