Branding is an investment that will come back to you almost immediately. It is key to building trust with prospective clients and reassuring them that you are the right choice for their project. Clients are looking for a sure bet! They need someone who has previously and successfully done what they need. What you communicate visually with your brand, as well as through your messaging, attracts and convinces clients to work with you.
If you invest $10K on a new brand identity and website, that can literally pay for itself with ONE good project.
Your brand helps to effectively communicate your value, so your clients see the worth of the work you do, and understand how it benefits them. The key to making more money or charging higher rates is in accurately communicating your value to clients who NEED what you OFFER. Let your brand do most of the work convincing them before they even reach out to you.
Your brand shapes what people think about your business. Is your brand an accurate representation of who you are and the level of projects you want to attract? Is there room to grow into your branding?
Here are a few signs that you may be ready for a rebrand:
1. Your logo or website don’t feel like you
Is there old or outdated information on your website? Are the pictures in your portfolio the ones that you’re excited for prospective clients to see? More is not always better. You want to make sure you have a curated portfolio that is going to attract the types of projects you want to get. A good brand can elevate people’s perception of you almost more than anything else you can invest in.
2. Your brand elements, documents, and materials don’t feel cohesive
When your branding, guides, and other materials are sharp and cohesive, it builds an enormous amount of trust with your clients, and a perception of greater value in you and your company. Having beautifully branded documents with clear, concise copy that guides your client through your process helps your client sit back and believe in your capability and expertise.
3. You aren’t getting inquiries from projects that excite you
If you are getting inquiries that are too small, too far from your aesthetic, or too low budget, your messaging is off. The people that are reaching out are seeing something in your branding or copy that makes them think that you would be willing to take their job. Do you advertise “all sizes and all budgets” even though you really don’t want to take anything less than $50,000 in design fees? Are you disappointed in anything other than a full renovation or new build? It’s time to take a critical look at what your branding is saying. Sometimes an outside perspective is necessary because you’re too close to see the misalignments in your business. Reach out to us, we can definitely help with this!
4. Your business or clientele has shifted since your last logo design
Most designers start off doing smaller projects and taking on anything that comes their way. This is totally understandable and usually just a part of the process. However, if you’re growing and shifting the types of projects that you do, it’s time to make sure that your branding projects that shift. If you’ve gone from working for clients on a budget to more premium projects, make sure that your logo, website, and other brand elements match what you want to be doing!
Interested in hearing how we approach branding projects? Email me: hello@with-tandem.com.
