Brand development is one of the most important and deciding steps that can help a young business succeed in the market. And choosing a branding agency is crucial, as it can really make all the difference. But how do you choose the right one?
Here’s the deal: branding design is one of the definitive aspects of a business that can make or break its success, both in terms of sales and awareness. You can have the best product, stick to your values, be extremely hardworking and good in what you do, but your business might still suffer because of a badly designed or inconsistent brand. Don’t believe me? Apparently, up to 94% of first impressions are design-related,
according to this research.
So, picking the right agency is important, as it can cost you a lot of money, both for the design process itself and for what it can make you or lose you in the future as a result of what you end up with.
If it’s your first time branding your business, here is some helpful advice on what to concentrate on when deciding which agency fits you best.
Beware that good agencies always have their own brand strategies
You can find the best designer, but you shouldn’t expect them to be a researcher, analyst and strategist, as well as an artist. A good creative or marketing agency will have a strategist that will take over the branding process, do proper research for you and take care of the design team’s workflow too.
Business owners sometimes don’t understand the single steps of a branding process, which is why good creative agencies are capable of taking over the whole workflow and simply producing deliverables that the client can pick out and then finalize the preferred concept.
If an agency promises that one person can do it all, take it as a red flag. And know that graphic design and branding design can sometimes be costly for the sake of quality. If you have budget constraints, there are always options such as our graphic design service.
Make sure they research your industry and competition
Sure, having plenty of ideas about your own brand is the main requirement a branding agency should do for you. That and making them come true.
But another essential step of the process is research. Not just them meeting your requirements and transforming your image and values into a brand identity, but also knowing who your competitors are, what their brand designs look like and what is the general industry standard.
In their research, they should be looking into:
- Industry standards
- Design trends
- Website design best practices
- Social media graphic design
- Platforms and channels used
- Tastes and expectations the ideal buyers have
At the same time, look to it that agency doesn’t have ideas only within the realm of the industry standard. You want to be different from the competition, not just another unrecognizable brand on the market.
Get them acquainted with your products and services well
For the branding agency to completely encapsulate your company. its products and services, as well as the mission and vision, you need to to give them a thorough understanding of what you do.
make sure you give them more than an elevator pitch. the branding design reflects many things: Style, beliefs, ideal buyer personas, vision, the brand image and finally, industry. be sure that they understand what you do, as well as what your wishes and expectations are.
respect their style but check if they are flexible enough to fit your vision
You might be drawn to an agency or designer mainly because of their style. They might check all boxes you require, and that is great. however, it is also important to know that if they stick strictly to their own style, they might miss the mark on how our business should look like and what will make it different from the rest of their clients.
a good agency will know how to infuse their style into your business and product, but still make it about you, not them.
Check if they value pretty or functional more
Things that look good are always attractive and well-remembered. however, in terms of branding design, they should also serve a purpose.
Shapes, color psychology, heraldic, font usage and its characteristics, are only some of the many things that are used in branding design not only to look good but also to serve a purpose and speak about the brand’s identity. another reason why functional is worth more than pretty is the intuitiveness and ease of use in design. this is especially important in web design and app design if your branding agency is also taking care of that portion of the project.
Too much to worry about?
In case there are too many variables in your search, or your budget can’t handle a pricey agency, check out Zooms Design. We have worked on branding design for tons of clients, all for a flat monthly rate and all sorts of on-demand design services. Check out our work.