How to pick the right branding? Need some advice!

[TryHardTriad]

Hey fastlane entrepreneurs!

To prove the concept for my retail food product, I am going to sell in a market where my target audience shops.

But I need a bit of kickass branding for the logo, market stall and (eventually) packaging to convey the USP and standout from the competition.

Way I see it is:
- Do it yourself (tried this and everyone hates my designs)
- Hire one online freelance designer (based on who's portfolio I like)
- Hire three online freelance designers (pick whoever makes the best logo for me and proceed to go with them)
- Go to a in-person design company/individual (probably more expensive than online freelance)
- Go with friend/other entrepreneur recommendation

Maybe I'm overthinking this and should just pick a suitable online freelance designer.

But I need to make sure it's right so wondered if a wise entrepreneur could offer their two cents on how they picked the right branding?

Thanks in advance

 

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[Johnny boy]

Branding needs to be ruthlessly practical. (I'm not saying "boring")

Context is everything.

What's your business model? What's your USP? What's your product? Where will you be selling it?

Once you can put yourself in the shoes of the consumer, you need to have an intuitive understanding about why someone picks one brand over another. Like why people would choose to take home a 6 pack of snapple when looking at a wall of drinks at the grocery store.

I say ruthlessly practical because sometimes the answer to why things work or don't work can be extremely basic. So many brands just try too hard, assuming the consumer is taking 20 minutes to weigh the pros and cons of one brand over another before making a decision, when in reality it's a 2 second decision and almost purely emotional.

You need to scour the internet to understand other brands similar to yours and what makes them good and bad. Who's packaging do you like? Who's logo makes you want to buy their product or is memorable? Etc...

There's two parts to this brand building process as far as design.

1. Vision
2. Execution

A legit agency will help with vision and execution. Freelancers will only help with execution like making the logo and designing packaging. They won't really be able to create a BRAND that has it's own soul and message, though.

I would recommend nailing the vision and messaging of your brand, figuring out what you want, and then finding a freelancer who has a stylized portfolio that can deliver something you think would fit and having them whip up something for cheap. Don't expect them to be the captain of the branding ship though, that's your job.

And don't worry if you have to start the process over because you realized the first version was stupid. It nearly always is. Some people just can't accept that and stay there forever.

If you want to chat more feel free. I'm actually more curious about HOW you're actually going to sell it than what packaging and logo you have.

 

[MitchM]

I recommend reading Building a StoryBrand. Just read it recently and it was quick and helped a lot.

That will help you communicate clearly with a designer on how you want your logo to speak to people.

Also keep in mind the market you’re trying to go in, etc, of course.

I hired my designer on Upwork based on reviews and my interaction with the 5 artists I talked to.

I ultimately went with the one that asked ME the right questions and made it clear that he understood what the real value was that he was delivering to me.

 

[TryHardTriad]

Branding needs to be ruthlessly practical. (I'm not saying "boring")

Context is everything.

What's your business model? What's your USP? What's your product? Where will you be selling it?

Once you can put yourself in the shoes of the consumer, you need to have an intuitive understanding about why someone picks one brand over another. Like why people would choose to take home a 6 pack of snapple when looking at a wall of drinks at the grocery store.

I say ruthlessly practical because sometimes the answer to why things work or don't work can be extremely basic. So many brands just try too hard, assuming the consumer is taking 20 minutes to weigh the pros and cons of one brand over another before making a decision, when in reality it's a 2 second decision and almost purely emotional.

You need to scour the internet to understand other brands similar to yours and what makes them good and bad. Who's packaging do you like? Who's logo makes you want to buy their product or is memorable? Etc...

There's two parts to this brand building process as far as design.

1. Vision
2. Execution

A legit agency will help with vision and execution. Freelancers will only help with execution like making the logo and designing packaging. They won't really be able to create a BRAND that has it's own soul and message, though.

I would recommend nailing the vision and messaging of your brand, figuring out what you want, and then finding a freelancer who has a stylized portfolio that can deliver something you think would fit and having them whip up something for cheap. Don't expect them to be the captain of the branding ship though, that's your job.

And don't worry if you have to start the process over because you realized the first version was stupid. It nearly always is. Some people just can't accept that and stay there forever.

If you want to chat more feel free. I'm actually more curious about HOW you're actually going to sell it than what packaging and logo you have.

Hey Johnny Boy,

Thank you for taking the time to write out another great post. Good reminder about what branding should really aim to be.

As I'd like to think my vision and key USP is ready to put into print. I will defo take your advice by finding a good freelancer and give them lots of direction to what I'd like the brand to be.

Yes please, would love to hear your thoughts, sending you a message shortly.

 

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[TryHardTriad]

I recommend reading Building a StoryBrand. Just read it recently and it was quick and helped a lot.

That will help you communicate clearly with a designer on how you want your logo to speak to people.

Also keep in mind the market you’re trying to go in, etc, of course.

I hired my designer on Upwork based on reviews and my interaction with the 5 artists I talked to.

I ultimately went with the one that asked ME the right questions and made it clear that he understood what the real value was that he was delivering to me.

Hey MitchM,

Thank you for the book recommendation, will try digest it quickly to help give clear instruction to my designer.

Amazing, besides checking their portfolio like the rest, thats a great way to find out which designer is right before you buy.

Really appreciate the help

 

[Entre Eyes]

If you had your own list or in a lot of industry specific FB groups that would be a great way to ask directly what people think of a potential brand or like a survey or poll.

It's always about your potential prospects. How would they react to....

Brand/Domain.

You want to say what you do what you deliver different than the rest of the pack if you can in the shortest way possible.

 

[Kid]

You might check 99designs and do a "contest".
If i understand correctly, it gives you designs from many designers and you only have to pick one as winner (and pay for that one).

This way you would have exposure to different ideas of logo/branding.

 

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[Walter Hay]

I suggest that you at least look at the contents list of my book: "Labels That Exploit - The Power of Perceptions, Psychology, and Emotions."

You can see it here if you scroll down: MARKETPLACE Walter Hay's Business Books

It could save you a lot of money and some mistakes. One thing that you need to keep in mind is that most people make buying decisions based on emotions rather than facts.

Walter

 

[Xeon]

There's one thread by a fellow member here called Lex_Deville, search for his name here. Among the recent threads he started, there is one where he talks about the kind of stuff you're in need of and how you can DIY. While it's not a be-all-end-all bible and it's not fail-safe, it provides a good start.

- Hire one online freelance designer (based on who's portfolio I like)

If you want to go this route, I would personally recommend Upwork and stay away from Fiverr.
Most of the time, the **** on there are someone else's work which they stole and then make tiny changes (if any, at all) to it, and send to you.

- Hire three online freelance designers (pick whoever makes the best logo for me and proceed to go with them)

Don't waste your money at this point.

- Go to a in-person design company/individual (probably more expensive than online freelance)

No.

- Go with friend/other entrepreneur recommendation

No. What they like or recommend might not be always what you need or what you like, or what is best for you, unless he's some art director etc.

Above all, before hiring anyone, you need to have a CLEAR IDEA of where you intend to go with your brand, and what your brand will look like (in this context, what you want the brand aesthetics to look like). Only after you've decided and nailed down this, do you go out and hire any designers.
Google search or Pinterest search for the type of aesthetics you need, screenshot and crop them and put all the ones you like onto a canvas (either in Photoshop or some other software), then show them to the designer.
When you've a vague idea of what you want, the designer will have an even more vague vision.

If you do intend to hire designers and unsure if they're suitable for your case, feel free to post their portfolio links here or send me a private message with their work, I can screen for you lol.

 

[100k]

Follow the steps outlined by @Lex DeVille in his branding thread.

Then hire someone to build you a brand style guide.

And then give that book to everyone that does any work for you (designers, article writers, videographers etc.). Its like a Standard Operating Procedure focused on your brand.

Then all you need to do is be consistent, make sure the colors, the fonts, writing tone, the website, social media, emails etc. all follow your brand style guidelines.

 

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