If you’re making the step to invest in your brand design, congrats! It’s a huge – and very important – jump to make in your business. If you’re just getting started in the process, though… You might not know where you’re even supposed to start. As a brand designer, I’ve compiled a list of questions that I love when new clients ask me, that each help you feel more confident in your investment.
Why You Even Need to Ask Questions Before Booking a Brand Designer
Not asking the right questions before agreeing to collaborate with a design can create headaches. Just like any relationship there might just be incompatibility – and that’s okay. What’s important is finding a designer that matches not only your visual style, but also your working style, and these questions will ensure that the two of you are a good fit.
Choosing the wrong brand designer, whether it’s because of personality or lack of confident strategy, can end up costing you a lot of time, money, and energy. I see people end up with brand designs that are a bad fit all the time, and these questions? They can be a crucial step in preventing that from happening.
9 Questions You Definitely Need to Ask Before Investing in a Brand Designer
What does your onboarding/offboarding look like?
Knowing what to expect at every part of the process is fundamental to trusting your brand designer. Having this clarity is the first step of being able to let your designer do what they need to do to create your shiny new brand, so asking that question is a great first step to know what’s coming (and what’s not).
Can you explain your brand strategy process?
I have a whole blog post detailing brand strategy and why it’s important, so knowing how a brand designer handles that part of the process is key. This is how you’ll learn about how your brand will work for you and give you some insight into what kind of return on investment to expect from this.
What would you recommend to accomplish my goals?
Any brand designer should be able to tell you the exact strategy they’ll use to achieve your brand design goals. Each part of your design should be made with that in mind – how it’ll reach your dream client. How it’ll guide potential customers throughout the entirety of your brand experience. Chatting with your brand designer about this will give you a sense of confidence that you’re making the right decision by investing in their work.
What is your timeline for completing a project of this scope?
As I said before, being aware of what’s happening throughout every single step of the process will give you confidence and clarity. You should never expect a specific timeline. A good brand takes time, and knowing exactly how much time can avoid a lot of stress, both for you and your designer.
Do I get all the final assets?
Every brand designer is different in what their packages include and do not include. Be sure to know what you’re getting from your final delivery so that there are no surprises or letdowns once the project is complete.
What opportunities are you seeing in my market?
A huge part of brand strategy is competitor research, and your brand designer should be able to give you a full analysis about what your competitors are missing and how your band can fill those gaps. The answer to this question should make you feel fully confident in knowing that your designer has this covered.
Can you describe your collaboration style?
Knowing what to expect as far as how you two can work together is key to a smooth overall process. Are you more of a, “You take it from here,” person or a, “Let’s work together!” person? Running that by your brand designer at the beginning can prevent a lot of potential hiccups throughout the design process.
How do you handle revisions?
Kind of going hand-in-hand with collaboration styles, you’ll want to see how your brand designer approaches revisions. Do they do it in rounds? Do they allow them at all? That’s a question you want to get ahead of before it actually comes down to revision time.
What other investments will I need to make beyond the project fee?
To avoid potential surprise costs, always be sure to see what other things you’ll need to invest in and a roundabout price for the cost of those things. This typically looks like fonts, licenses, and other elements, but each brand designer deals with them differently, so it’s best to get a number ahead of time.
Nous Sommes Creative | Brand Designer
As your brand designer, I’m happy to hit every one of these questions for you, with answers that are rooted in strategy and performance. If you’re looking for a brand designer who’s all about aesthetics, but in a way that actually works, I’d love to chat more about your vision.
