I am a strong believer in the effect that branding can have on small businesses. I’ve personally seen businesses flourish, scale, establish legitimacy and authority, and sell their product or service effectively to their ideal audience as a direct effect of establishing their brand identity.
With that said, I always (or USED TO always, until I clearly established a boundary in my FAQ) get inquiries requesting pricing to design “just a logo”. Here is a deeper look into why I don’t design “just a logo”, and instead offer branding packages offering a cohesive set of branding guidelines.
#1: Simply put, one logo does not fit all.
With all of the applications that your brand identity will have in the long run, one logo is not going to cut it for all of those uses. Think about your social media, website, contracts, packaging, watermarks, forms, apparel, guides, and all the other places where you’ll want to place your logo. One logo simply won’t work on every one of those applications.
Think about the favicon for your website, which is typically a round design that is 16 pixels by 16 pixels. Shrink your main logo down to that size and it probably won’t be readable at all. This is where your secondary logos, submarks, and brand illustrations come to play.
Just a Logo:
Brand Guidelines:
Instead of one logo, I provide a main logo with a few secondary logos to supplement those other uses, and I always include a few circular options. Round logos are great for profile pictures, Instagram highlight covers, packaging, favicons, and more. While this provides a lot of variety, it is always clear that the brand is the same and will create a totally cohesive brand experience across all mediums. (Media??? IDK)
#2: Just a logo is not a strategy.
While obviously I technically COULD design one logo for every business that asks, it doesn’t sit right with me because branding is useless if it is not rooted in strategy.
The purpose of a brand identity is to create a visual language that represents your business’ identity and resonates with your ideal customers. This can’t be done through one logo. Your brand identity can also include colors, illustrations, icons, templates, shapes, typography selection, accents, textures, and patterns.
All of these things in combination creates a customized and luxury experience for your audience. It ensures that everything you produce for your business is cohesive and on brand. This kind of experience is what resonates with your ideal customers and creates brand awareness and brand loyalty.
#3: A caveat — A full brand identity may not be right for your business right away.
If your business is in the very beginning stages, you MAY truly only need a logo for the time being. I understand that a custom brand identity is not always the top priority for every small business owner who’s just trying to figure out how to do the entrepreneurship thing, and that’s more than okay.
Even still, your brand isn’t just your logo. Your brand has a voice, a feeling, a mood, and an identity whether you know it or not. Hiring a brand designer to create your visual identity simply solidifies non-visual identity, strategizes your message, and gives you visual guidelines that matches with who you are and resonates with your ideal audience.
When you book me for your brand identity, you’ll receive so much more than a logo. I kinda go all out when it comes to branding, because your business is worthy of strategic, stunning visuals that create a FEELING within your audience. And ultimately, these visuals will get you results and level up your business in a huge way.
Don’t just take it from me — here’s what one of my past clients Teresa had to say about her branding and web design project:
“Entrepreneurs, hire Maddie for your branding and website!!! I came to Maddie with a vision in my head and nowhere on the internet that could give inspo for what I had in mind. Maddie listened and truly created everything that I could have ever hoped for and more. My brand has never felt more aligned than it does now, and I have Maddie to thank for that.”
Let me take the reins on the visual side of your brand and create everything you need to level up your business with a custom and strategic obsess-worthy brand.
