Is it time for a brand redesign? Here's how to tell

How to (finally!) get your brand redesign project off the ground

5/21/2018

Here’s the thing. Your business might have grown quickly. Or it might have evolved organically over time. Either way, you know the branding you started with all those years ago is woefully out of date, because it no longer reflects your service or product promise, your ideal customer, or you.

You also know it’s time to prioritize a redesign. But you’re super busy and the idea of taking on a project like this feels too daunting. After all, it’s not about just getting new business cards. Once you go down this road, everything has to change—your website, signs, collateral, advertising, sales sheets and so on.
It’s a lot of work. I get it.

Perhaps you attempted a redesign and realized there were too many factors to figure out, got overwhelmed, and put the project on the backburner for a while. But now’s the time to get the ball rolling again.

Whether you’re going the DIY route (I suggest against that) or you’re getting support to manage the process, these three steps will get you back on track.

1. Keep the end in mind when you start

Every successful project begins with clear, specific goals. Create a list of your top brand priorities, including what perception you want new potential customers to have about the quality of your work and the expectation you want them to have of their experience working with you.

Getting clear on your goals will help determine the scope of your redesign—if you need to just tweak a few things or do a complete overhaul (or something in between).

2. Focus on your core brand identity first

The core elements of your brand—shapes, colors and fonts—are what define the overarching style of your brand identity. Using these elements consistently helps you maintain cohesiveness across various platforms.

Your core brand identity is typically derived from your logo. So a good place to start is to determine whether or not your logo needs a refresh or overhaul. Then you can make design decisions about the other elements based on that.

3. Phase it out

Trying to do everything at once will most likely end in frustration and a migraine. It’s better to approach it one phase at a time. The idea is to give adequate, careful attention to each detail, rather than rushing it. That might include getting buy-in from your employees and other key stakeholders to ensure the solutions you come up with are the right fit.

Once you’ve gotten the full scope of what your redesign project will be like, you can break down bigger tasks into bite size chunks and spread it over several weeks to several months, and in some cases, a couple of years.

A brand redesign doesn’t have to be a daunting project. It can be fun and, dare I say, easy! The trick is knowing exactly what you’re getting out of the process and having a solid plan and the right support in place to execute.

The 5 Best Ways to Share Your Brand Story Through Video

5/21/2018

I came across an article recently on how valuable product videos are for increasing buyer conversion rates. I wasn’t too surprised to learn that videos make up nearly three-quarters of the top 100 search results—or this little nugget:

"Viewers who watch product videos are at least 64% more likely to make a purchase."
-Kissmetrics, 2012

Video is a powerful marketing tool and there’s no question that you should be using it for your business. If you’re a service-based company, though, product videos might not be as feasible. Here are five other effective kinds of video that you can use to enhance your brand’s message and attract more clients:

1. The company introduction

One element of building a successful brand is creating opportunities to inspire your audience. A company introduction video is a compelling, creative way to do just that. By highlighting your core values, mission, and unique point of view, you can inspire viewers to take a closer look at what you have to offer.

2. The real life example

Seeing a product video helps buyers feel confident that what they see is what they’ll get. A real life example video has a similar impact and is more useful for service-based businesses. It gives prospective clients a glimpse into what their experience will be like to work with you, while also answering many of the questions they might have.

3. The client interview

A raving testimonial is one of the most powerful ways to highlight your experience and prove the awesome results you deliver. A client interview video is much more compelling, because it lets potential clients see and hear what it’s like to work with you from people who already have (and hopefully loved the experience).

4. The behind-the-scenes look

Part of what makes a brand memorable is knowing the process behind what makes it work. Getting a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes of your brand makes people feel like an “insider”. You’re no longer just a company selling them a product or service. You’re a small team of people working together to deliver something of value for them. In addition, they’re no longer just a customer or client. They’re one of the lucky people who get to be the essential final piece of your process.

5. The team introduction

In the age of conscious consumerism, the best way to set your brand apart is to show the brilliant personalities behind it. Highlighting your team adds a more approachable, human element to your brand. When people can associate faces with names and titles, your brand becomes for familiar to them and they’re more inclined to trust you.

3 Ways a Design Partner Can Help You Grow Your Small Business

5/21/2018

It can be tempting, as a small business owner, to take the do-it-yourself route when it comes to branding. After all, there are countless tools out there, many of which are free (or dirt cheap), to help non-creatives develop slick graphics to make their brands stand out.

Contrary to what DIY design sites would have you believe, though, effective design is not as simple as drag-and-drop. Don’t get me wrong, these programs have their merits. With just a few clicks, you can:

Build a slide presentation
Create social media graphics (who doesn’t love a good quote graphic, right?)
Make quick edits to customize stock images

However, none of these cool features amount to a hill of beans for you if:

1. You don’t already have a clearly defined brand style

The key to making your brand credible and memorable is consistency. But if you’re always guessing at how to combine colors, fonts, shapes and imagery to create your visuals, you’re probably not putting out a consistent image.

How a design partner helps:
A design partner asks the right questions to help you develop or refine your brand style. They can then replicate that style in various formats so your brand presence is cohesive and your visual communication is consistent. Cohesiveness builds recognition. Consistency builds trust. Customers who trust you will buy from you.

2. You’re not sure if your design choices are making the right statement

If you worry your designs aren’t professional-looking enough, or you think they don’t resonate with your intended audience, you’re probably right. Unfortunately, if your designs don’t resonate, they don’t work.

How a design partner helps:
A design partner understands your brand, as well as your audience. They can translate your message into beautifully crafted visuals that stand out and trigger the desired response from viewers.

3. You’re spending more time on design tasks than on money-making task

It’s easy to underestimate how much time and effort goes into designing marketing content and materials—we’re talking hours, days and even weeks of work. You’re probably spending late nights, early mornings and lunch breaks designing social media graphics, report covers, presentations and so on. But those are precious hours you’re not spending on essential, money-making tasks—like following up with leads, sending out invoices or closing a new deal.

How a design partner helps:
A design partner knows your vision and can skillfully turnaround design tasks in less time. So you can focus on more important things, like writing your content or delivering a knock-out presentation.

For heaven’s sake, ditch the DIY

The next time you find yourself drudging through another design project, ask yourself this one simple question: “Will doing this myself get me the results I want?” If your answer isn’t a resounding yes, then do yourself a favor and phone in some back-up.

Your business will thank you.

How a Better Brand Experience Can Lead to Bigger Profits

5/21/2018

I’ve talked before about how overwhelming & stressful a brand redesign project can be. It’s why so many companies put it on the back burner until problems start to crop up.

That’s where my client Leslie, CEO of Leadout, a leadership training company, was when she came to Red Door Designs for help.

They were starting to feel the pressure of needing better results

The family-owned company had setup their digital home in the late 1990s, when the internet of things was new and competition was much slimmer. The website, which was created in-house, hadn’t evolved much over the years. So as the Leadout brand grew, and web standards became more sophisticated, the website became less and less viable for their needs and the demands of their customers.

Finally, after a painfully long, grueling search for a design agency that could handle their multi-layered project, a referral from a friend led Leslie to us.

What they really needed was a design partner to help them navigate the process

Leslie wanted to create a cleaner, more modern web presence for Leadout. But she had concerns about whether an agency could deliver a solution that would also stay true to their legacy and values.

So our approach to creating a new design solution was to, first, learn about their brand’s history and the direction they wanted to take the company in next. That allowed us to craft an experience that would not only capture their values, but also support their priorities and goals.

What they got was way more than they had expected

In the first month after relaunching their site, Leadout had a 15 percent increase in sales. By the end of that year their sales were up 25 percent over the previous year. Since it was their only investment in growing their brand that year — it was clear that their exponential results were directly attributed to the redesign.

It all starts with letting go of the reigns
(a little bit)

While the end-product led to break-through profits for Leadout, it was their commitment to being forward-thinking about building a better experience for their customers that really made the difference. Once they let go of trying to create what they wanted on their own, and trusted our team to understand and deliver what they were looking for, they were able to lean back, stay high-level and enjoy the process.

Is it time for a brand redesign? Here's how to tell

5/21/2018

You’ve come a long way, baby. What was once a big dreamy idea is now your thriving small (or big!) business. You’ve grown a lot and you’ve got a roster full of clients who love working with you to show for it. But now you feel like you need to play bigger, because you’re worried your brand doesn’t reflect your level of legit.
You know it might be time for a brand redesign, but you’re not sure if it has to be a priority right away because:

You don’t have the time to focus on this kind of project
You’re not confident that the investment is really going to be worth it
You don’t even know where to begin with a project like this

You also know that your brand identity is one of your most valuable business assets—not only does it help to differentiate you from your competitors, but it also keeps you relevant and communicates the core of who you are and what you’re about.
Just in case you need more proof, though, here are a few dead-giveaways that it’s time to make your redesign happen ASAP:

1. You’re ashamed to show people your business card

You used to be proud of your business card, which you designed yourself 15 years ago, along with your logo. Now when you look at your cards, they seem a little mom-and-pop-ish to you. On top of that, you’ve had to cross out certain contact information and replace it with what’s current, because it’s been ages since you last updated them.
A business card, as you know, can make a huge first impression for potential clients. So if you’re going to be handing over this 3 x 2.5-inch piece of prime brand real estate every time you connect with someone new, you definitely want to make it count.

2. You have to explain to people how to use your website

It’s been a while since you’ve updated your website. Your offers have changed a few times and your contact information may not even be the same. So now, when you give potential clients your URL, you have to explain to them how to find the information they need. You know it’s not ideal. But at least you have a website, right?

Wrong, friend. A website is a great way to turn leads into prospects and customers. But these days, you’ve got less than 1 minute to capture to people’s attention before you lose them for good. So if your website isn’t answering essential questions about working with you, in a way that’s intuitive and easy to navigate, then you’re most likely leaving money on the table. Strategic design can turn your website into your top sales guy allowing new opportunities to roll into your inbox every day.

3. You haven’t changed your design in the last 10 years

Design trends seems to change with the seasons, not lasting long enough for you to even try to keep up. So you’ve resigned to leaving everything just as it is, hoping no one will really notice (or care).

But poor or outdated design can spoil your credibility. So even if the core elements of your brand identity, like your logo and color palette, may not need to change drastically, they’ll still need to be modernized to support the wide range in mediums and formats (e.g., high- definition screens and printing, mobile devices, etc) in which they’ll most likely be seen.

Your brand isn’t just about design—it’s the total of every interaction that someone has with your business. But design plays a major role in communicating your value; and it impacts how others perceive your reputation and relevance.

Upgrading your brand identity means upgrading your company—making you look smarter, more successful and more established. It can also do wonders to reinvigorate your commitment and pride in what you’ve worked so hard to build.

So what are you waiting for?

Branding Pro Tip: How to decide whether or not to redesign Your logo

5/21/2018

When discussing plans for a brand redesign, a common question that many potential clients have is whether or not their logo needs to be factored into the project. It’s a reasonable question, especially when your logo has been around for years and has seemed to work just fine as it is.

Without waxing philosophical about the importance of a well-executed logo, I’ll simply put it this way: your logo is the foundation for your brand’s overall visual identity, as well as its credibility, relevance and memorability.

In other words, the lasting impression your audience has about you and your company comes down, in large part, to whether or not your logo is executed properly (no pressure, though).

Since your brand is (hopefully) being seen by new audiences every day, you want to make sure your logo does its job to attract and engage people. So if you’re doing a brand redesign, your logo should be the first component that you tackle.

Now that we’ve established that, let’s circle back to the question of whether or not your logo actually needs a redesign. Here are three questions to guide your decision:

1. Does this logo indicate what my company is about today?

Your brand and mission have no doubt evolved since starting out. Your logo should represent where you are today, as well as where you’re headed. This alignment benefits you and your brand in a few ways:

It demonstrates the strength and endurance of your brand
It supports longer-lasting marketing collateral (which means major savings in the long-run)
It (most importantly) draws in clients who resonate with who you are and what you’re about

2. Does this logo translate the same way in different sizes and formats?

With changes in technology – both print and digital – there are far more factors to account for in your logo’s design. That why it’s important now, more than ever, that your logo be as uncomplicated, minimalist and versatile as possible.

For example, online marketing platforms like Facebook and Instagram give you just a small square area for your logo, which is typically viewed on mobile devices. Having a vertical version of your logo lets you maintain its design integrity and still stand out in smaller dimensions.

In addition to being flexible for varying dimensions, your logo should also be simpleenough to recognize in varying formats. The general rule of thumb is your logo should still be legible when it’s reduced to smaller than one inch or printed in black, white or grayscale.

3. Does this logo reflect modern design standards while staying true to its origins?

Let’s face it, most people don’t like change. And if your company has a successful track record, then it’s likely you’ve already established some brand recognition (huzzah!). Even with evolving standards and trends, it’s not always necessary to start from scratch.

Elements of your logo, like the font and color scheme, should show that your brand is relevant and progressive. However, your colleagues, oldest clients and team should also be able to see it and recognize that it’s still you.

Choosing whether or not to redesign your logo is no simple matter. Answering these questions will help steer you in the right direction. Whatever your decision, it’s important that you make it objectively, based on what you believe will be the best move for your brand’s ongoing success.

Ready to jumpstart your brand redesign? I’ve whipped up a step-by-step guide to take you from frustrated to focused and help you plan your project like a pro.

How to (finally!) get your brand redesign project off the ground

​1. Keep the end in mind when you start

2. Focus on your core brand identity first

​3. Phase it out

The 5 Best Ways to Share Your Brand Story Through Video

"Viewers who watch product videos are at least 64% more likely to make a purchase."-Kissmetrics, 2012

​1. The company introduction

​2. The real life example

​3. The client interview

​4. The behind-the-scenes look

​5. The team introduction

3 Ways a Design Partner Can Help You Grow Your Small Business

​1. You don’t already have a clearly defined brand style

2. You’re not sure if your design choices are making the right statement

​3. You’re spending more time on design tasks than on money-making task

​For heaven’s sake, ditch the DIY

How a Better Brand Experience Can Lead to Bigger Profits

​They were starting to feel the pressure of needing better results

​What they really needed was a design partner to help them navigate the process

​​What they got was way more than they had expected

​​It all starts with letting go of the reigns(a little bit)

Is it time for a brand redesign? Here's how to tell

1. You’re ashamed to show people your business card

2. You have to explain to people how to use your website

​3. You haven’t changed your design in the last 10 years

Branding Pro Tip: How to decide whether or not to redesign Your logo

​1. Does this logo indicate what my company is about today?

​2. Does this logo translate the same way in different sizes and formats?

​3. Does this logo reflect modern design standards while staying true to its origins?

5 COMPONENTS OF an effective WEBSITE​

1. Keep the end in mind when you start

3. Phase it out

"Viewers who watch product videos are at least 64% more likely to make a purchase."
-Kissmetrics, 2012

1. The company introduction

2. The real life example

3. The client interview

4. The behind-the-scenes look

5. The team introduction

1. You don’t already have a clearly defined brand style

3. You’re spending more time on design tasks than on money-making task

For heaven’s sake, ditch the DIY

They were starting to feel the pressure of needing better results

What they really needed was a design partner to help them navigate the process

What they got was way more than they had expected

It all starts with letting go of the reigns
(a little bit)

3. You haven’t changed your design in the last 10 years

1. Does this logo indicate what my company is about today?

2. Does this logo translate the same way in different sizes and formats?

3. Does this logo reflect modern design standards while staying true to its origins?

5 COMPONENTS OF an effective WEBSITE