Polarity Design TeamPolarity Design TeamPolarity Design TeamPolarity Design Team
  • Home
  • Custom Websites
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Custom Websites
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact

Branding Done Right…From the Start

pdtcseo2023-01-16T11:16:24-07:00
Marketing

Let’s discuss the importance of branding done right, right from the start. Rebranding is always a possibility when necessary, but it’s invaluable to avoid it whenever possible. It’s overwhelming and intimidating to new business owners to invest in the brand identity of their business. Logos, websites, signage, company colors and fonts. It’s a lot to consider. It’s a lot to pay for when funds are limited. Many business owners are so eager to get started that their mindset shifts to one of this is good enough for now, I can polish it up later. 

The Upgrade Later Mindset

Sometimes people are pigeonholed out of duty. Their sister-in-law is a freelance designer and they’re obligated to hire her. Except she isn’t educated in the field, she just happened to discover something she was naturally good at. So she delivers a logo made out of clipart that can’t be transferred to anything else because it’s not formatted correctly.

Or maybe you feel pressure to hire a family friend who just isn’t very good. He very clearly finds stock art to fit your concept and squeezes in, or you’re just unhappy with the finished look. But you stick with it anyway out of fear of hurting her feelings and causing familial and friendly strife. 

This is fine for now. We’ll rebrand later. 

Others are trying to save money and cut corners in an effort to get up and running sooner rather than later. A loose idea for a logo, constantly-changing fonts and colors, a makeshift sign. Sure, these things work in the meantime, but not as well as people would hope. And certainly not for as long as people assume.

A hand painted sign does not lend to business credibility. A varied logo, new color scheme, and different fonts on every piece of marketing material you put confuses customers. Is it the same company? Did they change owners? Are they trustworthy?

tips for branding done right from the start

The Rebranding Problem

The hard truth is, if branding done right the first time is too expensive for you, your stomach is going to hurt when you start researching how much rebranding is going to cost. The problem is, the more half-baked material you put out there throughout the years, the more half-baked material you have to fix down the line. Each one of those items is a new bill and a fresh headache.

We’ve been working with a client who used a family friend as their designer to start out. They never imagined their business would take off like it did, and within a few years they had multiple locations. Then a franchise offer started. To reiterate the same point we made in a previous post, you simply can’t predict your future. Businesses are often surprised by how far they go and how quickly they make it there.

Though they did invest handsomely in branding beforehand, it branding they weren’t in love with. It was branding that didn’t invite growth. Their family friend was unable to produce the quality of work needed for a successful franchise. They needed highly recognizable, clean designs that matched their company’s message and this designer was unable to deliver.

Branding Done Right…Later

All of these things weren’t big deals when they were just a local shop. In fact, a slightly unpolished look contributed to their small-town charm so it all worked out… for a while. Trying to scale to a national chain, however, needed big changes. They already had store signage. They already had business cards and menu boards and product packaging. Their current setup (which they never loved to begin with but were too nice to say anything about) had already been paid for. And all of it needed to go.

Now they needed a whole new branding package. An entirely new store-front vibe. New logos. Color adjustments. Menu board design changes. This was on top of the changes needed to scale their business into a franchise model anyway. They were already dealing with menu changes to better fit a national audience. They were already dealing with real estate issues and licensing  and figuring out franchise fees and all of that legal jargon. The last thing they wanted to be worrying about was making sure their branding was done right, which should have been done and finished years prior. 

Branding Done Right the First Time

They learned a hard lesson that this all kind of…sucked. Not only were they paying for their branding (and subsequent rebranding) twice, but they were also spending time and energy on it twice. Time and energy that was much better spent in other places.

If only they had been more honest with their friend about not loving their designs. If only they had dared to dream of the success they were experiencing. But despite all of the ‘if onlys’ they were describing to us, they only direction they had to go was forward. It was an unfortunate learning experience, but as our owners are fond of saying, you don’t know what you don’t know. Now they do know, and they won’t make the mistake again. They’ll advise their franchise owners to not make those mistakes. Hopefully they’ll help keep you from making that same mistake.

The Value of Branding Done Right

What we’re saying is, cutting corners in the beginning only saves money right now. It’s invaluable to invest in ensuring your branding is done right the first time. Rebranding is expensive, in terms of both time and money. Not to mention frustrating, tedious, and comes with lots of growing pains amongst your customer base.

A company’s success is only as strong as their branding is solid. It’s worth it to have your branding done right from the start, because rebranding is frankly the worst. If you’re reading to get a branding guide together for your company, reach us here.

Share this post

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google + Email

Related Posts

24AugAugust 24, 2022

Design Inspiration in Unexpected Places

You can find design inspiration in unexpected places if you just keep your eyes open. We often get clients in...

Read More
17MayMay 17, 2022

To Build Or Not To Build…Your Own Website?

You’ll see a ton of marketing touting the benefits of building your own websites vs. hiring a professional website designer....

Read More
18MayMay 18, 2022

Graphic/Web Designer: Freelancer or Agency

If you’re debating between hiring a graphic/web design freelancer vs. hiring a graphic web/design agency, you’re not alone. Is one...

Read More
16FebFebruary 16, 2023

The Ins and Outs of Vinyl Projects

Vinyl projects can be an effective and inexpensive way to market your business. Whether you’re applying vinyl to a vehicle...

Read More
24FebFebruary 24, 2023

SEG Fabric as a Marketing Tool

Fabric projects as a marketing tool are often overlooked - possibly because many people don’t know they exist! SEG (silicone...

Read More
27JunJune 27, 2022

Top Design Tips for a Good Design

Browse these top design tips for a good design to ensure your design (whether it’s a website, logo, flier, whatever)...

Read More
15JunJune 15, 2022

7 Red Flags When Finding a Reputable Designer

We have 7 red flags to look out for when you're trying to find a reputable designer. It’s scary to...

Read More
01JunJune 1, 2022

What Is Brand Identity

Your brand identity is composed of all visible elements of your brand—logo, color, design, etc. that identify and distinguish your...

Read More
07JunJune 7, 2022

A Good Graphic Designer Is Your Digital Stylist

A good graphic designer should be your digital hairdresser. Not only should they be able to make you (read: your...

Read More
16MarMarch 16, 2023

Why It’s Cheaper to Hire A Third Party Design Company

Believe it or not, hiring a third party design company is usually cheaper than in-house designing. Every small business hits...

Read More

Recent Posts

  • Why It’s Cheaper to Hire A Third Party Design Company
  • The Difference Between Illustration and Graphic Design
  • The Great AI Graphic Design Debate
  • SEG Fabric as a Marketing Tool
  • The Ins and Outs of Vinyl Projects

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • March 2022

Categories

  • Marketing
Polarity Design Team. © 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Facebook Instagram
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT