Why A High Quality Logo Design Costs More
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Why A High Quality Logo Design Costs More Than $200

When most people think about a designer, they think that we create pretty graphics. That or they don’t understand what our job is. If you thought that the role of a graphic designer is to create pretty graphics, then you’re wrong. A designer actually plays different roles and that’s why a high quality logo design costs more than $100.

The real reason why a high quality logo design costs more

No matter what type of designer you are, you are wearing a lot of hats.  3 of those main hats are: problem solver, strategist, and creator.

Problem solver

You need a logo for your company, but you’re not going to take just any logo right? Well, I hope not. I would hope that your logo was created to represent your business and resonate with your target audience. That’s where a graphic designer comes in.

 

I'm a better detective.

 

The first thing I do when I book a client is to send them homework. What’s the point of the homework? This is one of the ways I conduct research. Yes, before our first meeting, I research everything I can about your industry and target audience.

Then, by the time we have our first meeting, I already have your creative brief and mood board ready for your approval. The creative brief makes sure that we’re on the same page about your brand. The mood board is the guideline for inspiration for when I start designing the logo or any design project.

Click here to read more about the homework process.

Strategist

Now it’s time to create a strategy. Once I research your business and your audience, it’s time to think about the end goal. Depending on the project, the end goal is different. For a logo, the goal is to create something that resonates with both the brand and the target audience.

So what does the audience want? Well, it’s my job to research that. Every answer would be different depending on the business. When I do find the answer, it’s time to start brainstorming.

 

Strategist

 

During the brainstorming session, I list out as many ideas as I can that represent the business. Basically, it’s like creating a mind map of all the possible directions that the brand could go in. Once I’m done with that, it’s time to create. Read More “Why A High Quality Logo Design Costs More Than $200”

5 ways to brand your YouTube channel
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5 ways to brand your YouTube channel

YouTube has evolved tremendously. I remember when anyone would just whip out their phone and start recording without thinking about anything. Now, it’s become a big production. No one wants to watch a video that is bad in quality. Even if you’re message is awesome, if it doesn’t look high quality or professional, then no one’s going to watch it. Besides editing, branding will take your videos up to the next level. Here are the 5 ways to brand your YouTube Channel.

5 ways to brand your YouTube channel

Some people start filming a video and upload it without even thinking about branding their channel. If your viewers want to know more about you, then they’re going to click over to your main channel page. I know that’s the first thing I do before I subscribe to any video.

When they get to your channel, they want to get a feel for you and check out your other videos. Just like a website, if the channel looks horrible, then I pass. Here are some simple things to do to make your YouTube channel stand out.

01. Get on the cover

The first thing you need to do is set your channel art. This is one of the first things your viewer sees on your page. You can have a picture of you if it’s all about you or you can just use your logo or YouTube channel name.

 

5 ways to brand your YouTube channel work it

 

Just so you know, you only have a limited space for your channel art. Make sure you only put relevant things on there or it will look cluttered and messy. I would just have my channel name and if you publish on certain days, the days that you post on YouTube.

If you want to create your own channel art (*shameless plug* I include this in my Multimedia Headquarters package), you can use Canva. Make sure you keep the dimensions in mind. The channel art is responsive to desktops and laptops, mobile, and TV. Just keep in mind when you’re designing. You’ll want to keep a lot of negative space (whitespace or make sure you see a lot of the background)because the desktop dimensions are very limited.

02. Make Headlines

Read More “5 ways to brand your YouTube channel”

What's a brand style guide
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What’s a Brand Style Guide

One of the things I provide in my brand package is a brand style guide. I think it’s one of the most important things to provide to keep the brand uniform. Just in case I’m not available or needed as a designer for retainer, it’s the perfect way for clients to keep expanding their brand consistently.

What’s a Brand Style Guide

So what’s a brand style guide? It’s basically a manual for your brand. It’s a guideline for the design elements of your brand that showcase the mood and tone of the company.

Why is a brand style guide important? It’s a guide to keep your brand consistent. If I had to use one word to describe branding, it’s consistency. A brand style guide will help keep the brand uniform. If you’re planning on expanding, the brand style guide will be useful in creating new graphics and marketing that is consistent with the brand.

Your business bible

I like to think of the brand style guide as your business bible. It’s a reference and guide to keeping your brand style uniform. Even though you’ll have creative ideas of how you want to market your brand, the design elements will always be the same.

what's a brand style guide - Devil wears prada gif

For example, if you started off just blogging, but want to expand into creating videos, all you have to do is reference your brand style guide and use the same brand elements. No matter the content of the video, as long as the brand elements are the same your brand will be recognizable. Read More “What’s a Brand Style Guide”

photos you can use to brand your business
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Photos you can use to brand your business

A lot of people don’t know that photographs are part of branding. When you’re adding photos to your website and social media accounts, it’s important to make sure they match your brand style, so your audience will become more familiar with your brand. If not, then it would be hard to recognize your brand from any other account, and you want your account to be recognizable and attract your audience. Here are 3 types of photos you can use to brand your business. Read More “Photos you can use to brand your business”

Brand x Web Design for Death by Dessert
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Brand x Web Design for Death by dessert

*This Brand x Web Design for Death by dessert is a fictitious company for my portfolio.

Overview

Death by dessert is a cafe that specializes in a variety of desserts and beverages. They differ from other cafes and coffee shops by having a bright and relaxed atmosphere. The cafe leans more towards a cutesy style without being too feminine. Read More “Brand x Web Design for Death by dessert”

Brand x web design process
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Inside look at my Brand x Web Design Process

Below is an inside look at my brand x web design process. This is an update to my previous blog post on my design process. In this article, I will outline my step by step design process. This doesn’t include my client process, but in the future, I will post a separate post on my client process. Read More “Inside look at my Brand x Web Design Process”