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.