Recently, I went to a cocktail party for entrepreneurs. We started chatting over rose’s and pinots and it became clear from the conversation that one of the biggest fears that many business owners have when it comes to branding, concern the process.
Questions that were circling around included:
How long will the process take?
Will I have to spend a lot of my own time on this project?
What if I don’t like the work?
What’s actually involved?
If you are thinking about investing in branding, then today I wanted to ease your mind by answering some of your burning questions when it comes to the process of branding.
Timeframe:
Timeframes can vary depending on how extensive your project is. Here’s some timeframes as a general rule of thumb:
Branding/website VIP Days: 1 main day +2-3 days for revisions and finalising the assets to be sent to you.
Custom Branding: 4 weeks
Custom websites: 4-6 weeks
Extras: (packaging/signage/documents/social templates/additional website pages/custom patterns/textiles/gifs or video content/illustrations) 2-3 weeks
Time investment for you:
This depends on who you choose as a designer and how well defined their systems are. If your designer is organised and has some basic systems in place, this will reduce your time investment (and free you up to work on your own business).
Generally for a custom project you will have:
15-30 min free call before booking in to see if you are a good fit to work together
60 Min strategy session at the beginning of the project
30 min design presentation call for your designs
30-60 minute handoff call at the end of the project
2-3 forms to fill out throughout the project to give the designer the key info they need, and to share your feedback on the designs.
It is highly recommended that you share your thoughts and questions either on your calls, or on your forms, rather than via emails/voxers throughout the project to save time on un-necessary back and forth both for yourself and for the designer. If you have lots of questions, I suggest asking your designer if you can book an additional call during the project to discuss the project/request a requote if the scope of the project has changed.
What If I don’t like the work?
Honesty is always the best policy and telling your designer sooner rather than later is the best strategy to ensure you get the result you are looking for. Be specific and concise in your feedback, and keep the goal of your project and your target audience in mind when sharing feedback on the designs.
Do your due diligence when booking a designer to ensure you are happy with the style and quality of the work that they create, as many service providers do not offer refunds once you have made a commitment to book in their services. Read more on choosing the right designer HERE
Steps in the process
So what’s actually involved in the branding process? Let’s break it down:
Booking - so you’ve had your call and you are excited to work with your designer. Generally they will send you a link to book in and make your first deposit. You may also be required to sign a contract and read through their welcome kit PDF/Webpage to know all the ins and outs of the process. You then might be required to fill out a form, or book your first meeting with the designer.
Strategy - getting clear on your identity, message and voice as a brand. This might involve filling in a form at the beginning of the project and then meeting with the designer online/in person for a strategy session. The designer can then develop your brand strategy after your session.
Moodboard - the designer will create a moodboard based on any discussion. or forms you have filled out. You will sign off on the moodboard as the general brand direction before your brand assets are created.
Logo and brand assets - your designer will create and present your logo, submark and other discussed assets for your feedback. You will then have an opportunity to provide any feedback.
Revisions - the designer will make any revisions you have requested and send back to you for sign-off
Asset delivery and handoff - the designer will create all of the relevant assets and send them to you, generally after you have paid your lst invoice. You may also recieve training on how to use your assets if this is part of your package.
Thinking of Rebranding?
You want to rebrand successfully but you’re not sure how to be confident that now is the right time.
Well, you can stop wondering.
My free Rebrand Checklist will help you know when it’s the right time to rebrand, and what it will take to rebrand successfully, so you can have the confidence to make the right choice for your business.