What does your brand say about you? What does it convey to your audience? While some companies throw a few details together without much thought, others rely on a brand designer to help them build and elevate their brands. Which is better?
There isn’t a right or wrong answer. You can find examples of both. Yet, if you’re contemplating hiring a brand designer right now, there is something you should consider.
Business owners are often guilty of trying to wear too many hats. A new task comes up, and they think, “I can do that.” They sit and struggle until they reach “it’s good enough.”
When you hire a brand designer, they know branding. They’ve spent time learning the industry and practicing their craft. They work at it every day, studying the latest trends. They stay on top of what’s working. They give you a clean and professional look.
And they pay attention to everything, things you might easily overlook. They listen to your ideas, clarify your vision, then bring it all to life. Yes, you can see the difference.
What a Brand Designer Does
A brand designer is more than a graphic designer. They support your business by crafting a cohesive and recognizable brand. They pay attention to brand colors, typography, and aesthetics. They dig deep to understand your company’s values.
This isn’t something a designer does alone. They are experienced communicators who spend time talking with you, understanding what you want and need and, only then, creating a solution that communicates what you do.
Because communication is key, it’s wise to pay attention to your interactions. Are you a good match? If so, you’ll work together well throughout the process. Consider asking potential brand designers questions like:
- What is your specialty?
- What kind of projects or clients do you like working with?
- What does your team look like?
- Do you outsource work or do it all yourself?
- How do you handle revisions?
- Can I reuse the creative work in different ways as I change and grow?
- What information do you need to get started?
- What happens once the project is done?
This is your starting point. It’s about getting to know potential designers and figuring out who you’re comfortable with. Who will provide you with a brand you can live with and find success with?
Why Brand Design Is So Important
Think about the businesses you work with. What attracts you to them? Is it their message? Their visuals? Their actions?
None of that is by accident. The biggest names that stand the test of time put a lot of energy into brand design, knowing it communicates their values, builds trust, and makes a good impression. It builds customer loyalty and, for premium brands, justifies their pricing.
The right brand design does more than make your brand memorable. It can also build credibility in the marketplace. It becomes a face to the world, maintaining it consistently over time. Your audience will instantly associate your brand with your message—the clearer you are at the design phase, the longer-lasting it will be.
Think beyond the biggest brands. Yes, the Amazons and Nikes of the world spend a lot of time and effort on branding. But even smaller, more local companies use branding to create a sense of belonging. If you want to be well-known in your category, crafting your brand takes work. A good designer knows that and helps you along the way.
Where To Start … Your Audience
Have you noticed that everything around marketing starts with understanding your audience? Brand design is no different. That’s because market research is the best way to fully understand what your audience wants and what message will resonate.
This is about fully defining your audience and then discovering their pain points. A teen finishing high school will have an entirely different approach than a thirty-something first-time mom. You can’t target them the same way and expect the same results.
With your audience in mind, what makes your business unique? How are you different from your competitors? What do you offer that they can’t?
This is where the right brand designer can pull it all together. If you don’t have clear and direct goals and vision, they’ll dive in and help. You can’t create a personality if you don’t know what your business is about. Meaningful relationships start when you understand their points of view. This is the personality that you wish to show the world.
Design the Visuals
With all of that in hand, it’s time to bring your brand to life. This is the fun part where you put “pen to paper.” This is where you discover the visual elements of the branding process that will showcase who you are to the world.
Think logo. Think theme. Think template. All these elements will come together and appear on everything you release to the world. You’ll share it on business cards, websites, and landing pages. It’s the most recognizable part of your business.
Yes, color and fonts have a place. We see a lot of businesses grabbing fonts for ease these days, and it muddies up the branding process.
It’s about giving your audience what they want. And yes, attractiveness matters. In one study, 60 percent of those asked admitted they typically avoid companies with unattractive logos, and 42 percent believe they can learn a lot about a company’s personality just from its logo.
Crafting Your Message
People love stories and want connections. They hate to be sold to but love to buy. That comes through when you fully design your personality.
It comes through in the language you use. The emotional connection with your customers. It builds a solid foundation that can be used in everything you create.
This is where many brands go astray. They create a brand as a startup, then make changes as they scale. Yet this is your most important strategy as you scale. It’s what builds consistency in everything you do, online and off.
Have questions about branding? Looking for a brand designer who can take your business to the next level? Let’s see what we can build together.
