The 5-Step Branding Process
Our streamlined branding process is designed to be straightforward, repeatable, and adaptable for different industries. Follow these five steps to create professional branding kits without any technical expertise.
Brand Discovery
Purpose
Before creating any visual elements, you need to understand the business's identity, values, and target audience.
Process
- Complete the Brand Discovery Questionnaire with the business owner
- Pay special attention to industry/sector, target audience, and brand personality
- Research competitors to understand industry norms and how to stand out
Time Required
15-30 minutes
Tips for Success
- If creating for a client, schedule a brief interview to complete the questionnaire
- For multiple similar businesses, look for patterns in their industry
- Research competitors to understand industry norms and how to stand out
Color Palette Selection
Purpose
Colors evoke emotions and help with brand recognition. A professional color palette ensures consistency across all brand materials.
Process
- Use Coolors.co to generate and refine a palette
- Consider brand personality, industry standards, and color psychology
- Finalize a palette with primary brand color, secondary color, accent color, light neutral, and dark neutral
- Save the HEX codes for each color
Time Required
15-20 minutes
Tips for Success
- When in doubt, choose fewer colors rather than more
- Test your palette on different devices to ensure it looks good everywhere
- Consider color accessibility for people with color blindness
Typography Selection
Purpose
Typography affects readability and brand personality. The right fonts enhance your brand message.
Process
- Use Google Fonts to browse and select fonts
- Consider brand personality, industry standards, and readability
- Select one heading font and one body font that complement each other
- Note the font names for future reference
Time Required
15-20 minutes
Tips for Success
- Limit your selection to 2 fonts maximum
- Ensure your body text font is highly readable at small sizes
- Test font combinations to ensure they complement each other
Logo Creation
Purpose
Your logo is the cornerstone of your brand identity, appearing on all brand materials.
Process
- Use Canva to access logo templates
- Choose a logo type based on business needs (wordmark, lettermark, symbol, or combination)
- Customize a template using your brand colors, fonts, and appropriate imagery
- Refine the design following basic design principles
- Export in multiple formats (PNG with transparent background, PDF, JPG)
Time Required
30-45 minutes
Tips for Success
- Simplicity is key - avoid overly complex designs
- Ensure the logo works at both small and large sizes
- Test the logo in both color and black & white
Brand Assets Creation
Purpose
Brand assets ensure consistency across all customer touchpoints.
Process
- Use Canva to create business cards, social media profiles, and post templates
- Use HubSpot Email Signature Generator for email signatures
- Apply your logo, color palette, and typography consistently
- Export all assets in appropriate formats
- Create a simple brand style guide documenting all elements
Time Required
45-60 minutes
Tips for Success
- Create a dedicated folder structure to organize all brand assets
- Develop templates that can be easily edited for future content
- Ensure consistency across all materials
Adapting for Different Industries
This process can be easily adapted for any industry by making adjustments at each step:
Research Phase
- Study competitors in the specific industry
- Note industry color conventions and typography trends
- Identify industry-specific brand assets needed
Color Selection
- Refer to industry color associations
- Consider how colors are perceived in that specific industry
- Adjust color emphasis based on industry expectations
Typography
- Select fonts that align with industry expectations
- Adjust formality level based on industry standards
- Consider readability requirements for the industry
Logo Design
- Choose imagery relevant to the industry
- Consider industry-specific logo types
- Balance tradition and innovation based on industry norms
Brand Assets
- Prioritize assets most important for that industry
- Add industry-specific templates as needed
- Adjust formality and style to match industry expectations