You have a business (or an idea for one) and you need to add the ol’ razzle-dazzle to it.

To stand out in your market, to connect with your audience, and to establish yourself as a contender in the space… your brand needs to look great. And fast.

This is where VIP day branding (or “brand in a week”) services come in. With a branding professional who has a super clear-cut and zippy process, you can have a visual brand built faster than you can say “lemon martini with a twist.” 

When you’re strapped for time or cash, need a quick visual brand refresh, or need to go to market quickly, these VIP day branding services sound grand!

But they aren’t for everyone. Keep reading to see if your project “only” needs a quick brand build or if you’d benefit from a traditional brand development project. 

WHEN YOU SHOULD USE VIP DAY BRANDING / BRAND-IN-A-WEEK SERVICES 

We’re not opposed to “brand in a week” or VIP branding services. They certainly have a time and place, like when:

• You’re creating a brand-new business and understand the value in a brand, but you need to save money where you can.
• You have an established brand and ONLY want a visual refresh.
• You’re trying to market untested offers or fresh sub-brands — and they need to look good without a steep investment.

We think theose are entirely valid reasons to find a VIP brand day provider! Of course, you want to make sure you ask the right questions to make sure you’re getting everything you need within this fast-paced timeline. 

You also want to make sure that the service provider has a process for reviewing what’s most important to your brand. Even with “visuals-only” branding services, you need to share important info about your mission, vision, and values — as well as brand keywords, inspiration, and more.

If the VIP branding day service provider doesn’t have a process for that or “doesn’t need that information,” the result will likely not have much longevity and may feel totally disconnected from your vision. 

Trust us when we say: Your money will be better spent elsewhere. 

WHEN YOU NEED MORE HOLISTIC BRANDING SERVICES

VIP branding projects aren’t right for every brand. Sometimes, you need to dive deeper, get more clarity, and get longer-term support to ensure your vision for your brand is reflected in every facet of your business.

We recommend a “traditional” brand development timeline (2-6 months) for:

• Established brands that are going through a steep evolution (in offers, audience, structure, etc.)
• Sub-brands or sister brands that require trust to succeed in their industry
• Mission-driven brands that need to identify their unique position in the market before they can grow
• Brands that want long-term success (and who are tired of “just” updating their visuals every year)

Compared to VIP branding days (or weeks), you’ll also get a lot more deliverables on a traditional branding timeline.

It’s easy to see, from the list of inclusions, that a “traditional” development project can take a bit longer than a short-term VIP day or week option. But the deliverables are extensive — and the brand clarity is irreplaceable.

Think of it like bitters mixed into your favorite cocktail; they need time to steep if you really want the flavors to come out. And while we definitely see the value in speed and “simple” deliverables, we also believe that branding benefits from time. 

“FAST BRANDING” MIGHT HURT YOUR BRAND

We hate to say it, but there are several potential downfalls of fast branding — especially if you’re choosing these short-term projects to saveasve money. (We’ve all been there, sweets! No judgement.)

But with fast timelines (sometimes) comes lackluster results. The truth is that most fast brands lack a deeply rooted identity. How much can one really know about what you value, your audience, your offers, and where you want to take your business in just a few days? 

Again, yes, you can end up with a beautifully designed brand. But its depth and longevity might leave something to be desired. We don’t want you to feel stuck with generic designs and trends that don’t help you stand out and reach your people.

Plus, you want to build a brand that can support your business growth for the next 3-5 years at least! It’s like buying shoes for a child in elementary school — you want to leave a little room for growth. But with fast branding, it’s hard to spend time thinking that far forward, and they’re often more focused on what will stand out today. While that’s wonderful for the time being, you’ll likely end up spending more time and more money in the long run because you’ll need to constantly update your brand to meet your business growth. 

The constant cycle of rebranding causes bottlenecks in operations, takes the focus off of serving your audience, and leads to a breakdown in trust because it all lacks consistency. We know that’s not what you want, doll! 

HOW TO BUILD A HOLISTIC BRAND

Rather than focusing on fast results that help you stand out today, we believe in holistic branding that helps you stand out for the long run. 

And the truth is? Good things take time! 

If you want thorough, soup-to-nuts branding, one that will serve you for YEARS, help establish trust with your audience, and set you apart as the go-to in your industry/niche, you need time to hash it out. Just how long are we talking? Anywhere from 2 to 6 months is the average timeline for brand development. 

But here at Rendezvous, our holistic approach starts on a 5-month timeline. Why?? Because we spent a lot of time: 

• Diving into your values, mission, and vision for how you want to grow.
• Getting to know your audience on a personal level so the rest of your brand can align to reach them.
• Executing the creative elements, like your website, copy, email funnels, content, and more (not to mention the many other assets, like social media graphics, PDF mockups, etc. you may need along the way).
• Mapping out your offers or products to make sure your messaging and offer structure align with your audience and vision. 

It’s a lot, we know. But can you see how that sort of deep-dive can set your business up for success — and help it stand out in a sea of brands that are only focused on appearances? 

READY TO RETHINK YOUR BRANDING? WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Realizing you need more than a “facelift” for your brand? We’re here to help.

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that an intentional (and clear) brand development process can lead to stronger, longer-lasting success compared to rapid-fire brand design.

When you work with us, you’re not merely getting a brand board. You’re getting a full style guide, website design, website and funnel copy, clarity on your offer suite, AND a strategy for stellar customer experience. Plus, we’re going to help you do it ALL — and in a way that’s aligned with your vision for your business.

Holistic branding, intentional offers, and one gorgeous brand you can’t wait to show off? That’s just the cat’s meow.
If you agree, we’re just a ring away, doll! Learn more about working with our branding team here.