BE BRAND READY.
Looking to level up your small business with some killer branding? Well, hold your horses! Design isn't a magic wand, my friend. It takes some serious pre-work and knowing exactly what you want. So, saddle up and let BrandsByJordan.com break down the essential checklist before you hire that brand designer. Get ready to take on the never-ending brand universe!
First things first:
Learn and understand what a brand designer is and does. I’ve provided an extensive description here. But the quick definition is: “A brand designer is a creative professional who develops and maintains the visual identity of a business or brand. They are responsible for crafting a cohesive and captivating brand experience through design elements such as logos, color palettes, typography, and imagery.”
Define Your Business Goals: Unleash the Power of Clarity. Before you go hunting for that designer extraordinaire, paint a crystal-clear picture of your business goals. Brands By Jordan insists that a strong brand must align flawlessly with your objectives. Sharpen your vision, my friend, and find a brand designer who will help you conquer the world. How do you do that?
This is way more involved than most people realize. It requires some heavy mental lifting but I promise it is worth it. This is the part where you perfect the blue-print before you build the house. Without a plan, the house will never work for you or your visitors. I break down defining your values, mission, vision in my DIY Brand Course and I summarize the prework needed in the checklist below!
Review the list of branded collateral needed. You might not think you need a billboard or brand packaging right now, but you will need digital assets and logo files that can be used everywhere. That’s right…everywhere. In the checklist above, I have a list of potential brand needs you can review.
Get an understanding of what is involved and ensure your timeline allows enough time for revisions and back and forth. It’s totally normal that we don’t fully understand the process of a dentist or architect when we hire them, but anytime you are investing time or money, you want to know enough to be dangerous. What is actually involved in my root canal? How will my builder be able to use the plans you write and will it include all of my needs? Same for branding….you might think you can launch your website in one week. I promise you, you don’t want to work with someone who offers to do that. I recently worked with a nonprofit organization that was completing a full rebranding process. I stepped in while things were already underway and they had already spent a full year surveying, researching, and defining the brand! Now, in my opinion, that is WAY too long, but do expect this phase to take a few months. It wasn’t until that research was complete that they defined the business name and started looking at logos. The site audit took another few months, and the content, images, design, user experience all needed to be finalized and approved before the site could go live.
Assess Experience: Ain't No Substitute for Street Cred Experience, my friend, speaks louder than words. When it comes to brand design, don't settle for rookies. I have always prioritized building my network (SheWolf - if you know you know…) with people who are smarter than me in different creative areas. I know the value of battle-hardened veterans who've been slaying the design game. My recommended design gurus have the know-how, the expertise, and the unshakeable confidence to make your brand shine. If I’m not the right fit, I’ll connect you with someone who is.
Review Their Portfolio: Checkmate the Bland Game. It's time to put that designer's portfolio under the microscope! I celebrate creativity and uniqueness. I believe a portfolio speaks volumes about their artistic prowess and versatility. Don't settle for boring. Find someone whose portfolio screams innovation, setting a new standard and aligns with your vision. Want to check my portfolio out? Click HERE. I’m often the cobbler kid here and I don’t share my recent projects as often as I would like but you’ll get a good variety of industries and styles
Seek Client Testimonials: The Truth Lies in Success Stories. A wise warrior learns from others' experiences. Don't leave any stone unturned when it comes to assessing a designer. I feel really lucky to have my clients take the time to share testimonials. I’m all about client satisfaction and overdelivering. The best compliment I receive is that I have a gift for pulling things out of the heads of my clients. But..NOT ALL DESIGNERS are like that. Typically in my experience, a lot of designers need more instruction, more visuals to be able to create what you want. This is why building your vision board is important.
Communication is Queen: Wield the Power of Collaboration Honey, it's time to talk – and I'm not talking about idle chit-chat. Effective communication is the crown jewel of you feeling like you get what you pay for. I know that designers who can't communicate effectively might as well be speaking a foreign language. Ask questions. Will you have regularly scheduled calls? Is there a portal? How many revisions do you get?
Unlock Their Process and Pricing: Demystify the Wizardry Before you seal the deal, ditch the confusion, and get down to brass tacks. No hidden costs, no smoke and mirrors – just a seamless collaboration from start to finish. What is the pricing schedule? When will you get the deliverables, and what deliverables will you receive? Do you get revisions? Here’s a list of questions to ask your design professional.
I promise you, I have learned over and over again the magic lies in the pre-work. Get clear on your goals, assess the experience, review portfolios, seek testimonials, communicate fiercely, and demystify the process. Armed with this powerful checklist, you’ll at least know enough to be dangerous and ask the right questions to prepare you for success.
