Branding Package for Mission-Driven Small Businesses
Over the many years of running my design studio, I’ve collaborated with over 100 small business owners on their visual branding.
The important work we do together leads to my clients making deeper connections with their target audience, feeling more confident in sharing what they do with the world, and ultimately meeting a lot of their business growth goals.
Branding is all about knowing what connects with your target audience, authentically speaking to who they are, and genuinely gaining their trust and loyalty.
This is why my visual branding process is designed to not only create a beautiful visual identity, but it also helps my clients clarify their brand vision and strengthen their brand’s foundation for a more holistic, heart-centered, mission-driven approach to branding.
BUT MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PART OF BEING A BRAND DESIGNER?
Giving my clients a personal, collaborative, enjoyable client experience.
It’s all about the client's journey. It brings me so much joy to invite my clients into the creative process and work together to develop a visual identity that’s not only beautiful and professional but also aligned with their values, mission, and business goals. That’s where the magic happens.
Although my overall approach to branding and focus on client experience has been consistent since the early years of my business, my offerings have changed and evolved over time (like many entrepreneurs).
Since starting my design studio in 2012, I’ve experimented with offering single one-off logo designs, tiered branding package options, and even a full web design service. These offerings weren’t “wrong” by any means. I learned a lot and developed new skill sets that continue to serve me today. I grew so much as a designer and business owner from working in these different capacities, and I know that I did great design work for my clients that resonated with them and helped their businesses grow.
But as time went on, I realized I could offer a branding package that would take my clients' business growth even further...
For a number of years, I offered a small branding package that was helpful for clients on a budget who just wanted the branding basics in place to start. This included a logo, logo variation, watermark, color palette, and font system.
After some time and many projects under my belt, I started noticing some trends. Most clients who originally came to me for my smaller branding package fell into one of two camps.
They either:
Chose to go with the bigger branding package after discussing what’s all included and the benefits of having a full branding library in place, or
Started with the smaller package, but ended up adding on patterns, textures, and extra marketing materials after they realized the importance of these branding assets and how they can add personality and more consistency to their brand and marketing.
Regardless of how they arrived there, my clients were always thrilled with the full library of design elements they had — including not just a logo suite but also textures, patterns, submarks, tagline marks, and more, as well as branded marketing materials and graphics they could use in their day-to-day.
The branding work we did together served them for years to come, helping them achieve a perfect balance of versatility while still keeping consistency and cohesiveness in their marketing.
It takes more than a logo and a pretty color palette to create a cohesive and memorable brand experience.
I’ve known this for years, but I was beginning to help my clients understand this as well, and it’s been a really important aspect of what I do. After all…
Having a complete and thoughtfully designed visual brand identity can transform your marketing and make a huge impact on your confidence in your business, your connection with your audience, and ultimately, your business growth.
TWO OTHER THINGS I NOTICED:
I enjoyed and felt truly invested in the creative process the most when I worked with my clients to develop a complete visual brand from the top down (as opposed to one-off logos and other smaller projects).
Collaborating with my clients with my holistic approach felt aligned and fulfilling, especially when I wasn’t stretched too thin and really gave myself space, time, and creative energy to put into each project.
So, with all of those elements in mind, I knew that I had to make a change.
In 2021, I made a shift to offering ONE branding offering:
INTRODUCING:
The Signature Branding Package
My Signature Branding Package is a one-on-one branding experience that’s perfect for mission-driven businesses that are ready to invest in a completely new visual identity that speaks to them and their audience in a meaningful way and shines a light on their values.
What makes this branding experience special:
Our time together is a true collaboration. I invite you into the creative process where your opinion is valued and I hold space for you. My goal is for you to walk away feeling like your fingerprints are on the design.
I have a holistic approach and bring my clients through a brand discovery phase, so we can get clear on your brand foundation (mission + vision, business goals, ideal client, your place in the market, and your “differentiators,” etc) before diving into the design. This will ensure we’re creating from a place of alignment and strategy.
I give you choice throughout the design process. This includes two full branding concepts to choose from, as well as your choice of marketing collateral pieces that best fit your business needs.
I work with very limited clients at a time (only one new branding client per month!) which allows me to give everyone I work with the attention they deserve and ensures I give my best creative energy to each project.
Above all, when we work together, you'll walk away with empowered feelings of clarity, confidence, and excitement about sharing your beautiful business and brand with the world. Your brand will feel more like you than ever before.
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
The Signature Branding Experience Process
STEP ONE
Discover + Inspire
We start by digging into your brand foundation! I’ll ask you to complete my Branding Workbook before we begin, which includes questions and exercises that helps you get clear on your mission and purpose, values, audience, your place within your market, and your brand’s personality. This will help ensure we’re creating from a place of strategy, meaning, and alignment. Then we’ll hop on a Brand Clarity Call to kick things off, talk about this (fun!) client homework, and discuss your big picture goals and vision.
Shortly thereafter, I’ll send you a short creative brief summarizing where we’re headed, including an inspiration board that represents our visual direction.
STEP TWO:
Design + Develop
With a focused visual direction and lots of excitement and energy, we start designing! I’ll sketch, explore, design, and send you a presentation of two original logo + brand styling concepts to choose from, including secondary marks, patterns, textures, and other design elements that will add depth to your visual styling. After a route is chosen, we’ll refine if needed and then I’ll perfect and polish everything up (think letter spacing, balance, and all that good stuff) before finalizing.
The final result will be a thoughtful and cohesive visual identity that authentically speak to who you are and connect with your audience. You’ll also receive a Brand Guidelines Document to help you and your team maintain consistency as you move forward and implement your new visual brand across your marketing platforms.
STEP THREE:
Implement + Grow
After finalizing your brand styling, we continue to bring things to fruition and work together to design your three selected marketing collateral pieces to perfectly suit your needs. Think business cards, stationery, social media graphics and templates, stickers, flyers, or postcards… completely customized to you and your brand. I’ll even help coordinate submitting any print orders, if needed!
The goal is cohesiveness and consistency — your brand deserves attention to detail to ensure it’s beautifully and thoroughly represented at every client / customer touch point.
The Final Product + File Delivery
After we wrap up your brand and your custom marketing materials, I will package up all your branding files, Brand Guidelines Doc, and marketing pieces, and send it to you in a convenient link to download them.
Ready to see the complete list of deliverables and all the package details?
SAMPLE CLIENT PROJECT
Visual Branding for KDL Enterprises
KDL Enterprises is a woman- and family-owned building materials company in the Pacific Northwest that manufactures railing systems and skylights. They are committed to consciously creating safe and inspiring environments that add value to the homes and lives of their customers. KDL has a unique approach and provides a personal, tailored, custom experience which results in a beautiful and intentional final product that meets their customers’ needs, site specifications, and budget. They do things differently… different but better!
THE FINAL BRAND STYLING:
We focused on a blend of classic + modern, clean + comfortable, calm + confident with a hint of playfulness thrown in. We honored KDL’s geographical location with an outdoorsy PNW vibe and a handcrafted, vintage flair that speaks to their longevity as a family-owned company. Their color palette, typography, and round seal marks are a direct reflection of this vision. The textures were carefully curated to represent the spaces that KDL helps create and what their clients are taking in while experiencing their products. The house brand mark, use of ribbons, and other little elements and details add interest and make this brand unique and memorable.
BRAND STYLE BOARD
Outline of all logos, logo variations + marks, patterns, textures.
MARKETING MATERIALS + GRAPHICS
Additional branding elements and design needs
Every business has unique marketing needs. I love hearing about your ideas for additional branding assets beyond what’s included in your package (I’m here to help you brainstorm too!). We can either add these designs to your package (if time allots) OR we can schedule time to complete the additional designs for after we wrap up your branding.
Either way, you can count on me as member of your team and call on me as additional design needs arise! I’m here to support you every step of the way as you implement your visual brand into all your communications and marketing.
My ultimate goal is for all your branding elements and marketing materials align with your exact business needs.
Examples of additional branding elements we created for KDL ENTERPRISES:
Vintage explorer-themed illustrative icons
Representing KDL’s process and values
Product Logo Suites
For KDL’s railing systems and skylights
Kind Words from the Client
“I AM ASTOUNDED BY HER THOUGHTFUL ATTENTIVENESS TO MY VISION.”
Allison is an absolute joy to work with! From the moment I found her, I knew she was the designer for me. She is personable and fun, relatable, and real. She also happens to be an incredibly talented creative who pours her whole heart into her projects. Her fully collaborative process created an end result that was exactly what I wanted but was never quite able to articulate. She is both detective and mastercrafts(wo)man; every detail was meticulously uncovered, carefully considered, honed, and perfected. I am astounded by her thoughtful attentiveness to my vision. I am extremely proud of our new brand, and so thrilled to have found this extraordinary human being. She is truly my designer for life.
KRISTA BARTLETT, President of KDL Enterprises
Ready to talk about collaborating on a thoughtfully designed visual brand for your mission-led business?
Not ready to hire a designer but want to take your marketing graphics to the next level?
DESIGN SPIRIT, my self-paced graphic design course may be just the thing you need. Learn more.
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