Bob’s ready to build his dream house. He can’t wait to dig in. So, he’s decided his first step will be to buy a beautiful door.
Hang on, Bob… that’s a strange place to start, isn’t it?
This is what it’s like to design a logo before having your brand messaging and design strategy set. Sure, Bob could go out and find a gorgeous door for inspiration, but buying it before having the blueprints drawn up for the home’s structure is premature and useless.
While it’s obvious there are a multitude of steps that come before choosing a door when building a house, the comparison may not seem apparent when it comes to designing a logo. But let me tell you, dear reader… lone doors are like lone logos. They fall flat. Let’s get into it.
The majority of my project inquiries go like this one from Leah. She reached out and asked: “I need a logo. Can you design it for me?”
Technically, yes. I could create a logo… but what Leah’s actually asking me to do is begin at one of the last steps in the process. It’s not everyday she launches a new business or product that needs outfitted before it goes out into the world, so how would she know? That’s my job as a designer and strategist – to help guide Leah through the process.
My initial response usually looks something like this:
“Absolutely! But first, a couple of questions:
- Do you have your brand messaging set? Think, mission, vision, positioning, brand personality, voice, and tone, etc.
- How about your visual design strategy?
- Do you have the other base elements of your brand identity solidified? Think brand colors and supporting brand fonts for example?”
At this point, I’m prepared for the response I receive 99% of the time:
“No, but I think all I need right now is a logo.”
It’s an easy trap to fall into, but Leah’s put buying and installing the door ahead of building the house.
Think of the logo as the door. Without the foundational structure to hold the door in place, Leah will be left carrying around an awkward plank of wood (or other material she’s arbitrarily landed on). Waving it around hoping that people will want to come to her house. That, and after waving it around with poor results, the door ends up collecting dust in storage. That’s wasted money and time only to have to reassess and start over.
The door is what guests see first when visiting your home. It helps form their initial impression and gives a small taste of what’s inside. The exterior of the house, the color of the door, its hardware and decorative embellishments – These elements all help set the tone of the experience BEFORE anyone crosses the threshold.
Putting a front door onto your home is a final touch – a stage of the process everyone would like to be at. To be able to warmly welcome visitors is part of the goal. But a door on its own falls over as soon as someone knocks. That’s not gonna be good for anyone! It needs a foundation and supporting structure to exist in space.
Design execution of logo assets, which is one small part of your brand identity, comes AFTER the critical foundational work that’s done to inform that design.
To jump straight to the design of a logo, without the information and data to inform its style, colors, textures, etc. leaves you with art that won’t do much to properly support or convey messaging for your business or product.
Save your strength, time, and money. Put the door down. You’ll thank yourself, later, for taking the time to intentionally create the space you want your guests to experience. A space designed to fit theirs and your needs, display some of your personality, and be one that your friends and family will want to visit. At minimum, you’ll want it to be sturdy, safe, interesting, comfortable, and inviting.
So, to get this right, we’ll need a land survey first. Then, we’ll drawn up some blueprints. Next, we’ll pour the foundation and build out the structural bones. THEN, we can begin thinking about the interior/exterior design and embellishments. ALL of these parts are in conversation with one another. The more we bring them together to work cohesively, the better the whole feels.
Rather than purchasing a door whose likely fate is storage with an expired return date, or designing a random logo that doesn’t speak to your business’s messaging or goals, let’s set ourselves up for success with a solid order of operations that makes sense instead.
Here’s a general rundown of what that process looks like and how it aligns with designing visual brand identities:
Ready to explore building a visual brand identity for your business or product and want to start on the right foot the first time around? Let’s chat. Avoid the overwhelm with my guidance and schedule a free 30-minute call to get the conversation started.
My process is one I’ve developed, over the past 20+ years, to help make my client’s experiences easy and enjoyable. But don’t take my word for it! Hear what they say about working with me here.
So reach out! Lean on me to guide you through the process. I’ve got you!
How are you feeling about your logo and brand identity?
Not sure if what you’ve developed is working for your business? Interested in a professional opinion to see if and where you can improve? Try one of our Light Brand Identity Audit packages!
By booking an audit, you’ll get
- An understanding of whether or not your messaging is aligned with your current visuals
- Insight on how you can improve your design assets to better convey your brand messaging
- Suggested ways design elements can be used to engage your target audience
- Tips on how to adapt visuals to improve brand recognition
A PDF Report Outlining:
- What’s done well
- What needs work/pain points
- Areas of opportunity for better visual execution
- Our recommendations
- Suggested Next Steps
PLUS: A bonus credit:
A credit in the amount of your chosen package to apply to one of our custom Visual Brand Identity Strategy and Design packages.
Book a Light Audit today!
Have another project you’d like to discuss? Book a complimentary 30-minute consultation where we can learn more and get to know you and your business. Have questions or want to send a message? Contact us here.
Or read “Logo To Go: A DIY Visual Brand Identity Assistant”
I wrote Logo To Go to serve as an in-between for small business owners who aren’t quite ready to invest in a professionally designed brand identity – think of it as the missing link between choosing to DIY and hiring a professional. It’s specifically written for small business owners, who are not designers and don’t have any knowledge of what actually goes into creating a full brand identity.
Jumping straight to DIY can be dangerous without some idea of the process or the insight a professional would bring to the project. That’s why I created Logo To Go – so small business owners could come away with some peace of mind feeling a bit more informed and confident that what they’re creating is more strategic and well-designed than if they go it alone. Read more about Logo To Go and download the first chapter FREE.
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