Branding

Red Flags to Look For When Selecting a Branding Agency or Freelance Designer

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You spent hours trying to design a new logo in Canva. Then, you tried outsourcing it on Fiver because your biz bestie recommended them for a “budget-friendly option.” Now, you have a logo you hate and a graphic designer who mysteriously disappears. You feel frustrated and stuck. You know it’s time to reach out for help, but where do you turn, and how do you find someone who actually knows what they are doing? Raise your hand if this sounds familiar? Here’s the deal, you could keep going down the “budget-friendly” route and continue ending up with a brand identity that looks just like that and doesn’t represent you and your company. But, if you’re ready to invest in a branding agency or a seasoned freelance graphic designer, you have do have a LOT of options, so it can be hard to know where to turn and who to trust. Whether we are the agency for you or not, we want to help you navigate the selection process.  Today, we break down a few things to look out for when hiring a branding agency or designer.<

Red Flag #1 — No portfolio

We recommend finding an agency or designer with a great portfolio and a diverse one at that. We think the more breadth in the portfolio, the more creativity they can bring to the table. And chances are you won’t get an identity that looks like another one of their clients, which can happen when they only work with a particular niche. A portfolio may reside on their website, or in the age of social media, right in their Instagram feed.

Red Flag #2 — No reviews or testimonials

Reviews and testimonials give you a glimpse into other people’s experiences working with them. Most agencies and some freelancers have Google listings that allow clients to leave reviews. You can also check their social media or a testimonial section on their website, but if they don’t, simply ask if they have any they can share! 

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Red Flag #3 — Lack of experience

We don’t want to hate on green designers; we’ve been there. However, keep experience in mind when selecting an agency or freelancer. Experience allows an agency or freelancer to ask the right questions, make expert recommendations, and better anticipate your business’s needs. 

Red Flag #4 — Talks a lot about them, doesn’t ask about you

If your consultation with an agency or freelancer feels like walking onto a used car lot, please run. A consultation should involve getting to know you and your challenges. If they spend the entire time telling you how great they are, then they may not have your best interests at heart.

Red Flag #5 — A ton of design options

Ok, for any agencies and designers reading this—sorry, but not sorry. The industry standard of showing clients three or more identity options is antiquated. Suppose an agency or freelancer takes the time to understand you or your business. In that case, they should make a thoughtful recommendation and present an identity concept that will speak to you and your audience. Right? Besides, ever heard of decision fatigue? Who wants to have to wade through that many options? In our experience, when you show too many options, clients feel the need to take something from every identity you present. Then, you get the “Frankenstein effect”—where a client puts elements from two or more identities together to create something that a) doesn’t look good and b) doesn’t make sense. A brand identity should feel very intentional, but if it’s not perfect, share your concerns and let the agency or designer guide you toward the right solution.  

Now that you’re sufficiently armed with what to look for and avoid, go and find the lid to your pot. If you are looking for an agency to partner with you, and create a brand identity that showcases your unique value, maybe we’re that lid. If so, let’s chat. If not, godspeed!

Is it time to uplevel my brand identity?

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Shh…we’re going to let you in on a bit of a secret. When starting out, you do not need a professionally-made logo and brand identity. 

Now, does that mean you will never need to invest in a brand identity? Absolutely not! So when is the right time to uplevel?

Do you hate sending people to your website? Or cringe when you hand out your business card? Identity shame happens to the best of us and is usually a sign that it’s time to make a change.

DIY isn’t cutting it anymore

If you’ve been in business for a couple of years, chances are the level of clientele you are serving continues to escalate. With that, those clients expect a certain level of professionalism to build trust. If the first thing they see is a shoddy logo and a complete lack of identity, you may lose them right out the gate. First impressions matter.

The right people aren’t coming through the door.

It may be cliché, but “your vibe attracts your tribe.” If you’re not bringing in the people you want to work with, take inventory of your identity and make sure you’re positioning yourself correctly in the marketplace. Start by asking former clients, trusted advisors, or colleagues what your identity says to them.

Did any of these resonate with you? Then it may be time to uplevel your brand identity. When it comes time, we urge you to consider a professional branding agency or seasoned freelancer who specializes in branding to do the work. A rebrand takes time and costs money, so take care when selecting who will help you craft your new brand identity. Let’s explore the benefits of working with a professional.

3 Benefits to Upleveling Your Identity with a Professional

A professional will make sure your identity reflects you and how you want to position yourself.
A brand identity is so much more than a pretty logo; it should combine style and substance. To achieve that, designers take your brand’s audience, industry, competition, mission, values, and a whole lot more into account when creating your identity so that there is continuity between how you see yourself and how the world sees you. As you are consulting with an agency or freelancer, ask them about their process and how they use strategy to pull together a brand identity.

A professional considers usage needs when designing your identity.
You may not think there is any benefit to having more than one logo, but in 99.9% of businesses, your primary logo will not work across all formats. A professional anticipates how you will use the logo and identity assets now and in the future and develops a logo family that serves all mediums and contexts. A logo family is a series of logos that serve a variety of purposes. They all maintain a similar look and feel but may differ in orientation, simplicity, color, and more. For example, a horizontal logo looks great in a website navigation bar, but you need a smaller circular logo to go on all your social media channels. Also, keep reproduction in mind; some logos may look great in digital formats but may need to be simpler for embroidery. These are all things your designer and agency will keep in mind when creating a family of logos for you.

A professional creates something for the long run.
Trends come and go – remember the obsession with calligraphy fonts and watercolor a few years ago? There isn’t anything wrong with wanting to be trendy, but a professional knows how to balance trends with timeless foundational elements that will serve you longer.

Think it’s time to uplevel your identity? Schedule your free consultation today. Not sure? That’s ok, ask us about our brand audit package. We will identify any weaknesses in your identity before you commit to a full re-brand.

3 Ways to Elevate Your DIY Brand Identity

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Looking to create a professional-looking brand identity on your own? Check out our list of tips on how to elevate your design and get it right from the get-go! Small business owners often start with a small budget. While we wholeheartedly believe a professional brand identity can help you elevate your business, we know that it doesn’t come cheap. Sometimes you have to make money before you can spend money. Enter DIY. But how do you avoid creating an identity that looks like a trainwreck? Keep reading! 1. Keep it Simple We have all heard of the KISS principle. Keep it simple, sweetheart (we like the nicer version). That principle rings true with brand identities as well. Clean type and straightforward icons can communicate more with less and often stand the test of time. Think of some of the most recognizable logo designs; Nike, Apple, Chanel—all simple, all iconic.Simple designs are also easier to apply to a variety of mediums. Want a logo that is legible on your website header, can be easily embroidered, and fit into a social media profile image. Keep it simple! 2. Keep it Consistent When it comes to developing a brand identity, consistency is fundamental to building brand awareness.Keep your fonts, colors, and visual elements consistent across all touchpoints to foster a sense of professionalism and trust. We suggest creating a style guide – a document that provides guidelines on how to maintain consistency across your visual brand. Our style guides typically include: suggested logo, (if you have more than one version of your logo), fonts that can be used—including sizing and letter spacing. 3. Keep it Clear Have you ever seen a company’s logo and wonder what in the world they do? Or felt like it was in direct opposition with their industry? A clear brand identity helps to accurately identify you and who you serve. If you’re a florist and your brand mark includes a dog, people are going to struggle to make the connection. You may like dogs and be able to draw a tangent between the two, but with only seconds to make an impression—will everyone else? Looking for more resources to improve your branding and marketing? Check out the rest of our blog and take your business to the next level!

Your Guide to Brand Photography

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What you need to know about brand photography and why it’s the best option for your website. Think of the greatest website you’ve ever seen. It’s functional, purposeful, and informative. It’s eye-catching, cohesive, and user-friendly. We’re also willing to bet that it has some branded photography on it. Great brand photography tells a story, illicits an emotional response, and entices your audience to keep scrolling. When paired with clear copy, you’re able to fully communicate what working with you looks like, how you solve people’s problems, and what the result will be. Stock vs. Brand Photography When it comes to photos for your website, you’ve got two options. The first, stock photography, consists of photos of common themes, places, landmarks, and people that are bought and sold by many different photographers to be used for commercial design purposes. Think about that classic image of some intense looking business people in a boardroom with a flip chart. Does that really reflect you and your business? Probably not. Who even uses a flip chart these days, right? Stock photography is a great option for new business owners or those on a tight budget because they are often free or low-cost to license. But keep in mind, you may see that same image on another website. That’s how Adobe Stock and Shutterstock keep their prices economical. Additionally, with stock photography it can be difficult to find photos with the same look and feel, which presents a challenge when you want to create consistency in your identity. The other option is brand photography. During a brand photography session, each image is carefully architected by you and your photographer to present you, your team, and your offerings, while reflecting your aesthetic and personality. The end result is a cohesive collection of images that tell your story in different ways. From team headshots to detail images that feature a unique aspect of your product or service, each image will invite your audience to get to know YOU and YOUR brand. Showing yourself to your audience is often the push they need to like and trust you, two very important things when selling yourself. Brand Photography: https://amberticephoto.com/ Brand Photography Tips 1. Know what you want to communicate. Before you schedule a brand photography session, work with your website designer and your photographer to figure out what shots would you need to get. Create a list of specific vignettes you can create to tell your story. Bring clients and customers to your shoot and show what working with you looks like. If you don’t interact with people in that capacity, show what your team working together. Take people through your process and show the different steps. What things do you keep around you? Look at your workspace and incorporate the things that help you do your job. This is where props come in! 2. Find the right location. If you have the ability to do your photo session in your workspace, great! But if you can’t, a photo studio can be transformed into one. Bring things like furniture and desk accessories to personalize it. 3. Dress the part. When selecting your attire for a shoot, dress to your personality, brand aesthetic, and the story. Select multiple outfits to help show different side of yourself and your business. Colors & Patterns – Incorporate the color palette from your brand identity. Avoid being matchy-matchy by incorporating patterns. Try having one person in a solid and the other in a pattern. Tone & Formality – Decide how formal you want to dress. If you work in a more casual setting, jeans may be totally appropriate. More the board room type? Stick to a dress or slacks. As you are planning out your website, social media, or marketing campaign, consider using brand photography to personalize it. Need help with your brand photography? Contact us! We work with a number of talented photographers who can help you.

Naming Your Ideal Client

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Today we’re breaking down your dream client’s demographics, psychographics, and consumption behavior (those words aren’t as complicated as they sound, we promise!)

While it’s essential to understand your brand, you must also understand the people you are trying to reach with it. When naming your ideal client, you’re going to get specific – so specific that you have to alienate people who aren’t a fit for your business.

I know that alienate is a scary word, but it’s better to weed out the people who aren’t “your people” now, rather than spending time, effort, and resources trying to reach people who aren’t interested.

Think of it as “quality over quantity.” We are going to zero in on quality prospects who have a higher chance of being converted into long-term clients. In order to name your ideal client, we will be examining demographics, psychographics and consumption behavior. To do this, you’ll answer some questions in each category to define your ideal client.

As you are answering the questions in each area, think about someone you previously worked with—that dream customer, the person you would work with again a million times. We want to identify what made them so special and try to find other people like that.

Now that you know why you need to name your ideal client, let’s get started with our questionnaire!

Demographics 

Demographics examine measurable data about your audience—such as age, education, nationality, religion, and ethnicity. Now, for some questions. Picture your ideal client…

  1. What is their age group?
  2. Are they male or female?
  3. What is their race/ethnicity?
  4. Where do they live? Does that affect their access to you?
  5. What is their marital/family status?
  6. What is their education level?
  7. What do they do for a living? How do they spend their money?
  8. Do their religious beliefs affect the way they view your business? How so?

Psychographics

Psychographics explore behavior, beliefs, feelings and values—such as personality traits, hobbies, style, likes/dislikes.

  1. What does your ideal client enjoy?
  2. What do they do with their spare time?
  3. What are their favorite TV shows, books, songs, podcasts, or websites?
  4. What is their political involvement? Do politics affect the way they view your business? How so?
  5. What do they consider when making a purchase?
  6. What do they value?
  7. What are they afraid of? What are they planning for the future?

Consumption Behavior   

Consumption Behavior delves into how people consume brands and content. Once you understand this, you can predict how your ideal client will interact with your content and strategize accordingly.

  1. Where do they spend their time online?
  2. What is their favorite social media platform?
  3. Do they follow any bloggers/influencers? If so, which ones?
  4. Where do they shop?
  5. What type of marketing content will they best connect with?
  6. Who do they take recommendations from? (aka, who do they trust?)

We hope that going through these questions gives you clarity on your ideal client. Once you’ve defined them, the next step is to tackle how you’ll attract them – and if you’re struggling, you know who to call! We’d be happy to help you customize your content to appeal to your ideal client.

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Branding by Nicole will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at nicole@brandingbynicole.com. We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please see the privacy policy page at the bottom of the page. By entering your information, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

Now What? Options for Maintaining Your Brand

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How should your business tackle ongoing marketing efforts? Should you DIY, hire someone, or utilize an outside agency? 

So, you’ve solidified your brand identity and you’ve worked with a designer to select colors, fonts, and a logo…now what? What happens when you have the tools, but you don’t know what to do with them?

Welcome to the question that almost every small business is asking these days: how should I maintain my brand? 

Large corporations have the luxury of in-house professionals who can focus their energy solely toward ongoing marketing efforts. But if you’re a small business, you don’t always have that option. Who’s supposed to take care of your website or post on social media while you’re out with clients or creating new products? 

Maintaining a consistent brand can be time-consuming and stressful – but the good thing is, there isn’t one right way to maintain your brand. Whether you choose to DIY, hire in-house, or utilize an outside agency, we want to help take your ongoing marketing from sporadic to shining. Now let’s discuss each option so you can select the tactic that fits into your business best.

 1. DIY 

In addition to doing what your business does best, you’ll also be responsible for website management, graphics production, content creation, social media management, and advertising. At BBN, we create websites that are easy to understand and maintain on your end, so you won’t have to call us every time you want to change something minor. But, it will still take time – you’ll still be working through the rest of that list. If you DIY, make sure you’re prepared to dedicate some weekly or even daily time to the maintenance and promotion of your brand.

 2. Hire In-House

Maybe you feel like you are too busy with the business to sacrifice the time and energy your branding needs – and that’s okay, we’re glad you’re being honest! Often times, adding someone to your team to manage your ongoing marketing efforts will actually make you money in the long run, as you promote your business effectively and create customer loyalty through consistent branding. Just make sure that whoever is working for you is familiar with your brand identity, values, and message.

 3. Utilize an Outside Agency 

This is our favorite option! With our on-going marketing support retainer, you purchase a chunk of hours with us to be used however you wish. Whether you need help maintaining your website, creating content for social media, or a flyer for your next event, BBN would love to help you as you grow your business. With a marketing retainer, you get the benefits of a marketing team, without the price tag of hiring someone in-house. No salaries, benefits, or sick days to worry about! We can help you with all things marketing all under one fee based on the time it takes for us to help you out. Learn more about our retainer services here.

As the world of online marketing continues to evolve, it’s crucial that your business keeps up. Whether you choose to maintain your brand via a DIY route, hiring in-house, or utilizing an outside agency, we wish you the best as you get your message out into the world.

You’re in! Go check your mailbox for a free download! Subscribe to our newsletter! Sign Me Up! Branding + marketing tips straight to your inbox. Join my newsletter for branding + design tips.

Branding by Nicole will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at nicole@brandingbynicole.com. We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please see the privacy policy page at the bottom of the page. By entering your information, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.