The Process
Branding for New Businesses
How we build your brand, step by step.
Get clear on what your business needs to say.
We'll work through your business, customers, and competition, then turn what we learn into a practical strategy and messaging guide you can use across your website and marketing.
You don’t need every stage below. This is a suggested progression for building your brand, from strategy and messaging to design and the materials customers see.
You may already be further along in some areas. We’ll look at what’s working, build on what you have, and agree on the help you need.
Use these links to jump to the stage you’re considering:
1 Strategy · 2 Messaging · 3 Logo & Visual Identity · 4 Business Materials · 5 Website Copy · 6 Handoff & Launch
Before we begin
We’ll start with a free 30-minute conversation about your business, what needs attention, and any deadlines or budget you have in mind.
You’ll receive a proposal outlining the work, deliverables, review rounds, schedule, and cost. A 50% deposit is required before project work begins.
You’ll work directly with me. I’ll explain when I need your input and handle the work between reviews.
Get clear on the business.
Brand Strategy
Who are you trying to reach? What matters to those customers? Why would they choose you?
Through guided conversations and research, we’ll explore your business, customers, and competition. I’ll help you identify what makes your offer worth choosing and what people need to understand about it.
Don’t worry if you draw a blank on some questions. We’ll talk them through together.
The result
An agreed direction that guides how your business explains and presents itself.
Strategy and messaging are two parts of my Brand Strategy & Messaging service. First we establish the direction, then we work out how to communicate it.
Work out what to say.
Messaging
We’ll decide what to lead with, which points support it, and how your business should sound.
I’ll bring this into a practical guide with key messages, language examples, and voice guidance. You can use it when introducing your business, preparing proposals, or briefing someone who writes for you.
The result
A written strategy and messaging guide you and your team can work from. Finished website copy is scoped separately.
Give the business a recognizable look.
Logo & Visual Identity
You can start with logo design. We’ll talk about who you want to reach and what the design needs to say about your business. I’ll look at what customers see from you today and how your competitors present themselves. If it helps, we’ll look at a few visual examples together so we can get specific about what feels right for your business.
Before I sketch, I’ll put the direction we agree on into a short design brief. It spells out what the design needs to do and where it needs to work. We’ll come back to it when we review the sketches.
I’ll show you three logo ideas as pencil sketches and explain the thinking behind each. We’ll choose a direction together. Then I’ll refine it and show how the design works on something you actually use, like a sign or a proposal.
The result
Finished logo files. If we’re designing your visual identity, you’ll also get your colors and fonts, with a guide that shows you how to use them.
Bring your brand into proposals, presentations, and print.
Collateral & Layout Design
We’ll figure out what you need first and how people will use it. If you’re handing something out at an event, a single page people can scan and take with them might be enough.
I’ll organize the text you provide and design the layout using your logo, colors, and fonts. If you need something written, we’ll agree on that work separately.
The result
Finished files ready to print or share.
Turn the message into website copy.
Website Copywriting
We start with my Brand Strategy & Messaging service. That’s where we work out how to explain what you offer and why customers choose you. I quote the website writing separately.
I’ll plan what belongs on each page and write the headlines and supporting text. We’ll review the draft together and make sure visitors know what to do next.
The result
Approved copy organized by page and section, with notes for your website designer on how the pages are organized.
Give your web and marketing team what they need.
Handoff To Your Team
Your website designer or marketing team can use the approved copy, identity files, and guidelines to put the work into practice.
If you also hire me for website design, I’ll create the layouts for your developer. Website development, launch, advertising, and campaign management are handled by the specialists responsible for that work.
The result
A clear handoff, with everyone’s responsibilities agreed so important details don’t get lost between people.
How the schedule works
This is a suggested order, not a fixed timetable. Some work can overlap once the direction is approved. You may need only one stage.
Your proposal will show the schedule, when you’ll review the work, and what needs approval before the next part begins.
Common Questions
-
Yes. You can hire me for a logo or a layout project on its own. For website copy, we start with Brand Strategy & Messaging.
-
Share what you have. We’ll review it together and see what we can build on. Working with someone new doesn’t automatically mean starting over.
-
You’ll join the key conversations, review the work, and provide feedback at agreed stages. I’ll make clear what needs your attention and when.
Anyone who needs to approve the work should be involved early. If several people are contributing feedback, I’ll ask you to gather their comments together.
-
Tell me what you’re noticing or trying to accomplish. We can discuss an appropriate starting point on our first call.
If you want a written assessment before committing to a larger project, the First Impression Review is another option.
-
Yes. We can scope the work in phases. I’ll explain any decisions that need to be settled first, and we’ll confirm availability and timing when you’re ready for the next project.
Let’s figure out what’s worth doing first.
Tell me what brought you here. Maybe you have a new offer to explain or a proposal you’re tired of piecing together. If it’s easier to show me, bring a link or a draft to the call.
If you’d like to see how the work happens, explore