You might need a new brand for your business. If so, congrats! 

If you are wondering whether you should DIY your brand or hire a designer, this post should help you decide. It’s a big decision, and there are a few things to consider before choosing. 

How do you know which is the best choice for your branding strategy, depending on where you are in your business journey? Keep reading to learn about the key differences between a DIY vs. hiring a brand designer for your business so you can choose the right option for you!

When Should You DIY Your Brand?

Sometimes, DIY is just what you need. This is especially true when you are brand spanking new to the business. If this is the case, I probably would not recommend that you fork out the investment to hire a brand designer in the first weeks or even months of your business. Why? Because you will probably end up changing or pivoting your business during this time. 

So many people change their business within the first (and even second) year. For example, you might start as a VA doing general admin jobs for any client. As you gain experience and learn more skills, you might begin branding yourself as an OBM or project manager specializing in serving photographers. That’s a BIG difference in your business. 

If you had hired a brand designer in the first weeks of your VA journey – you would probably need a significant revamp in your branding when you pivot towards an OBM type of role later on. That means you would have gone through TWO branding projects when you only needed one had you just waited to see which directions your business went. 

A clean and simple DIY branding will get you through the first year of business. During this first year, you will learn the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your brand and business. You will know who your ideal clients are and how you can serve them. And THEN, when it comes time to hire a brand designer – you will be much more focused and honed in on what you want to get out of your brand.

WHY you should hire a brand designer

Now, a professional brand design project takes skill, experience, and expertise. That’s the whole point of hiring a brand designer. A brand design isn’t finished in one afternoon, nor is it something that a business owner should take on themselves if they are unfamiliar with the process. Focus on your zone of genius and let the branding experts focus on theirs. 

Branding is a critical element to your business, so you want to make sure it’s on point and successfully executed. There are certain characteristics of well-designed brands that only a professional designer can help you attain. 

Remember, branding helps your audience know, like, and trust you. A brand designer enables you to hone in on these elements and builds a solid foundation for your business to scale and grow right away. 

Brand experts help you find consistency in your messaging so that your audience resonates with your brand. Remember, you want to attract (and repel) the right people to your business and get them to say “yes” to working with you. A high-quality brand designer knows how to make this happen.

WHEN should you hire a brand designer?

If your business has been around the block or two and you know exactly where your business is going and what you want out of it, then it might be time to hire a brand designer. Maybe you are ready to get a proper brand or just a rebrand (if you already did a DIY at the start of your biz journey).  

If your business is growing (or plan to grow and scale it) and you know exactly who your target audience is and the value you can provide them, you are ready to invest. Just make sure you are 100% committed and know exactly where your business is going in the next year. 

I know I said that newbies should DIY, but if you absolutely know what you are doing with your business, who your target market is, and are 200% committed, then you should totally hire a brand designer! Hiring a brand designer from the start sets you up with a beautiful, cohesive brand that is working for your business right away. 

If you aren’t a time waster and know what you want, and have the money for it, skip the DIY and go with a brand designer. Just make sure you hire the RIGHT designer that can help uplevel your branding.

Key Takeaways

The appeal of DIY brand design that you can finish on the cheap, all in one afternoon is strong; I get it. DIY is definitely the best option for some. Just remember that your branding needs to be on point to attract the right audience to your business. And a DIY branding project won’t always cut it – especially if you are totally out of your element. 

This is where an expert and quality brand designer can work wonders on your business. Don’t underestimate the power of a well-designed brand and how a designer can help you achieve this. But I also don’t encourage you to invest in a brand design unwisely, especially when you are unsure of where your business is going. Dig deep and figure out when your business would benefit the most from a brand design or even a rebrand or brand refresh – and go from there!

Are you ready for your new brand identity? If you’d like to work together, I would LOVE to chat with you about your business goals and branding. Book a Discovery Call with me here and let’s talk about how I can best support you!