The Cost of DIY Branding
And how to figure out what is right for your business.
Design is readily available to business owners now more than ever. AI is able to spit out endless revisions every 30 seconds, basically for free. Upwork or Fiverr, along with other platforms, do a logo for $20, and a full brand for under $100. And apps like Canva make doing it yourself and working from templates a seamless experience.
Now, this isn’t another salty designer’s take on how we are all doomed, and AI is coming for our jobs. There’s enough of that on the internet right now. And as someone who is busier now than he ever was when these things were as widely used, I also don’t think that’s true for everyone.
I’m not going to get into all that in this issue. That’s a whole other can of worms. But I do want to get into the hidden cost of “free”, cheap, or DIY Branding.
Let me kick things off with the story of how I was a DIY Brand Designer. That’s right, the exact thing that I’m warning you away from is how I got here today. So maybe, if you have had a secret, creative and “designey” itch you’ve been pushing down for years, then it is the best thing you’ll ever do. In that case, stop reading, go do it.
I started designing things for myself back in 2014. At the time, I was a Personal Trainer who went to meet at a design agency for branding and a website. When I received the proposal, I was gobsmacked. There’s no way I could afford what they were charging, and instead of looking for something cheaper, I figured I could probably do it myself. Around then, WIX had just started a DIY Website Platform, and Canva was a very new thing. I jumped in, and I was amazed that I could make things that to me (who has always been pretty obsessed with the way things looked) looked pretty damn good!
So why am I telling you this? Because I’ve actually been in a business owner’s shoes where budget is the limiting factor. I’ve understood the desire to take your brand to the next level, but not have the funds right now to do it. And that is where these platforms like Upwork, Fiverr or DIY programmes are your golden ticket. Because, as I said, design is more accessible now than it ever has been.
Here’s a nice twist, though. There’s a difference between design and good design. And I’m not talking about personal preferences or throwing shade on other designers. I’m talking about creating and owning something that is genuinely going to support your business in the way you want. It’s going to connect with the people you want, it’s going to communicate who you are, what you do and why people should even care, all in an effective way. In order to get that outcome, the level of strategic work, design experience and nuance can’t be found on these platforms.
And that is the cost of them. Sure, they are inexpensive, but they cost you in the fact that you are not really going to have a brand. You’ll have a collection of logos, templates and visuals that do the job of being able to live on socials, slapped on a website or on a business card, but there’s no real brand feeling or level of connection behind them. And that’s costly. Lack of connection costs you trust. Lack of trust costs you customers. And lack of customers, my friend, is a quick way to go out of business.
Now I don’t want this to be all doom and gloom. “HIRE A DESIGNER, OR YOU’RE GONNA GO OUTTA BUSINESS!” is not the case I’m making here. It’s more about understanding where you are at, what your short, mid and long-term business goals are, and what you can currently invest in design. Here’s a very high-level look at how I would approach it, solely focused on getting set up with a Brand Identity that suited my needs:
Zero Budget (Under $100): Upwork, Fiverr or DIY if you’ve got some design eye.
A Little Bit to Spend (Under $1k): Get some mates rates on a friend designer, or find a smaller freelancer who’s relatively new, and fits your vibe.
Our Sweet Spot ($2.5k-$10k): This is where most of our projects sit, and we find it’s the sweet spot for businesses that have a bit more of a budget to put towards brand, but still are small enough that there’s a good amount of creative freedom and excitement. Strategic thinking enters the chat, and we’re diving into the “why” around what we are building. Hire an experienced freelancer or a small independent studio.
Growing Quick ($10k-$25k): When you’re popping into this tier, chances are you’re growing fast and need assets and collateral that will keep up. You’re looking at an experienced independent studio or moving into agency territory.
Big Leagues ($25k+): Agency territory. Highly strategic with multiple team members working on your project, from art and creative directors to junior designers, bringing the brand to life to live accross many physical applications and digital platforms.
Like I said, high-level view, with a big sliding scale even within each of those categories. This is also through my lens of experience. If any other designers are reading this who want to chime in on where they would see these lines being drawn, then I would love to hear it.
So let’s wrap this up, shall we? The closing argument is this: DIY or cheaper design alternatives ain’t the devil. They serve the needs of business owners with budget constraints. Just don’t expect your branding hopes and dreams to be achieved with them. It all comes down to where you are in your journey. When you have the budget to invest, make sure you find a strategic partner whose work you love, who you can trust, and find out how much they cost, as soon as possible. Don’t be scared to have those conversations about cost early on, because for most businesses, that is the limiting factor. So get to know where you both stand, and it will help you invest more time and energy in the tool, person or team that is the right fit for you across all factors.
In the spirit of that closing statement, we wear our heart on our sleeve with our process and pricing, and you can check it out here. Hopefully, this helps you understand where you sit on the scale and where to spend your energy and dollars if a brand project is on the horizon for you.
See you in the next issue,
Rory
