Not sure if it’s time to take the leap to invest in brand and web design? I’m outlining SIX key clues that it’s time to upgrade your small business’s visual identity and online presence.

01. You’re all in on your business.

I understand that a lot of small creative businesses start as side hustles, and I think that’s a great thing. I considered myself a “side hustler” at the beginning of my career while I was freelancing part time but still applying for corporate graphic design jobs.

If that’s where you’re at and you plan to stay there, you should never feel like you have to make the investment on brand and web design. Maybe that’s a hot take, but if that’s you, I think a DIY logo and color palette is all you need. 

Once you hit a tipping point in your business where you decide to go all in, this is what I would call going from a side hustle mentality to a CEO mentality. If your business is your main gig and not your side gig, you’re passionate about it, and you are or want to move into doing it full-time, having a cohesive brand identity and a website becomes much more important.

Here are some reasons why branding is so important:

– Recognition: Having cohesive branding will lead to more brand recognition as your business scales.
– Visibility: You’ve identified your target audience and want to get serious about getting seen and booked by them.
– Motivation: Not only will your branding resonate with your target audience, it’ll motivate you to show up in your business in a powerful way.

Side note: Wondering why you NEED to have a website for your small business? More on that here.

02. Your branding is going on a lot of things, not just your Instagram.

Once you have that CEO mentality and you start to level up your business, you might start to notice that you kinda sorta NEED an established brand vibe to maintain the day to day workings of your business.

Maybe when you started, it was just about having a logo to plop in as your instagram profile picture. But now you’re creating contracts, graphics, social posts, digital or physical products, packaging, and more (click here for a visual example of this).

This especially applies for businesses with physical products. You really can’t just slap a logo onto stock packaging and expect it to catch your ideal customers’ eyes. This is another scenario where investing in brand and web design sooner rather than later is key for your business’ success.

But even if your biz is fully online, think about it — do you just pick a random Canva template every time you need to share a graphic on social media and hope for the best? Do you flip flop daily about what your brand’s colors should be? This might be a good sign that it’s time to invest in your brand and web design.

03. Your visuals don’t match the quality of the product or service you provide.

If you’ve paid attention to any mainstream marketing in 2024, you know that good design sells. Good design is one of the things that shapes our buying decisions every single day, even when it goes unnoticed.

So it goes without saying that if you want to set your business up for success, good design is a must. Some quick solutions can work and be a time saver for your business in the short term. But once you’re all in on your business, growing your business, and adding value to your client or customer experience, you will want the excellent level of work that you provide to have visuals that match.

Don’t brand or market your business on outdated branding or an old thrown-together website. If you truly know that the work you deliver is better than that, you’ll want your whole brand experience to match that level of quality.  

04.You’ve clarified your messaging and want it to match your visual identity.

Messaging is an insanely important, yet overlooked, part of branding your business. I obviously think visuals are vital, but messaging is just as important. It’s all about clarifying your brand voice and knowing the problem you solve and what makes you different.

So let’s say you’re an elopement photographer and you’ve nailed down your messaging to be all about how you are an expert on elopements and you deliver a luxury client experience for your couples. If that’s your message, but instead of luxury and expert, your visual identity is contradicting that by giving the vibe of a timid, unconfident beginner photographer, your audience will feel like they’re getting mixed messages.

So yes, absolutely clarify your message and nail down how it is that you want to present yourself in your business. Just make sure your visual identity supports that instead of muddying the waters.

05. You’ve identified who you serve and want to strategically attract them.

I encourage all of my clients to write about their ideal client or target audience as if they are actual people.

Here’s an example from a recent brand and web design project:

“Megan is a medical sales rep who makes good money, works hard, but makes her own schedule and prioritizes self care. She lives a busy lifestyle working full or part time and being a full time mom but is super intelligent and driven and makes the best of everything. Being high maintenance in the chair allows her to be low maintenance and put together at home.

During her hair appointments she loves to catch up, then spend her processing time catching up on work or emails. She loves leaving the salon with fresh curls that last her a week and pre-books out two appointments to make sure she can get in when she wants.

Megan loves hearing about local restaurants and goes on date nights whenever a sitter is available, but if not she loves a quiet night in reading a book or catching up on her favorite shows.
Megan always has an Anthropologie candle in her house, drives a Range rover, and loves a HomeGoods trip like the rest of us.”

PERFECT, STUNNING, CHEF’S KISS.

Why? When you are THAT clear and that precise on who your ideal customer is, you can speak directly to them in words they understand. You can write about their pain points in the exact phrasing they would use. And you can speak to them, not just verbally but visually, in a way that resonates with them.

If you’re just guessing at who books you or buys your products, go gather some data! (One quick way: Instagram insights! Or do some polling on your Instagram stories.) Figure out who it is that wants what you offer, and dream big about who you want to ideally serve. Then, we can strategize your brand and website to speak to them and make an impact on them in a way they’ll remember.

06. You’ve realized you can’t do EVERYTHING for your business on your own.

If you’ve been in business long enough, you’ve surely gone through seasons where you tried to wear all the hats. In addition to the thing your business actually exists to do, you’re also doing bookkeeping, client management, multiple marketing channels, copywriting, social media management, and MUCH more. If you love what you do, you don’t want to be spending all of that extra time keeping your business afloat when you could be spending it in your zone of genius.

There is absolutely an argument to be made for doing it all on your own — in the beginning stages of business. But once you’ve gotten in the swing of things and established yourself in your business, you simply can’t do it all on your own anymore.

Brand and web design is one of those tasks that is absolutely worth outsourcing. A brand and web designer uses strategy, expertise, and years of experience building business’ visual identities to craft a brand you could have never conceived of on your own (because duh, it’s not everyone’s expertise!).

If you’re all in on your business, don’t waste hours trying to teach yourself your website platform in one late night or guessing at how to design a good logo. Don’t DIY it or take a shot in the dark every time you update your website. Instead, entrust your brand and website into the hands of a pro. Invest in brand and web design and the results will speak for themselves. 

In summary –

While making the decision to invest in brand and web design feels like a big step, it provides more than just a visual upgrade. It’s about creating a cohesive and professional identity that attracts your ideal clients. As you consider the signs mentioned, remember that a skilled designer can elevate your business’s image and help you stand out. When you’re ready, investing in brand and web design can significantly impact your growth and success. Check out my service menu here when you’re ready to make the leap!