At some point you’ll face a choice: hire someone to build your visual identity, or do it yourself. For the record, we (obviously) encourage you to hire a professional graphic designer to do this for you. AI is great at using existing logos and brand assets, but sucks at creating them. Branding basics like this are worth investment, but only when you reach the point that you are sure this business has legs, you’re committed and you’re ready to go for it. Otherwise, maybe use ‘good enough’ branding while you find your bearings. 

Neither answer is always right. Here’s how to make the call.

When to hire a designer

  • You have budget (expect $2,000-$15,000 for a proper brand identity from a reputable designer or agency).
  • You want something truly custom and distinctive.
  • Your brand is client-facing and in a competitive environment.
  • You’ve already done the brand strategy work (Module 1) and are ready to execute. You are clear.

When to DIY

  • You’re early stage and budget is tight or non-existent.
  • You’re willing to invest time learning tools like Canva.
  • You enjoy this process and have or working towards design skills.

How to brief a designer properly

You need to remember that design has it’s own language and designers need a proper briefing and not just. ‘whip up a logo please’. Understanding the context, the strategy, the vibe and the audience can do wonders for their creative output. Most bad design work is a result of poor briefing and poor vetting. Attached is a creative brief to read and use when briefing a designer. It’s essentially what we use here at DISBRANDED to achieve great design results. 

The most expensive design mistakes happen when the brief is vague.

What to look for in a designer

  • A portfolio with work in your sector or adjacent sectors
  • A process that includes discovery and strategy (not just execution)
  • Clear deliverables and file formats outlined upfront
  • References or reviews from past clients
  • Contracts that specify IP ownership – you should own your brand assets outright

Red flags

  • No contract
  • No discovery process – jumps straight to concepts
  • Won’t provide source files
  • Prices that seem too good to be true (they are)

Exercise

Decide: will you DIY your visual identity or hire someone? If hiring, write your brief using the structure above.

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