Creating your own graphic design brand is more than just choosing a name and a logo. It's about defining your identity, your values, and your style as a designer. It's also about communicating your message and attracting your ideal clients. In this article, we'll show you how to create your graphic design brand in six steps.
The first step to creating your graphic design brand is to know your niche. What kind of design services do you offer? Who are your target audience? What problems do you solve for them? What makes you different from other designers? Knowing your niche will help you craft a clear and consistent brand message that resonates with your clients.
For start you need to choose favorite directon in design. For example if you like websites and create mobile app, so you need to choose UI/UX design. I really like graphic design, so I decided to choose my niche in logo design and identity brands. It's really important - have interes in your field of knowledge. Because if you will intrested in your business, you will develop and you can will be succes!
My area of interests Like if I love mountain valleys I can define my brand in my creative style that defines me and I give exposure to my creative style in my brand
The next step is to choose a name for your graphic design brand. Your name should reflect your niche, your personality, and your style. It should also be easy to remember, pronounce, and spell. You can use your own name, a creative name, or a combination of both. You can also use acronyms, initials, or keywords. Make sure to check the availability of your name online and offline before you finalize it.
I can give advice for young designers, use your first name and last name for your brand. This can give you fomous in your neighbourse and people from your city, who know your family. And if you just start to be disigner, you don't need to create brand name. Just begin and try to study design in famouse professionals. Find work in advertisment agency or magazine it's your way for get your first experience.
Before settling on a name, perform a Google search and check the name's compatibility with SEO. A unique name can help your brand rank higher when potential clients are looking for services you offer. In addition, check the availability of the corresponding domain name. A ".com" is still viewed as more authoritative, but depending on your target market, country-specific domains might be beneficial.
The third step is to design your logo. Your logo is the visual representation of your graphic design brand. It should be simple, memorable, and versatile. It should also match your name and your niche. You can use symbols, shapes, colors, fonts, or images to create your logo. You can also use online tools, templates, or hire a professional designer to help you with your logo design.
Your first logo can be simple. My experience is more ten years but I still use my fonts logo with my name and last name, because I really like minimalism style and prefer to highlight my experience and knowledge.
Design your brand with future growth in mind. Think about possible avenues for expansion, such as extending into UI/UX, motion graphics, or even design consultation. Make sure your brand name, logo, and overall aesthetic can adapt to encompass additional services or markets.
The fourth step is to develop your style. Your style is the way you express your graphic design brand through your work. It includes your choice of colors, fonts, layouts, images, and other elements. Your style should be consistent, distinctive, and appealing. It should also suit your niche and your clients' needs. You can create a style guide to document your style and use it as a reference for your future projects.
It is very important to find your own style, because clients will recognize you by your style. I like simple, minimalist design and therefore all my logos are quite simple to replicate and reproduce. Some people like graphics, watercolor or vintage. Create what is close to you, what you can do and what gives you positive emotions!
The fifth step is to build your portfolio. Your portfolio is the showcase of your graphic design brand. It should display your best work, your skills, and your experience. It should also demonstrate your style, your niche, and your value proposition. You can create a portfolio website, a social media profile, or a PDF document to present your portfolio. You can also use online platforms, networks, or directories to promote your portfolio.
I recommend Behance for creating a portfolio. On it, other participants, as well as your future employers, will be able to evaluate your work. Be careful! Add only the best projects. Show the work process and intermediate steps. This creates interest and allows you to prove that this is your work.
Behance and Dribbble are great platforms to build connections with other designers, but I've seen great examples of designers with a great brand presence on Instagram. IG reaches out to an audience outside of the art and design community.
I agree Behance is the main platform I use even though I have a website! Dribbble and Pinterest are also good places to promote your work.
The final step is to market your brand. Marketing your brand is the way you spread the word about your graphic design brand and attract more clients. It includes creating a website, a blog, a newsletter, or a podcast to share your content and expertise. It also includes using social media, email, or referrals to connect with your audience and network with other designers. Marketing your brand requires planning, strategy, and consistency.
If your brand has a stance on sustainability or ethics, make it known. More clients are looking for designers who can create sustainable designs or who follow ethical practices. This could be a significant differentiator for your brand.
While many designers focus on creativity and marketing, it's essential to allocate resources for legal protection of your unique designs, branding elements, or even specific techniques you've developed. This safeguards your competitive advantage and could serve as a revenue stream through licensing.