Branding & Design FAQs
What is branding and why do I need it?
This is a subject I could talk about for hours! When you think about your branding, you want to think about the whole customer experience, everything from your logo, your color and typography choices, your website, your social media practices... A brand that is consistent and clear reassures the customer because they know exactly what to expect every time they engage with your company. Strong and consistent branding will allow the client to know exactly what to expect every time they come across your business. A professional appearance will build credibility and confidence. Your branding represents your promise to the customer. Can you design just a logo for my business? Unfortunately, no! My passion is getting to know each client I work with, from their current struggles + painpoints, what brings them joy, their big goals, who their dreamiest of dream clients are, and their favorite way to show up and serve their people. Designing a full, hand-crafted brand identity that’s rooted in strategy and storytelling is the best way to do communicate all the goodness they offer. A logo is just one piece of the puzzle and it simply can’t tell the full story. What do you mean when you say "handcrafted design"? I'm glad you asked! Part of what makes my brands handcrafted is that I will literally craft elements by hand (if it suits the project, of course!). These type of design elements can include custom lettering for your logo, or one-of-a-kind illustrations to add personality to your branding. I’m not a designer who is restricted to what I can create on a computer screen. In fact, I love putting my art skills to work! How do I know I’m ready to hire a professional designer? Knowing when to invest in custom, hand-crafted design can be tricky, but I’m not about to sell you on something you may not need just yet. There’s definitely a right time and a wrong time to invest your money in design. The right time to invest is when you’re confident in who your ideal client is (you maybe just need updated design to help better attract them), you’ve found your niche, and you know your brand message and values. There’s no specific point in business when you need to invest in design, but most of my clients are about 2-3 years into their business journey. They frequently started with DIYed design and now need something more “grown up” that fits with where there business is now and where they plan to take it in the future. You’ll know you’re ready to hire a designer when you feel like your branding no longer fits, your website isn’t communicating the way it needs to, and the overall look of your design is holding you back from raising prices and attracting your dream clients. I call this the “awkward stage” and getting small business owners unstuck and up-leveled is my specialty. Sound like you? Learn more here and let’s chat! The wrong time to invest in expensive, custom design is if you’re just starting your business and still figuring out things like your brand message, your niche, and your ideal client. If you don’t have those important pieces in place, any sort of brand identity you build will likely have to be redone. It’s just one of the growing pains that comes with running a business! DIYing your design is a great option, and it’s okay to keep it simple! I’ve also got Brand Coaching available for newer business owners who need a sounding board and someone to help cut through the mental clutter. Do you offer other services besides branding and website design? Yes, I do! I love serving business owners who are in all stages of design. Here’s what they are: Design Day My Design Day is exactly what it sounds like: a full day of my schedule dedicated to helping you check things off your design to-do list. This is a perfect fit for someone who has their branding and website squared away but needs help with other things such as: pricing guides, postcards, welcome magazines, webinar slides, stickers, social media templates, thank you notes, packaging, you name it. Whether you’re a service-based biz, product-based biz, or online educator, a Design Day can help you get all your design stuff done…in ONE DAY! You can learn more here and apply for a spot. Brand Coaching This service is perfect for any business owner who is feeling lost in their thoughts, overwhelmed by all the things they “have to” do, and can’t see the forest for the trees. Sessions are frequently booked by newer business owners who need help with things like defining their brand message, finding their niche, or honing in on their ideal client. However, everyone needs an objective voice to speak into their business and give some clarity, no matter the season you’re in. Sessions are $200 each and include an hour long chat, detailed notes from our call, and a customized action plan tailored to you. Learn more here! How do I book my branding and/or website project? To start the booking process, simply fill out the form on my contact page, select the package you’re interested in, and provide details about your project. After you’ve gotten in touch, we’ll have a quick chat about your project. If we're a good fit, I’ll send you a design contract and an invoice for a nonrefundable deposit (50% of project total). Once those steps are completed, your spot in the queue will be reserved and we can get to work making magic happen for your business! When are you available for new projects? Availability varies, so it's best to shoot me an email about your project and ideal timeline. I can't wait to hear from you! Do you design sites on other platforms besides Squarespace? I solely design sites on Squarespace for a few reasons. I’ve found this platform to be the simplest for clients to manage on their own since it’s very user-friendly, without sacrificing quality of design. It also allows flexibility in design so each website looks unique (especially with the help of customizations), plus it’s robust enough to support my clients’ growing businesses into the future. What if I have a website on another platform? Can you help me switch over to Squarespace? That’s not a problem! If you have a website designed using another platform, I can certainly help you get things moved over to Squarespace. From there, we can work together to build a new, easy-to-maintain, and user-friendly website for your business! What logo files do I receive after working with you? Each logo file will be sent in full-color, black, and white as a .jpeg, .png, and .eps file so you can have the flexibility to use your new branding to its fullest potential, on everything from digital to print. What if I need more design work after my project is completed? Not to worry! I offer Design Days, and they're the perfect way to get "design to-dos" checked off off list. You can learn more about design days here. |
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