See prices for my brand identity packages here.
Most projects are divided into two payments: a 50% deposit and 50% final payment, due net 15. On larger projects, we can set milestones for payments. Payments can be made by credit card, ACH bank transfer, Paypal, or check.
Depending on the number of deliverables involved, it usually takes about 2 weeks for a logo project, 3-4 weeks for an identity project. Add more time if there are additional pieces of collateral.
We’ll start off with Zoom video meetings for discussing your project and presenting the first round of concepts. For shorter communications, we’ll use email or I’ll send you a short recorded video.
Yep. Some designers charge extra for those, but I don’t. You can have the native source files for all of your final pieces. I give you everything, so that you can hire a less expensive designer to make edits or additional pieces when you need them. Or you can book me for a Design Day if you like.
Yes. Some clients already have trusted print vendors they use and simply need print-ready files they can take to them. Or, if needed, I can manage the entire printing process for you, recommending vendors, obtaining quotes and seeing your project through to the finish.
I’ve worked directly with clients for nearly 20 years, and I’m good at asking the right questions. A branding project involves a lot of info-gathering: we’ll discuss your business goals, history, audience, competitors, brand personality, and more. These parameters guide the design. Since you’re helping to set those parameters yourself, you can be confident your brand identity will be just right. Read about the process.
I know, it’s a scary investment! Your project will include “safety net” rounds of revisions. So we can still change anything that isn’t working. You’re free to stop the project any time. If any work wasn’t covered by the non-refundable deposit, you’ll receive an invoice for work done up to the cancellation date.
Not to sound like we’re dating here, but compatibility is important. Take a look at my design portfolio. Does it have the general style you’re after? You need a designer whose work matches the aesthetic you’re aiming for. You might love how a designer presents their work, or maybe they have a great reputation, or you genuinely like them as a person. But if you can’t imagine your project fitting into their body of work, you should probably look elsewhere. A designer can sometimes work in different styles, but their own unconscious preferences will act like a magnet pulling the design back to their sweet spot. Which hopefully is the reason you selected them in the first place!
Studios have different specialties. Some are marketing agencies who dabble in branding, but it’s not their sweet spot: promotion is. Some studios outsource design work to subcontractors, so the person you hire is not the same mind who is crafting your visual identity. Others are new to the work, and projects tend to spiral out of control without experience. As a brand identity strategist and designer, I suggest starting here. Once your look and feel is established, go hire a stellar marketing agency to promote it to the world.
Pretty picky. After your business name, it’s the element that will last the longest. Your brand’s identity—which includes the logo—is the face of your business to the public. Your logo will show up on every website, presentation, and package you’ll ever produce. That logo is at work 24/7, helping customers form the right impression. But you should also make sure your designer will think beyond the logo and create a whole visual scheme to represent your brand. This system should be striking, easily replicable, and so distinctively yours, that you could hide that awesome logo and everyone would still know all your stuff belongs to your company.
In this case you are the designer, and you simply need a technician who can execute your idea using computer software. I bring strategic thinking as well as execution to a project, and that’s more than you’re looking for. I’m not the right fit.
I get it. If you’re a law firm, it can feel less risky to hire a designer who specializes in law firms. But design principles don’t change from industry to industry. And drawing from broader experience is actually a bonus, since clichés in one industry can be fresh ideas in another. I always start by looking at your competitors and related organizations to learn what the conventions are in your field. Then we take into account how much you should fit in or stand out, and design accordingly. A strong designer can work in any industry.
Absolutely. 99% of my clients are not local, so I’m adept at managing projects long distance.
Web design and development is a speciality in itself, so I no longer take on web projects. I recommend clients hire a dedicated individual or firm for this. The firm can reference the brand style guide and mockups we develop to build the site in the right style. I may be able to consult on the project, checking in at strategic points to make sure the design is consistent with your brand.
I help with company or product naming, taglines, mission statements, brand stories, or other short messaging for your brand. But when it comes to lengthy copy for brochures, presentations, or websites, that’s not a service I provide. You can hire a copywriter for this.
If I designed your branding—so I already know how things should look—you can book a Design Day for tasks like these. If we haven’t worked together before (or you need a cheaper option), you can find a freelancer who focuses on production work.
