How to Know When to End Your DIY Business Phase and Hire a Brand Designer
I've seen it before. You get the perfect business idea - it's the perfect mesh of everything you love! You start a business Pinterest board and stay up until 2am perfecting it. This business idea makes you want to wake up in the morning and GET TO WORK, a feeling you haven't felt in years. And you can't wait to get it going. So you google some DIY design tips, find a decent free website template, plug in a bio, and launch. You chose a font and some colors you really like, so it feels like enough! Maybe one day I'll invest in a custom website, you think, but of course I can't do that right now, I just started!
If this description sounds eerily similar to you, don't worry, all business owners in this blog post are fictional and any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental. Ha, but in all seriousness - this sounds familiar because you aren't alone. When starting a new business, the urge to DIY it all and spend as little money as possible is a strong one. I've felt it too.
However, I am a big believer in BIG BUSINESS ENERGY. I even posted about this on Instagram, here! This means you start treating your business like the big deal that it is. Stop playing small. Stop stop pretending your business is just some little thing, just freelancing, or just a side hustle. Act like you are as every bit as much a boss as CEOs of the billion-dollar-brands you admire, because you are. And please note, big business energy is not just about embracing a new mindset. It’s about making the business moves of the big guys. And one of those essential business moves is hiring a brand designer.
What is a brand designer?
A brand designer is the expert who can take your Pinterest board, your goals, your target audience or dream client, and your vision and turn it into a living, breathing, brand identity. I’m talking way more than just your colors and fonts. I’m talking about overall design choices that convey emotion, create an experience, and turn people into loyal and excited customers. Here at Madison Hebner Creative Studio, we provide multiple services that work together to create the ultimate brand experience. Starting with branding, that leads to web design, to product photography, and more. Every step gets our clients another essential level of a power-house brand.
Aaaaaaand back to big business energy -
Of course, in the big wide corporate business world it is common knowledge that you have to invest in your business to succeed. You have to bring on experts in any area you don't have experience with. You have to work with a team of forward-thinking people. And you simply cannot do it alone.
So, in addition to the woo-woo power of big business energy, there are some very data-supported reasons why, in order to see the results you want in your business, you have to move out of your DIY business phase and hire a brand designer. And I'll walk you through those reasons below.
But first, a pep talk
But first, one more thing before you dive into the reasons: I want to sit you down and give you a little pep talk. Opening your mind to the idea of bringing on creative help in your business can feel [enter expletive here.] But actually bringing on the help can feel exciting, liberating, and as relieving as your partner finally rolling out of bed to let the dog out in the morning.
My goal as a brand designer is to make the process as simple as possible by working with bloggers and business owners to develop every strategic and aesthetic aspect of their brand from start to finish. That way, instead of needing to wrap your mind (and your bank account) around hiring 5 experts, you only need one! Hiring a brand designer can be totally manageable, possible, and even fun! If it's not fun, we are doing it wrong.
Take this opportunity to consider the current state of your business. Remember the aspirations and passion you started your business with. Consider your long-term goals. Now,
It's time to hire a brand designer if....
You're just starting out, and you want to start on the right foot
I have worked with brands who are years (YEARS!) down the road and are finally just implementing strong branding. And the one thing they all have in common? They wish they would have done this years ago. They wish they had invested in a professional and thorough brand direction from day 1. I've heard them lament over feeling like they wasted time, and I don't want any business owner to feel this way. Your time is too valuable! Investing in branding, web design, and strong brand photography now will save you that valuable time.
You're growing an audience, but they aren't purchasing
You may have thousands of Instagram followers, but if they aren't engaging with your brand and purchasing, it doesn't matter! If you are spending time growing your following, but are not seeing the profit you hoped for, that's where I can help. You can do the marketing work to bring fresh eyes to your company, but brand strategy can get them to stay there, click the button and place an order.
You're growing an audience, but they aren't your ideal customers
Your ideal customers are the ones who will rave about your product to their friends (other ideal customers!) They will share beautiful curated photos of your products on their social media, ones that you actually want to repost on your own page! They will be excited for all of your new product launches. They will help your brand grow beyond their own purchases because that's how much your brand aligns with their lifestyle.
You may have an audience that is purchasing, but if they are not doing the rest, chances are it's time to highlight your ideal customer even more! Branding is how you do just that. It's not just about creating a pretty web design. It's about getting so specific about your ideal customer that the design choices made find those customers, brings them in, and takes them on an emotional journey that naturally and organically ends in a purchase.
You have hit a plateau
Sure, your business may go through ups and downs. However, if you've found yourself stuck in a seemingly never-ending plateau, you don't have to stay here! Improving your brand strategy and finally building the dream look and feel you wanted from day one will give your business just the boost it needs. A rocket-powered boost, in fact, that will launch your brand to it's full potential.
You feel burned-out and uninspired by your own business
I'm sure you started your business bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and with your daydreams of a shiny new office and boss pantsuits firmly in place. Hanging on to those daydreams is essential for success! And you must do everything you need to, to hang on.
Yes, your branding should be geared towards your ideal customer. But it should also be a brand you are out-of-your-mind-excited about! Whether your brand's look needs a little refresh, your voice needs to be tightened up, your photography needs a makeover, or you are ready to start again from square one - our goal is to build a brand you want to share with the whole world. Click here to start the process towards and business you can be excited about again.
You want to be able to charge more for your products or services
Raising the professional look of your brand raises the worth of your products. If you want your customers to invest in your products, you need to show them you are investing in their experience. And that starts the moment they stumble upon your website or social media. If you want to raise your prices, but feel nervous about it, launch your rebrand with your new prices and level up all at once!
You find yourself nit-picking every little brand choice you made
This is a telling habit I use myself to determine when it is time to invest in new business help. I can be a little bit of a perfectionist - and when I am working on my own projects I find myself rethinking every little design choice. But I don't do this to other people's work! So having someone else take care of it means I get the design I feel 100% happy with, and then I can direct all my energy to perfecting the details of my clients' brands.
You can see other brands I have worked with here, to create a high-quality experience that starts with one view.
You are in a competitive market
In order to stand out in your market, you need to present yourself as the expert in your field. Strong branding subconsciously builds trust with customers very quickly, allowing them to see you (or your company) as the expert. Helping make the choice to choose you over competitors an easy one!
If you feel your products are similar to those offered elsewhere, your branding is what will make you stand out!
You want to level up
If you are ready to level up your business in any way, now is the time to hire a designer. Branding, web design, collateral design, and brand photography are essential for a strong foundation. Every other business choice you make will build off of this!
Services We offer at Madison Hebner Creative Studio
We offer services such as strategic planning, branding, web design, photography, videography and content creation all under one stress-free roof. Making the choice to end your DIY phase and move into big business energy a choice you only have to make once. Check out more information about our services here.
We believe there’s no such thing as dreams that are too big, companies that are too small or business owners that are too passionate––just creators that are too unprepared. That is why we code, design, paint, photograph, kern, craft, edit and re-edit until we’ve created something that resonates with your brand and your mission.
And, above all else, we recognize that strategy and design are only successful when they are partnered with value and support, which is why we are you ride-or-die, always-in-your-corner, with-you-in-the-trenches-and-rooting-for-ya-from-the-sidelines hype team.
To take your first step towards a brand you can be excited about again, click here to contact our team for a discovery call!
