My Step By Step Branding Design Process
- Lore White
- Apr 10, 2023
- 3 min read
Let’s be honest, the branding process undertaken by some design agencies can be quite bewildering (and often even a little intimidating!) to a majority of clients. Personally I like to keep everything as simple and transparent as possible. Some of my clients prefer something as simple as a logo, where others prefer complete branding exercise that incorporates a style guide, message, feel etc…
In attempting to dispel any confusion, I've outlined the core steps in my branding and logo design process below. The methodology utilised by other agencies might slightly deviate from this, but my process is designed to be very straightforward and transparent. I believe in always opening ourselves up for questions and collaboration whenever necessary, as I progress through each project I am working on.
Step 1: Detailed Project Briefing
Step 1 involves obtaining a detailed project brief from you, the client. This, and any follow up questions I might have, ensures I have a complete understanding of your requirements. This is the most important of all the branding process steps.
The briefing process includes gaining a clear and comprehensive insight into your business and its main objectives. I delve in detail into your target audience(s), your marketing and sales objectives and key competitors. I also invite discussion of your business’ ethos and origins and your individual visual preferences.
For this I have, over the years, fine tuned a digital design questionnaire. It helps me flesh this information out and delivers it in a consistent format, project to project. It is an essential part of our branding process. I kindly ask you to complete this to the very best of your ability. You’re welcome to supplement this with other materials including business plans, links to websites and/or visual references etc, as needed.
Step 2: Idea Generation
Once I feel confident that I have a comprehensive brief, I commence the idea-generation stage. This phase often resembles old-school graphic design, namely putting pencil to paper and sketching ideas. From here, I assess which ideas work well enough to explore digitally. Once I can see how these ideas might translate into a business’ visual identity, it’s normally a fairly organic process of elimination from there. I rule out those concepts I feel may be too distanced from the brief or not strong enough visually.
Step 3: Presentation of Branding Concepts
Once I have refined all ideas down to three solid design concepts, it’s time to prepare these for presentation. I present these to the client in a 3 page A4 PDF. It presents the proposed brand identity and logo design in its context. Then, it’s over to you!!
Step 4: Feedback / Revisions This process step is fairly self-explanatory. I allow up to two rounds of revisions, additional rounds of concepts or revisions are quoted for by the hour, with your express permission always sought, before I proceed. This is when colours, typefaces, composition and layout can be experimented with to ensure you are 150% invested in the final brand identity.
Step 5: Finalisation / Sign-Off
Once I've completed any revisions (and quite often there aren’t any, thanks to the extensive briefing process) I present the final, resolved set of branding concepts to you for your thoughts and eagerly await sign-off.
Step 6: Supply of Digital Brand Assets
After sign-off, the final branding process step is to furnish the client with a suite of digital brand assets. These include:
• PDF- outlined high resolution file • .jpg file • transparent .png files If you wanted a comprehensive branding package that includes a style guide - you would also receive • a 10 page PDF style guide outlining the core colour values, typographic and illustrative elements of the logo for future reference, which assists with keeping everything consistent. From there (depending on the quote inclusions) we may move on to including your new brand identity into the design of other supportive solutions. These solutions may include stationery, printed materials, website designs and/or social media graphics for example.Alternatively you or your team can rollout your new brand identity independently.
Lore White Specialises in Branding and Web Development for Small Businesses. If you’re a business that requires branding or rebranding, or assistance with a graphic design project, feel free to touch base so that we can discuss our services with you further. You can email me at lore@loredesignco.com or alternatively give me a call on 0400 155 379 Have a fantastic day.
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