Ask the Experts: Branding and Design

Each month, I'm inviting guest contributors to speak about additional timely, relevant and sought-after topics that are important for cause-focused organizations to be aware of as they grow. First up, we have my friends, Madison and Dusty Beaulieu, who expertly designed my branding and website!

Q. What are the latest trends in your industry?

A. There’s definitely been a leaning toward illustration and texture. (YAY!) Flat design is huge, but now designers are taking that minimalism and giving it over to the artists. The desire for perfection in design is being replaced with a need for history and personality. We want to see the human hand in design now. Watercolor, paint, printmaking, hand lettering . . . the arts are showing up in a big way through design, and we love it.

Q. What is the biggest mistake you see people making in terms of their brand?

A. People give logos more credit than they deserve! Your brand is your tool box. Your logo, type, colors and patterns will help show your customers who you are in the same way that the clothes you’re wearing tell others a bit about who you are. Think of your logo as an accessory. If your purpose and brand values are not clear, appealing, and meaningful, an amazing logo won’t be able to fix that. Purpose and values are the foundation for your brand, and a good designer will help you clarify them before jumping into the logo design. Design that comes from the core of your business will work no matter what’s trending.

Q. What is your best piece of advice for people during branding and design, especially for those who are new to, or overwhelmed by, the process?

A. Be sure you understand the investment and what it will mean for your business. The branding process is not something to jump into half-heartedly. (We would make How to Style Your Brand by Fiona Humberstone required reading if we could.) The first six months of any business are unpredictable at best. I recommend that you quick-design a temporary logo using a template from Canva or another app, and build a one page site on Squarespace. After six months, sit down with a designer and discuss taking your business to the next level with an original brand. The branding process should feel like a celebration of your hard work and hustle. It’s an exciting time!

Also, find a designer that you trust and enjoy working with, even if you technically don’t need one now. It’s kind of like finding the right doctor. When something comes up, it will be good to know who you’d turn to.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to talk honestly about your budget. If a designer is passionate about what you do, they may be willing to find an agreement that works for both of you.

And, finally, not all design is branding design. We work with several clients for 5-10 hours per month on designing emails, social graphics, and those random little items that come up. We love partnering with them, and they love delegating those would-be headaches.

Q. What is one thing readers can do this week to improve their brand presence, either online or in print?

A. Make sure you’re using all the same fonts on documents. (No more than three different fonts.) It’s the smallest thing, but it will instantly give your brand a sense of cohesiveness. Typography works very subconsciously. Make sure it’s working for you!

Q. Anything else we should keep in mind for our brand, website or graphics?

A. Be true to your values. Be consistent with your community. Be honest about your capacity. Simple, purposeful things done consistently make a brand shine.

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Mad & Dusty is a creative team for nonprofits and purpose-driven brands. Starting in 2015, Madison and Dusty Beaulieu have worked with over 40 purpose driven organizations to tell important stories through art and design.

Find them online at www.madanddusty.com.

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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And So It Begins...

Well, hi there! Thanks for reading my very first post! To kick things off, I just wanted to share a little about me and why I decided to create Signify. Let’s consider this a get to know you kind of thing—like a first date, but way less awkward.

I’m Kristi Porter, the founder of Signify. I’ve been a professional writer for 13 years, which includes both full-time and freelance work. I’ve written for the hospitality industry (primarily restaurants), lifestyle profiles, churches and ministries, an environmental foundation, a Christian events and curriculum company, a footware retailer, a skincare company and spa, a Christian event planner magazine, a frozen yogurt company, and a few others—and that was all before Signify! I think good writing translates across just about any industry, so I took advantage of most every opportunity that came to me.

Through those varied experiences, I realized that my most fulfilling work came from collaborating with cause-focused organizations. That is, for- and non-profit companies that began with, or centered, on a social mission. (If you need some examples, take a look at my stellar clients.) Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with a number of them, and often, it began with friends.

I am lucky to have a number of friends who started nonprofits, social justice organizations and social enterprises. And in learning from them and others like them, I kept coming back to the same conclusions. First, most all of them got into their profession because they had a heart for the work, and were fantastic at their mission, but few had any real marketing and communications training. Second, because many of them were small, they couldn’t afford to hire someone like me permanently, but they could often find the funds for project work. Third, there were a lot more businesses out there like them.

So, when I began thinking about leaving my full-time position as an Event Marketing Director, all of these thoughts kept running through my mind.

I loved what my friends were doing.

I wanted to help.

I had the skills to do so.

And Signify was born. (Ok, more or less born. This took months to flesh out!) But my friends were my inspiration, as has been true so many times in my life, and these were the types of companies that I wanted to succeed so others would support them too.

I chose the name Signify after months of agonizing. I love single words with multiple meanings, so I did a lot of brainstorming, stream-of-conscious writing, and looked up about a thousand words on thesaurus.com. I liked Signify right away, but still sat with it for a couple of weeks before telling anyone. This is so much easier when it’s not your own company, am I right?

SIGNIFY MEANS TO MAKE KNOWN,

TO SYMBOLIZE,

AND TO BE IMPORTANT.

I didn’t want to just name the company after myself, which is totally fine, but I wanted it to represent more of the synergy between myself and my clients, and the community of do-good organizations everywhere who are championing a purpose and mission to make things better. So, I felt Signify did that . . . all in one little word.

One final note is that I especially love small businesses. I’ve worked in a number of them. They’re scrappy, interested in learning, and teach employees a variety of skills instead of just focusing on one. They’re budding with potential, and often just need some knowledge and a nudge in the right direction. Now, don’t get me wrong, if you’re huge and have piles of money to throw at someone, I’m your girl! But I try to remain reasonably priced and accessible so I don’t leave the little guys behind. They got me to where I am!

Ok, so that’s a bit about me and Signify! Questions? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer. You can also read a few fun facts over on my About page.

If you’re a nonprofit or purpose-driven for-profit organization, I'd love to keep in touch. I want to help you FOCUS your message AND SHINE in the world!

PS: A big shout-out to my inspiration: Katrell, Latasha, Eryn, Anne, Jeff, Patti, Holly, Nelli, Mark, Meier...and the others I’ve undoubtedly forgotten (So sorry)! You are amazing, and the world is a better place because of your work—and so am I!

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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