So, you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and get down to it: time to invest in branding your business! You’re spending time, talking with brand identity designers, doing the math and then… whoosh. The quotation hits and you’re left thinking what. Branding and brand styling is a big investment in your business, and the price tag shows it.

But, what can I do to minimise my spending here, Sienny? you might be thinking, and luckily, here I am to the rescue. I’m gonna share 5 easy tips on how to brand your biz on a budget!

Do the ground work

Start with the basics yourself: do your research on your target audience, your market competitors, SWOT analysis, and every little thing you can do yourself. This will then help your brand stylist to help you. When we don’t have to sweat the small stuff, you save big bucks and still get out what you need.

Be very precise in your brief

There is no such thing as too much information. Hit me with it all and don’t make me read your mind (that is not part of my skill set, unfortunately). Be as precise as you can be, send doodles, send notes, send voice messages. Use simple terms when describing what you need and don’t use too much of your field jargon – keep it simple, precise, and to the point.

Hire someone who’s new in the business

I don’t mean go for cheap labour here, but, indeed, newbies are often viewed as less able, not skilled, not ready. That is definitely not true as I know of so many new designers who are absolutely brilliant, but they just don’t get the chance to shine. The obvious benefit here is reduced cost as new brand stylists are much more affordable than veterans in the business, and you’re also giving these beginner designers a chance to enter the industry. Just be mindful that you’re compensating them fairly.

Internships

There are so many Facebook groups with people just looking for their big break and you can offer them an internship. You can recruit interns to help you with almost everything: design, marketing, outreach, business development, anything! The difference between interns and new designers is that interns are often students looking for an opportunity to apply what they learn at school to real-life client projects. The benefit of having interns working alongside you is that you’re supporting their learning journey while also being updated with industry trends. Just make sure you provide proper guidance, structure and payment so your interns can be successful in their roles (which in turn drives your productivity, too!).

Project structure

When making contact with a candidate, ask them about their rates, how long they estimate the project will be, and their internal processes. Answers may vary, so be prepared to adjust your budget a bit. It’s important to understand that your decision should not be made purely based on how much you have to spend. Think of your brand as an investment here. A strong brand lasts for years to come, while brands that are put together messily can even cost your business in the long run. So, study the process, assess the ideal working relationship with your designer(s) (psst… having a long-term collaboration with your designer can even save you a lot of time and money!) and invest wisely.

So, there you have it! Branding when you’re on a budget is totally possible if you keep your wits about and your fingers tapping. Remember, be friendly, be open, be precise. Branding is all about strategy-building and bringing value to your company, so having the right person to collaborate with you is key. If you are not sure about what kind of deliverables you can discuss with the candidates, you can check out our blog post here to get started.

Until next time!