Are you wondering “Is it time to rebrand my business?”. Or maybe you’ve committed to a rebrand and are in the early phase of brand development. Either way, we highly recommend you have a clear understanding of what to expect throughout the process.

Understanding the branding process allows for more efficiency throughout and will ensures that your expectations are met. Don’t pour money into a rebrand without fully understanding what you’ll get in return and how the process should flow. 

First things first – 

There are a few boxes you’ll want to check prior to beginning a rebrand or hiring a design agency. 

• Establish a company name. We know, this seems obvious. Feeling confident in your business name leads to a strong foundation for your overall brand.

• Begin thinking about who your target market or ideal client is. The more specific you can get with the details the better. Think about the best client you’ve ever had and build a portfolio around them. What made them so great to work with? What age are they, what do they do for a living, interests, and hobbies, etc. Establishing this from the beginning helps build a brand that represents you but will also attract the type of clients you want to work with.  

• Come with inspiration. The more examples you’re willing to bring to the table the better. This will help tremendously in communicating to your brand designer the aesthetic direction you’d like to take your company. What brands do you admire and what do you like about them? Which do you NOT like and why? 

• Decisions, decisions, decisions… Be prepared to answer questions and make decisions! If you’re willing to be decisive from the beginning, you will save time and frustration in the long run. 

What to Expect –  

The branding process may look slightly different depending on the creative agency and brand designer you decide to work with. However, the overall process should include some variation of these steps.  

Discovery call – The initial call you have with a brand designer to run through what services you’re looking for and what they can provide. This is your opportunity to get to know the designer, their portfolio and aesthetic, and start to get an idea about whether their work aligns with what you’re looking for. We recommend you come prepared with a list of questions to ask. They may also ask about a few things such as color palette, tones, typography, etc. Browse through this quick list of Brand Design Terms to Know as a refresh prior to your call. These calls typically last anywhere from 15 – 45 minutes. 

Brand Questionnaire – After (or during) the discovery call you’ll likely be asked to complete a brand questionnaire. This is a laundry list of questions to familiarize the designer with your expectations, inspiration, and overall roadmap for where your brand currently is, and where you’d like to take it. This is where being thorough and decisive will help tremendously! The more details you’re willing to provide the better. Hint hint… they’ll likely ask about your ideal client. 

Proposal / Contract – If the initial call goes well and you decide to move forward, the designer will then send a proposal and/or contract for you to sign. It’s important to look for the following details in the contract: 

• Proposed timeline 

• Number of revisions (How many opportunities you will have to provide feedback and make changes. Standard is anywhere from 2-5 depending on the scope of the project.)

• Deliverables (What assets the designer has committed to provide when the contract ends.)

Do your due diligence and thoroughly read the contract. Moving forward with a brand is an investment in yourself and your company. It’s important to understand what you’re getting in return!

Design Process – After the contract has been signed and deposit (if applicable) has been paid, the designer will begin creating. Depending on your contact, this process might take a few weeks. It’s important to be patient – can’t rush a good thing! 

Final approval – Once you’ve fully approved your new brand. You can expect that your designer will deliver a file or link that contains all of the final files and source files. A few things you’ll want to make sure it contains – different variations of your logo including (stacked, horizontal, icon and/or wordmark) and all logos should be provided in both RGB (for digital use) as well as CMYK (for printing). In addition, they should provide the following file types for each version of the logo (mentioned above) – .eps, .jpg, .png, and .pdf. 

If your contract includes additional collateral such as a brand guide or print/digital materials make sure you also receive the “working” files for those items. Working files will include – fonts, links, .idml, .indd (or other Adobe program used), and a final PDF. 

Last step – Make sure you SAVE all final files your designer provides so you can reference them as-need in the future!! 

Recap:

Not every brand designer or branding agency will have the exact same approach when it comes to a rebranding. However, if any of the items mentioned above are missed, we recommend you at least bring them up to your brand expert. You want to love your brand and feel prepared, and you’ll know you hired the right designer when they want the same for you! 

If you’re on the fence about rebranding your company, check out this short guide - 
“Should I Rebrand My Company?”

Still have questions? We’d love to help! Reach out to our team today by emailing Sarah (sarah@draftcreativegroup.com.) 

This blog contains affiliate links to products/services. We may receive a benefit for purchases or memberships made through these links.