7 Things You Should Do Before You Purchase A Brand Package

“I bought it and I hate it.”

“It’s really just a cookie-cutter logo.”

“They only gave me a few jpegs.”

^^ True stories of people purchasing logos off the internet for their brands.

NOW, I will say, there is a lot that goes into those statements, most of which falls back on the designer…

The purchaser couldn’t help that they were given a crap deal.

That they unknowingly walked into a “$80-get-what-you-pay-for” type of situation.

That their designer had no intention of experience, strategy, or story.

BUT.

Situations like these are all too common and could potentially be avoided IF you, as the potential client, do your homework.

Learning a little about what to expect during the brand design process, and what you should get versus what you could get, are just some of the things I wanted to cover today.

>>> Need help with your budget for that new brand or brand refresh you want? Download The Brand Package Budget Builder – for free – just sign up with your email! It comes with an Exclusive Audio Pep Talk from me and a pdf workbook. ->GET IT HERE<-

Just like you wouldn’t head to the grocery store without a plan of what you’re getting for dinners this week (or, at least, that’s always the idea), you wouldn’t purchase a logo without first doing a little prep.

Or at least, that’s what I recommend – and hopefully, since you’re here, you agree! Sure, you might do a quick search, but you can do yourself even more of a favor.

Here are 7 things you should do before you purchase a brand identity package:

#1. Learn a little (right here!)

The first step is to learn about things like the brand design process, and what deliverables you might expect to receive. Every process looks a bit different, depending on your designer, but the general layout is usually something to the tune of…

The Process

  1. Inquiry: You’ll inquire with the designer of choice.
  2. Consultation: You’ll have a consultation, to see if they’re a great fit for your brand, if they’re in your budget, and if they offer everything you’re looking for in a brand suite.
  3. Booking: YAY! You’ve found the designer you want to work with, and you’re getting it on the schedule. At this point you finalize your package, sign a contract, and submit payment.
  4. Information Gathering: Your designer will start getting into the nitty gritty of your brand. You may fill out a Brand Questionnaire (a ton of questions to get to know you and your brand), and you may have a few more meetings (in-person or virtual). This stage will likely take the longest depending on how deep you dig and whether or not you have some of the information your designer needs fleshed out already (more on that at #4).
  5. Concepts & Revisions: Depending on the package, you will receive one or more brand design concepts for you to approve, and then have the opportunity to give feedback and request revisions. This stage may take the second-longest, depending on how many concepts and rounds of revisions were included with your package.
  6. Final Deliverables: This is the final stage! Once you’ve approved everything, your new brand suite will get all packaged up, and all files will be delivered to you to start using.

The Deliverables

The type of deliverables you’ll receive can vary, but you should at least be given the following file types:

  1. Eps (scalable vector file)
  2. Pdf (versatility)
  3. Jpeg (versatility)
  4. Png (versatility, no background)

The sizes of each file will depend on their use, but generally, I try to provide my clients with jpeg and png sizes for print, web, and social media, as well as the eps and pdf files. Again, this really depends on the designer and package you purchased, which is why doing your homework is so key! By learning this information now, you know the right questions to ask when the time comes.

TAKE ACTION

Spend some time on Google or Pinterest to learn more about the brand design process and get prepared! I might be a bit biased, but you can find a ton of great, free information right here on my site about branding and design.

#2. DO NOT get stuck loving an exact design

If you get nothing else from this post, hear this:

Gather ideas for inspiration only! Your designer will make you something you love that you didn’t even know was possible.

Why? How?

Because it’s their job. And they know what they’re doing.

One of the worst things you can do as a client is come to a designer with someone else’s design and ask if they can make it for you “exactly like that.”

(Answer: Nope, that’s copying.)

Or “with a few tweaks.”

(Answer: Nope, still copying, not original.)

Or “make it with a few changes and in different colors.”

(NO!)

It’s really, really, really easy to find something online that you think you love.

But what I know – that maybe you’ve yet to discover – is that a Googled brand image is just surface level.

If you’re truly looking for a brand package from a seasoned designer, then a cookie-cutter, surface-level image with no thought, no story, and no strategy just isn’t going to be it for you.

The process your designer will take you through in order to dig through the dirt and come out with YOUR unique brand identity is exactly the process you’ll want to go through.

TAKE ACTION

Don’t get stuck on anything floating around on the internet! Lean into the true brand design process.

#3. DO make an inspiration board

Go ahead! Make those Pinterest boards, mood boards, and gather inspiration. Take those screenshots and photos.

Another thing that can drive a designer crazy is a client saying they “have no idea what they want” but then, when you show them some concepts, they say something like, “that’s not really what I was thinking.”

Help your designer out by doing some of that leg work before you ever hire them! Think critically about what you actually want. Sometimes, the best way to do this is through gathering ideas and writing it down.

Seek out inspiration, and let it be your guide, but not your end-all-be-all.

Keep an open mind and go through the process with your designer. If you hire a good one, you’re going to love the end result.

TAKE ACTION

Make your own inspiration boards, whether that’s on Pinterest, or in your favorite document or notes app. I’ve talked before about how to source ideas and DIY your own brand mood board – that post is linked at the bottom, so keep reading!

#4. Write out your brand messaging

Your “messaging” includes anything you put out there, in words, for your brand.

It’s how you communicate who you are and what you do.

It’s the personality, voice, and tone of your brand.

Your messaging is thought out, and strategic, working towards your overall goals.

That might sound very daunting, especially if you have no idea what you want to say! But the good thing is that this does not have to be final, and it doesn’t have to be set in stone

Just take the time to get some things out of your head and onto paper.

Sometimes it’s easier to start with the basics, so here are a few categories I recommend:

  • What is (or could be) your slogan/tagline?
  • What is your brand’s vision?
  • What is your brand’s purpose?
  • What are your brand values?
  • What is your brand’s origin story (why and how did you start)?

This step is going to take more time than others to figure out, but it will be well worth the effort invested.

Brand messaging helps fuel unique, creative brand design. In my experience, if you don’t have any messaging, you won’t have a complete brand. It will be lacking.

TAKE ACTION

Your messaging isn’t just something you’ll figure out in one night. I recommend opening a blank document that you can access from anywhere (I love Google docs), and copying the questions above. Keep the doc handy (use the docs app on your phone), and jot down ideas any time you think of them. Keep editing and adding to it – get those ideas out of your head! Pretty soon you’ll have a great slogan, a brand purpose, and all of the other items that will help to fuel your future brand design (or brand refresh)!

#5. Write down a list of questions for your future designer

This one is pretty simple. I’m sure you have questions surrounding brand design – you could probably rattle off a few right now.

If you can get those questions out of your head and onto paper now, first of all you won’t forget, and secondly, you’ll be able to weed out the designers that aren’t a great fit for you.

For example, if you ask what types of files you get as part of your package, and the designer comes back and says you get only a pdf, you know that’s not the one you want to go with.

Or, let’s say you wonder if the designer has experience creating a hand-lettered look, and they say they have some experience but not much. Depending on the situation, you may or may not want to keep looking for a different designer.

Making a list ahead of time will save your designer and you so much time and effort. You’ll come prepared, and they’ll thank you for it!

TAKE ACTION

Open a blank document or note, and start writing down questions you have about brand design, the process, the packages offered, anything! Keep it handy and go over those questions with your designer as you’re seeking to hire one.

#6. Answer the following questions

In order to get to know you and your brand better, a great designer will ask you a series of questions after you hire them.

These questions are key in learning things like your unique position in the market, what you do and do not want for visuals, and who your ideal audience is.

Just to give a little preview, here are a few of the very first questions I ask my clients:

  1. Tell me about your top 3 competitors. Why do you think they are your top 3?
  2. What problem is your brand solving or what needs are you meeting?
  3. What is unique about your business and what you specifically offer?

TAKE ACTION

Answer the 3 questions above, and have them ready for your next brand design or brand refresh. You might just impress your designer if you already have these written out for them!

#7. Make your budget & start saving for what you want [AKA don’t settle!]

Don’t you just love it when you get a surprise bill?

Yeah, me either.

Now, there should never be a scenario in which your designer bills you for services rendered where you’re not actually aware of the price beforehand.

If at the start of the process, you do not agree to a written price, and sign a contract, you need to RUN away (especially when it comes to a brand design package)!

To take it a step further, and prepare yourself even more, EVEN IF you’re not quite ready, it would be a really great idea to start your budget and save for what you want.

You know, that brand design package of your *dreams*.

Then, when it comes time to actually get the project on the books, you’re prepared financially to make the investment.

TAKE ACTION

If you really want to get ahead of the game, you should start your brand design budget NOW. I actually go through this process in detail in The Brand Package Budget Builder. The free bundle comes with my Exclusive Audio Pep Talk and a pdf workbook. Grab that here!

Some things to remember:

  1. Learn about the brand design process.
  2. Come with ideas of what you think you want.
  3. BUT don’t get stuck on a random design floating around the internet.
  4. Do your homework! Use the “TAKE ACTION” sections above to get started.
  5. Plan your budget with The Brand Package Budget Builder.

Want to learn more? Here are a few related posts you might like: