Branding, Logo & Identity
BRANDING
SMART, SCROLL-STOPPING BRANDS
If you’re here, I’m guessing you’re already an expert in your field but maybe your brand isn’t connecting as well as you’d hoped. You might have started out well but over time your materials have lost their cohesion, your website is a graveyard of broken links, customers aren’t converting, and, well, you just don’t love your brand anymore.
And it’s really hard to market a brand that makes you feel meh.
Let’s get you back on track.
Brilliant brand identities start with a strategy. Cool visuals are fun, but unless they are based on a solid foundation, you’ll be over them faster than you can say, “Just burn my money.”
A brand created for longevity is built on who you are, what’s important to you, and expresses your unique personality. It connects to what’s most valuable to your customers and sets you apart from others in a way that you can continue to build upon.
Your brand lies in the overlap between what’s most important to you and what’s most important to your customers. We’ll figure that out and then build you a treasure trove of visuals you’ll be proud to promote.
WHO SHOULD I HIRE?
“Who should I hire?” is probably the second-most asked question when it comes to branding. (The first is, “How much should it cost?”) And like so many things, the answer to both of those is, “It depends.”
online marketplace
Price range: Under $100
For some people, buying a ready to go product from a marketplace like Etsy or Creative Market can be the way to go. These sellers often sell brand boards, with a logo, colours, possibly typography, and perhaps a few suggested photos for a very affordable price.
The downside is you may receive the same, or nearly the same, identity as everyone else who bought something similar. It’s also possible that you will receive a logo that isn’t created in a professional format or that it was constructed using elements from a tool like Canva that makes it impossible for you to copyright it.
And of course, there will be no strategy involved.
However, this route can still be a good solution if you’re just starting out and really have no budget for branding. If you’ve only just opened your business and you haven’t sold anything yet or you’re not all that clear on who you are selling to, this is a decent solution.
agency
Price range: $30,000-$250,000
Agencies are good for businesses who have a lot of diverse needs. They have many resources in-house and are likely to be able to handle projects that require a lot of different skill sets.
If you are looking for a one-stop shop that can handle everything from branding to corporate materials to websites to video production to ad buying, an agency could be the right route for you.
The downside can be that you likely won’t have access to the people doing the work and you won’t be able to work in conjunction with them to establish your brand. It may also be challenging to get deliverables quickly or to expect responsiveness to events within your business.
Agencies tend to handle projects where there is a lot of risk in getting the brand wrong. (Imagine having to re-skin your fleet of airplanes!) If your business is in this situation, an agency could be the right choice.
bright creative
Price range: starts at $1750
There are jillions of independent designers in the market and it can be difficult to decide between them. Unlike professions that require some sort of proof of training or experience, design has no such barriers. This is great for allowing people to jump in and try, but not amazing for clients who are suddenly embroiled with an inexperienced individual who can’t quite deliver on expectations.
My goal is to give my clients the strategic thinking and quality of an agency while also being a more nimble, collaborative partner. After over 25 years of professional experience, I know the questions to ask, what’s a “must-have”, and what’s a “not right now.”
I also believe that one of the most important things in choosing a designer is to find someone you connect with. If you’re wondering if we’d be a fit, book a virtual coffee. No sales, just getting to know each other. Looking forward to meeting you!
PROCESS
01
plan
Kick-off
We’ll start with a kick-off call between me and you (and any additional stakeholders) where we’ll discuss your project. We’ll review the process and get everyone on the same page as to expectations.
Brand Blueprint Session
Brand Blueprint is an in-depth strategy conversation that gives us a chance to dig deeper, clarify any confusion, and start crystalizing some ideas. We’ll discuss your company’s goals, purpose, audience, and competitors. We’ll also talk about how to appeal to your key people and uncover what sets you apart. I’ll summarize the insights into a Brand Brief that will set the direction for the design to come.
02
design
Mood Boards
Based on the brief and my own research, I’ll put together some moodboards for our review. The goal of the moodboards is to choose a general direction we’d like to follow that appeals to your target market while also differentiating you from the competition. We’ll discuss over a call and choose one to move forward with. I’ll finalize the chosen direction and that will set the foundation for the concepts to come.
Design Concepts
At this stage, I’ll take the chosen direction and design a variety of pieces that fit together. This way you can see how all decisions complement each other, rather than trying to get your brain around each piece individually. Depending on the project, a concept might include logos, colours, typography, icons, or illustrations, all presented in mock layouts. You’ll choose the concept you like the best.
03
refine
Once you’ve identified your favourite concept, we’ll make any refinements necessary to get to the finished product. We’ll refer back to the Brief and the Mood Board frequently to be sure we are staying on track with our decisions.
04
launch
With our final choices in hand, I’ll create all the individual pieces for your team’s usage. I’ll also supply a written Brand Guide, which is a multi-page book detailing all the brand elements and how they should (and shouldn’t!) be used. Share this guide with internal stakeholders or external vendors to ensure your new brand is kept clear and consistent.
PRICING
logo design
For clients with an existing brand identity who want to refresh an outdated logo.
Includes:
- Kick-off call
- Mini Brand Blueprint Session
- Inspiration Board
- Logo Design
- Logo Usage Guide
$1750
Brand Identity
For clients who are starting from scratch or are revamping their existing identity.
Includes:
- Kick-off call
- Brand Blueprint Session
- Mood Board
- Identity design that can include some or all of:
- Logo
- Colors
- Typography
- Patterns
- Photography guidance
- Illustration
- Iconography
- Brand Guide
Starts at
$5000
Custom work
Many of my clients require supporting items, which I’m happy to co-create.
Some examples:
- Brochures
- Rack cards
- Course workbooks
- Presentation design
- Letterhead & envelopes
- Business cards
- Business plan design
- Media kit design
- Investor summary sheets
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