Sometimes I stare in the mirror and think about how easy it could be if I just knew how to do injectables or could safely DIY it. A little Botox here, some lip filler there, and whatever else they do. Then, I wake up and come to reality. Please do not DIY injecting anything into your face or body for that matter.
Do you feel this way when you look at your branding? Sometimes I do that too. Here is what you should ask yourself when you start to feel this way?
- Why am I feeling this way?
- What don’t I love?
- When was the last time I rebranded?
- Am I going to DIY or hire a professional?
My favorite part – let’s break this down.
1. Why am I feeling this way?There could be a million reasons you are no longer in love with your branding.
- You’ve changed
- Your brand has changed
- The market is different
- Your products are different
- Trends have changed a lot
- You’ve matured
- You are having internal issues (not related to your business)
- You’re in a funk
- You’re in a lull in your business and are looking for anything to grasp onto
It really could be a million things. You need to look in the mirror and be 1,000% honest with yourself. What is your WHY
2. What don’t I love?
This goes right along with #1. You really have to look deep into yourself and your brand as a whole. What isn’t vibing right now? You also need to allow yourself to know, there is no right or wrong answer to this process. Sometimes we just fall out of love with the way things look – that’s ok! Times, trends, styles, etc. all change and it’s good to change with them. This brings me to your next self-reflection question.
3. When was the last time I rebranded?
You should absolutely think about a rebrand or refresh from time to time. I am not talking about a full rebrand with a name change and all. I am talking more about a mini facelift – a refresh. Maybe we change out some aspects of the logo, hue changes, and new graphics. Maybe you change your font style and button colors on your website and email marketing. No one is talking about tens of thousands of dollars.
4. Am I going to DIY or hire a professional?
Whatever you decide – whatever that truth serum brings to you – stay within your budget. Repeat after me, “I promise myself I will stay within my budget.” Luckily for many entrepreneurs, there are ways to DIY things like this. The one I will direct people towards is Canva’s free account. It gives you the tools to create a logo and your graphics, all while keeping them on brand.
Another option is to look at your website host. For example, certain hosts, like Vistaprint, also offer some graphic design work, such as a logo. They will even take your marketing materials and create a website to match. (There might be a slight additional cost associated with this but a professional designer put together the template).
Now, if you have the means and prefer to, hire a professional. You can find one on socials, google, yelp, or hey, right here 😊.
In all seriousness though, when you are looking for a designer to handle your refresh or a full rebrand, look for some of the following –
- What is the designer’s style?
- Does it match your brand or look like something you would want to see in your branding?
- What is the designer’s voice?
- Even though your branding will have your voice, even the best designers have a tad bit of their style & voice in all of their projects.
- Are they niche-specific?
- I loathe the word niche BUT it does come in handy sometimes. Are you looking for a designer who only works with your products/services? Maybe you saw a chic boho theme they did and you loved it? That’s great! Look for your style because they will tend to have a little more experience in it.
- What is the price range?
- There isn’t much to explain here except to make sure you remember the oath you took above. You are far more likely to see a difference in a designer’s work who charges minimal and a designer who charges higher end. If you choose a designer that is higher – look for discounts, look at their tagged photos, see if any influencers or other businesses have a code, etc.
- What do their tagged photos look like?
- I say this one lightly. If you checked my tagged photos, most of my projects wouldn’t be in them. That’s ok. It’s not a reflection on the designer if their projects aren’t there. It’s up to the designer to keep their projects visible to potential clients.
- Is this something you want to take a leap of faith on?
- Maybe you saw some work you absolutely love or thought was really cool and you want to work with that specific designer. However, it’s not your style. (i.e.: your branding is very dark and gothic with skulls and the designer does beachy, boho with creams and pastels). If you truly want to work with the designer, don’t write him or her off. Shoot them a message letting them know you want to work with them and what you’re looking for. But, also let them know that you understand your styles are polar opposites and you just want to know IF it would be possible to work together on something.
You can’t go through those questions without going through the top ones first. You need to be honest with yourself about who you are, who your brand is, and what you want. It’s extremely hard to find your voice and brand. I still struggle with it a few times a week. But I try to be honest with myself. For example, I know #6 would not work for me. It’s just who I am. I have a vision and I would want it executed the way I want it. That’s ok. It’s my company and my money. But, it’s not ok to be unfair to a designer because you like their work but you also know you’re very different.
all the love & espresso
kierst