You just received that gorgeous logo and a color scheme that will turn heads. What your designer has created isn’t exactly what you envisioned in your dreams, but, it’ll do…certainly much nicer than what you currently have… or rather, don’t have. 

There’s just one problem. You don’t know what you’re working with. You don’t know what goes where and when, or how it fits into your overall business strategy. You wouldn’t be able to articulate to the next contractor or team member what any piece of your branding means so it effortlessly converts, because all you see are pretty, shiny things. 

That’s because most brand design is focused on the deliverables. They make your brand look polished and professional, and it’s traditionally what we think of when our noggins envision “brand design.”

But a real, true-blue brand goes beyond the looks and digs deep into what the brand truly stands for – and wants to make happen.

This isn’t just handing over a bundle of assets and hightailing it out of there. There’s so much more story to be told. 

Your brand goes deeper than a logo

Is a bartender a great bartender because they can sling a few drinks and make it flashy? Or is it because they know just the right splash of tonic and the right garnish to make the drink an experience? 

When you pay for branding, you aren’t just paying for visuals. You’re paying for a brand strategy and deeper transformation. If there isn’t well thought-out intention behind what you’re receiving, you might as well continue piecemealing your brand together in Canva. Because that’s all that a brand without strategy gets you.

Confusion stifles the magic

Have you ever been delegated out a social media graphic, email, web copy, sales funnel, or another brand asset — only to be filled with complete and utter confusion when it’s delivered back to you? 

Have you ever used your own brand guidelines to create something you were so excited about, only to step back and realize that it’s just not coming together? 

Whatever that is, it’s not what you envisioned.

In that confusion, in that frustration, you lose your excitement. What was once joy and relief to FINALLY have the branding you’ve always wanted turns into disappointment and frustration.

You know your branding is gorgeous, but you don’t know how to use it to its full potential.

And when that happens, you start to lose that shine, that sparkle in your eye that keeps you motivated, consistently showing up for YOUR clients or customers. You lose that passion and excitement for all that is to come. 

Because what you see in front of you doesn’t align with what you see in your head. Before you know it, you start to doubt the good thing you’ve got going. 

Branding goes beyond deliverables

Of course, we don’t want to diminish the importance of gorgeous logos and mockups, of strategic funnels and written word that would make Hemingway weep. The creative assets you receive from your branding team and others are oh-so-important.

But education on how to use your brand? That, dear reader, is the best tool you can have on hand. What good is it to pay for something you can’t or don’t know how to use? 

If you want a brand you can use, you need to work with a designer (or a team) that knows how those assets will be used — before they’re even created. 

When you work with a branding agency, especially if they only deliver branding, you need to know how you want to use assets later. Will you be designing graphics yourself? Outsourcing them? Are you planning to create new offers? What assets will you need to build those out? Will your website change, a la a new provider or design tool? 

This sort of forethought allows your design team to create deliverables and assets that can be used — rather than just look pretty in a Google Drive folder.

As a client, when you understand where everything is headed and how to use what you’ve been given, you spend less time feeling confused and even unwelcome in your own creative process. You feel more comfortable, willing, and even excited about using your guidelines to create something truly stunning.

But can collaboration happen if one party is left in the dark? We don’t think so. That’s why education is truly the best tool your team can give you. 

You want to feel comfortable asking your design team how to use your assets, what it should look like when something is “in alignment” with the new brand, and how you can extend what you’ve been given if your business grows.

What are you really paying for?

Do you know what you’re paying for when you start a branding project?

Is it a logo, font guidelines, a color palette? Or is it a persona, a presence that connects, builds, teaches, and delivers to your audience? Is it a full refresh of your brand as it exists in the world now? A build-out of a sister brand or sub-brand?

What, exactly, are you getting? 

If you’re not sure, it’s time to ask deeper questions to ensure that everyone involved in the project is up to speed — and ready to cut a rug together. 

Ready for a brand strategy (& execution) that really slams? 

One thing we positively can’t stand?

When a gorgeous brand with an important mission can’t gain the traction it deserves. 

Unfortunately, we see it happen all the time when business owners “revamp their brand” without a whiff of strategy or execution plan included. It’s not you, and we’re not trying to rub it in your face. We just want you to know that there’s another way.

That’s why at Rendezvous Creative, we work with ambitious business owners and entrepreneurs who are building bigger, better brands, sister brands, and sub-brands — and who want their brand to feel like dipping their toes into a mountain of bubbles, full of possibility. 

Our clients know they want help turning “Something is just off” into “This is exactly right.” But they don’t want to risk piecemealing the elements, sacrifice the whole picture for a few shiny pieces, or wait years. 

Our services include a decked-out package — one that starts with coaching to dig into mission, vision, and values. Then, we serve up full-service brand design, copy and content, marketing strategy, and more. You’re literally getting the entire thing — including a plan to use all of it.

What’s included in our Rendezvous Roadmap?

This is truly the intersection of your brand and vision. This is what makes a brand successful and long-lived. 
If you’re ready to stop piece-mealing your brand and compromising your vision, we can help. Our team of holistic brand experts and strategists are ready for you! Come see what’s possible here.