Creating Your Dream Brand: Our Process

Branding

Nov 19

Brands Are Visual Spells

They cast the intention and vision of the businesses they represent out into the world. It's vital to cast a spell that gives you the results you desire.

Branding is massively important for attracting the dream clients you seek because so many of our decisions are made based because of branding.

In a saturated market, looking for a specific business online is daunting. How do we make our choices? We either take the advice of a friend, or we pick the one that looks and feels like us or how we want to feel.

This all sounds great, but if you are a small business owner you might not have a big budget to create the brand of your dreams. So, what do you do? How do you find the right person to work with? What if you really dislike the end results of the design after you have worked with someone?

If you have a small business or you are getting ready to birth one into the world, but you are unsure of what the process of branding looks like and whether or not you are ready to hire someone, we hope to put you at ease and be your guides. If you have been considering working with someone, but aren't sure who you resonate with, read through our process and see if we might the right fit for you.

We hope that you love your brand so that you can proudly share it and your gifts with the world. That is what we are here for, after all, to help you share your story.

So, let's get down to business!

Our approach is one part ritual, one part creative, and one part strategic. All these elements come together through a process that is unique to us and we want to give you a little behind the scenes of how it all works.

Step 01

Intentions and Discovery

Before every client session, we begin with a meditation. We like to get grounded and focus on our intentions for the new project. Then we light a white candle and burn some palo santo or incense to cleanse the space and have a fresh start.

We pull a tarot card (The Animal Spirit deck to be precise) to get a feeling for how we can approach your needs best.

Then we begin our call. We usually like to share observations we’ve had so far about your work and how we think we can work together.

Then we listen to what you are looking for, what are your struggles and values?

Step 02

Research and Strategy

When we close the call we begin to dive into the research process. This is where we gather all our information we will use over the coming weeks to design from. We scour the internet, read books, and go for walks in our environment to get new ideas.

In the meantime, you will receive a questionnaire that dives even deeper into the questions we discussed so that we can understand the full view of what you are looking for and who your ideal customer is. We spend a lot of time digging into the values of your business. We are firm believers that good design should deeply reflect your values in order to authentically represent the story that your brand is trying to tell.

After developing some ideas and reviewing your survey responses, we come up with a strategy for how you can best share what you do with the audience you are seeking.

Step 03

Creation and Ideation

We craft a mood board based on what we intuitively and strategically think will work best to tell your brand's story. Depending on the project, the mood board might also include direction for fonts, logo, a color palette, and imagery. This is where our creative director archetypes step in.

Then you have a chance to give us your honest feedback and if you think we are on the same page. If everything feels aligned we forge ahead and begin the design process.

We typically like to go with the 1 design approach, meaning we spend a lot of time upfront getting clear on the motivations and aspirations so that we can move forward with one design we both feel really good about. This helps prevent a lot of back and forth that can end up being incredibly fatiguing for you.

Step 04

Refine and Edit

When the designs are complete we share another meeting with you and we discuss any edits or changes before it is ready to launch. We love getting honest feedback at this point because we want you to be completely elated with your design. When you love your brand, it is much easier for you to sell it to others.

Depending on whether you've ordered a brand identity or full branding package with a logo and a website, this process could take 4-8 weeks. It seems like a long time, but if this process is done thoughtfully well you will only have to do it once and then can make slight edits down the road if you ever feel like they want to freshen it up.

Step 05

Delivery and Closing

Finally, we perform the closing ceremony. We hand off the project, walk you through all of your final assets, and how to use them. And we thank you for having the courage to go through this process. Branding and starting a business is a practice of self-exploration and can be incredibly challenging at times. Your brand is a reflection of you and your values and it is also its own living, breathing entity that takes so much of your heart and soul to bring to fruition.

That should be celebrated!

Behind the scenes, we write a little intention for you, light a flame, and release it into the world. Hitting publish is one of the greatest feelings after lots of hard work. Your spell is cast, your brand is live, and you are ready to share your unique gifts and perspective with the people who can't wait to support you.