No Limits Ladies.com

Seems like one of the first thing an entrepreneur does is design a logo. She then splashes it on business cards, in email siggies, on letterhead. Even before a business plan is drafted.

So when is the best time to see a designer? I asked Colleen Wainwright aka the communicatrix for her thoughts.

“I'll start by grabbing this opportunity to fix some misperceptions about design. Because I am way bossy like that.

First, if you just want a logo, do yourself a favor and go to one of those overseas online providers that will give you 50 iterations for $300. If you just want something to slap on a business card, it's pointless to spend the kind of time and money necessary for branding and identity development.

And not everyone needs it, nor do they need it right away! One client I'm working with is starting a coaching business. She has no clients yet, nor is she 100% clear on the direction she wants her business to take. It would be grossly irresponsible of me--unethical, even--to take money from her until she's got a better sense of the basics: the "who-what-why":

1. Who are you?
2. What do you do?
3. Why does it matter?

These are the fundamental questions of any creative brief, which is a series of questions and exercises I give my clients when they hire me for any job. My creative brief is different, and gets into more particulars. I can't remember where I first heard of those three questions, but I'm not brave enough to leave it at three!

I call it client "homework", and I will not work with anyone who doesn't take the homework seriously. Because, as I said, I'm not there to slap a bunch of pretty shapes together and pick out a typeface for you. I'm creating a system that will be the visual representation of your message--the foundation of your public face, your brand. Rotten foundation, rotten building.

A real designer will do fairly extensive intake work, and provide you with Branding Guidelines that will work across all visual media: print, web, presentations, etc. With those guidelines, any (real) designer can give you a piece that will work synergistically with what you've already put out there. Real designers create identities; they don't "do" logos.

And of course, this costs. Currently, my identity work starts at $2500, which is actually on the low end for this sort of work. Hire me now, while I'm cheap! Seriously, many, many hours go into the thoughtful creation of an identity. Also, like doctors or lawyers, you're also paying for the experience I've gained over a lifetime of work in communications.

So to answer your original question (talk about the long way around the barn!), don't bother going to see a real designer until you've got a pretty good handle on who you are and why it's going to change the world.

Unless, of course, you're really rich.

BTW, if you want, email me and I'll send you a creative brief. Free. You don't ever have to call/contact me again. I think just the exercise of filling one out makes for better, stronger businesses, and good business should change the world.

Let's change the world--okay, people!”

The marketer in me completely agrees with Colleen. Figure out who your company is first, then find a symbol for that identity.

For more of Colleen’s thoughts, visit her blog at http://communicatrix.com