So let me play out a scenario for you that I hear quite often…you were talking to your go-to business friend the other day and she casually mentioned something about when her designer was building her brand. And you nodded your head in affirmation like you knew exactly what she was talking about and you might have even said something like, “Yeah, totally, I get that.” Then you got to thinking, things have changed a lot in your business, and you haven’t been loving your brand lately, so you made a mental note to put that on your to-do list…”Figure out my brand.” Until you realized, you have no idea where to start or what that process would even look like. Well I’m about to relieve you of some of that discomfort, because in this article I’ll explain what to expect when working with a custom brand designer, as well as the overall Kibber & Co. approach to custom brand design so that you can feel better prepared when committing to booking a project.

The main thing you should know is that working with Kibber & Co. provides a higher level of creativity with more intentionality in the design to help your business with its specific goals and audience. That also means it’s going to be a more thought-provoking and intensive process than simply hiring a “logo designer.” You see, I have an extensive professional background in marketing and business strategy, which means I approach your project like the business-minded consultant and coach you need to take your business to the next level (and beyond!). Don’t get me wrong, I create stunning designs, but ultimately, my job is to respectfully challenge you to think bigger, more creatively, and more intentionally, to provide you with the clarity you need to get to your goals. It’s a whole experience, my friend, and one you won’t regret! So here’s how it works…

Phase 1: Pre-Project Inquiry

I like to refer to this as the “So what would you say you do here?” phase. Any Office Space fans? Just me? It’s ok, I’m used to it. Seriously, though, the pre-project inquiry phase is where we get to know each other, and make sure you’re at a point in your business journey where it makes sense for this investment and process – because not everyone is, and that’s ok. [I have a whole blog post about how to know if you’re ready for custom brand design if you want to dig deeper.] Obviously, I think custom branding is an extremely worthy and impactful investment, but I’ll never do you a disservice by suggesting we move forward with a project if I don’t think I can help move the needle for you in your current business season. In general, I find clients who have a pretty solid grasp on the list of items below will get the most out of working with me – although, it’s not necessary to have each of these things locked down and written in stone, because we’ll work towards greater clarity through our brand strategy and design process in the next phases.

• Do you have clear products/service offerings?
• Do you know how your business makes money, what the profitability is, etc.?
• How well do you know who you’re selling to?
• Do you have thoughtful and serious business plans and goals for the next 1-5 years?

Phase 2: Exploration & Strategy

Buckle up because now the real work begins! Once you’ve booked your project, I’ll be in uber-info gathering mode! You’ll have some independent exploration assignments that are intended to provide me with as much information as possible to understand your business and goals. Then, together, we’ll do an immersive brand strategy session where I guide you through thought-provoking exercises to really start building out your brand strategy. We’ll dig deep into topics like your goals, purpose, values, and audience. Just a warning, I’ll be channeling my inner 6-year old, so you’ll hear “but why?” and “why do you think that is?” a lot. This is the juiciest part of the process because it requires the most input from you, but it’ll also give you a whole new perspective and clarity in your business – and it’s the basis for how I’ll approach creating your design in the next phase.

Phase 3: Design & Launch

It’s starting to feel real!! This is where my strategic creativity runs free! I’ll use all the information from your brand strategy session to design a visual brand identity and experience that not only accounts for the audience you’re serving, but also the essence of your business and what makes you different. I’ll design concepts for logo suites, color palettes, typography, other signature brand elements like icons, patterns, and photography direction – and I’ll work with you to refine them until they’ve captured everything your brand needs to represent to make progress on your objectives.

Then, when it’s time for you to go out into the world on your own, you’ll have all the brand assets you need and the information on how to use it all. Remember that brand strategy session we did? Yeah, you’ll get a tidy Brand Strategy Document outlining everything we discussed so you can refer to it as you’re making future strategic business decisions. I’ll also give you a Brand Guideline Document that outlines how to use your brand elements the way in which they were intended – right down to color values, file types, and font hierarchy. Both documents will be immensely helpful to you and your teammates to stay aligned and consistent as you market your business – because truly, an on-point brand will only take you so far without consistent application.

Building a custom brand is not the same thing as designing a logo. It’s an intensive process that requires deep thought and introspection, to create something that helps you accomplish your business goals. But the good news is that Kibber & Co.is your guide and partner throughout the entire process. Remember, the path to becoming unstoppable is having the confidence to stand out. And there’s one thing we know for sure – authentic and intentional design always stands out. Give me a shout by filling out my inquiry form if you think you’re ready for the next evolution of your brand. Let’s create something awesome!

Not sure if now is the right time to invest in custom brand design? Read this article where I share the 3 Tell-Tale Signs You Need A Custom Brand Design.