Ever wonder what our clients get in our branding package? Because it’s not just pretty logos and fonts (although that’s definitely included!)
DIY branding has never been more accessible — Canva, Pinterest, templates, AI, all of it.
And honestly? There’s nothing wrong with DIY when you’re getting started.
But today, we want to pull back the curtain on what clients are actually getting when they invest in professional branding — because it’s so much more than a logo.
This isn’t anti-DIY.
It’s about understanding the difference between:
- Making something look nice
- vs. Building a strategic brand designed for long-term growth
Anyone can make something pretty. But building a brand that makes people feel something, remember you, and trust you? That takes strategy.
You’re Not Just Paying for Design
One of the biggest things our clients get is access to a brand expert. And not just one, but a whole team of people with different areas of expertise.
- Court with brand strategy and design
- Dana for brand design
- Jamie does custom illustrations
You’re not just hiring someone to make things look pretty — you’re hiring a team that can guide you strategically and help you make thoughtful decisions for your business.
A huge part of our job is helping clients understand why certain creative directions make sense for their goals, audience, and long-term vision.
- Sometimes that means helping refine an idea.
- Sometimes it means presenting options they may not have considered yet.
- And sometimes it’s helping clients step back and look at their brand from the perspective of their audience instead of just personal preference.
Because there’s such a difference between “I really love this aesthetic,” and “This direction is going to communicate the right message for my business.”
And honestly, both matter.
We want our clients to LOVE their brand visually, but we also want the brand to work strategically.
That means we’re thinking about things like:
- Audience perception
- Differentiation
- Scalability
- Emotional connection
- Accessibility
- SEO
- Longevity
We never design for what’s trending right now. We’re designing for where the business is headed in the next 3 to 5 years.
And we think that’s one of the biggest differences between DIY branding and strategic branding.
DIY branding often focuses on: “What can I put together quickly so I can launch?”
Professional branding asks: “How do we build something cohesive, memorable, and scalable that supports the future of the business?”
Because honestly, we don’t want to see you feel the need to rebrand in the next 6-12 months after working with us! We want you to feel deeply connected with your brand so you feel proud to show it off and have it represent who you are.
Our Process is Incredibly Intentional
Another thing DIY’ers don’t see (or get) is how much work happens before we ever touch design.
Before we ever open Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign, before we choose colors, before we sketch logos… we are learning EVERYTHING we can about your business.
We have a really robust questionnaire that every client fills out before we start.
And we’re asking things like:
- What are your goals?
- What do you want to be known for?
- What does your business aspire to become?
- Who is your audience?
- What brands inspire you?
- What feelings do you want your brand to create?
This is our client’s opportunity to brain dump and tell us everything that hasn’t been working for them about their current brand.
Because we can’t build a strategic brand without understanding the business deeply first.
Pinterest + “Design Brain”
And then after that, we move into Pinterest boards — which, honestly, is one of our favorite parts.
We tell clients: “Pin literally anything and everything. Have fun! There are no restrictions, and not everything needs to match or make sense.”
We do this process to try to understand their design brain.
We want to know things like:
- What textures are you drawn to?
- What typography styles?
- What kind of energy?
- What kind of emotion?
- What are your favorite colors?
Because all of that tells us something important about the direction you want to take your brand, even if you aren’t sure what that looks like yet (that’s our job!)
Nowwwww We Get to Moodboards
And THEN we create moodboards.
Most DIYers make the mistake of skipping right to moodboards. But actually, moodboards need to come after the intentional thought and strategy, so they align.
We love doing moodboards in the middle of the branding package process because it gives clients an opportunity to see possible creative directions before we fully commit to one.
We’re figuring out:
- What feels aligned
- What feels elevated
- What feels strategic
- What feels emotionally connected to the brand
We aren’t just making random design decisions. We’re taking everything we know about your brand and giving it a pretty face to match.
Research, Research, Research
And another huge thing: we do research.
We’re looking at:
- Competitors
- The industry
- Who inspires the client
- Gaps in the market
We don’t just guess. And obviously, because we’re Duo… we’re also thinking about SEO the entire time because duh.
But truly — accessibility matters. Searchability matters. User experience matters. Trademark and domain availability matters.
We care about all of it, and we aren’t leaving you hanging to figure out bits of your brand by yourself.
Branding is About Feeling Something
One of the biggest misconceptions about branding is that it’s just visuals.
And yes — visuals matter. But strategic branding is really about emotional connection.
It’s helping people FEEL something when they interact with your business.
Because people don’t connect with hex codes and fonts.
They connect with:
- Stories
- Personality
- Clarity
- Emotion
- Trust…
All things your brand should communicate to your ideal audience.
Telling Your Brand Story
We spend so much time talking about storytelling with our branding clients.
We’re not just asking: “What colors do you like?”
We’re asking: “What do you want to be known for?”
That is SUCH a different conversation.
Because branding IS storytelling. It’s shaping how people perceive your business before they ever work with you.
Consistency in Branding
Consistency is another huge thing. DIY brands tend to evolve really randomly over time. Or they swap colors or fonts just because they look pretty, not because they match the rest of the brand.
Suddenly, your Instagram feels different from your website…
Which feels different from your PDFs…
Which feels different from your email marketing…
And now your audience is confused and doesn’t know what to think about your brand. That’s quite the opposite of what we want them to feel—trust, emotion, and clarity.
Strategic branding creates cohesion across every touchpoint.
The Branding Experience Itself Matters
Clients underestimate how valuable the actual experience is to work with us. And that’s not us patting ourselves on the back!
We are incredibly collaborative.
Our clients get:
- Timelines
- Structure
- Accountability
- Feedback rounds
- Brainstorming support
- Constant communication
We schedule things out as early as possible because we don’t WANT clients scrambling at the last minute.
And honestly? Accountability matters.
Because DIY branding projects get abandoned ALL the time.
Not because people are lazy, but because business owners are just juggling a million things, and a new brand gets pushed to the side when deadlines are looming.
We Have “Brand Bestie” Energy
We really care about creating an experience where clients feel genuinely supported.
We’re brainstorming with them.
We’re cheering them on.
We’re emotionally invested.
And a lot of the time, clients get a little extra from us because we’re classic overachievers.
Sometimes that looks like an extra illustration we didn’t promise.
Or another round of feedback because we want it to be perfect.
Or an extra moodboard because we simply love them all!
The Deliverables Go Way Deeper Than a Logo
Another thing people don’t always realize is how extensive the deliverables are.
In our branding package, clients are getting:
- Logo suites
- Brand patterns
- Typography systems
- Color systems
- Illustrations
- Mockups
- Guidelines
- Every file type imaginable
And yes — every custom asset comes in all the brand colors because we are not about making clients struggle later. We give you everything you need to have a cohesive, strategic, and consistent brand from day one.
At the end, clients get this beautiful, strategic guide that shows them how to actually USE their brand.
Because we don’t want people leaving overwhelmed.
We want them to leave empowered.
Strategic Branding From Your Favorite Duo
After the brand package is complete, our clients aren’t just leaving with a logo suite.
They’re leaving with:
- Clarity
- Confidence
- Strategy
- Momentum
- Consistency
- Emotional connection
A brand that finally feels like THEM. That’s the biggest difference between working with us and DIYing your brand.
A DIY brand can absolutely help you get started.
But a strategic brand helps your business become recognizable, memorable, trusted, and scalable.
And at Duo, we really believe branding should do more than just look pretty — it should make your business unforgettable.
If you’re ready to ditch your DIY efforts and walk away with a brand you 100% love, explore our branding packages. Our team cannot wait to dive into your brand and help you make a lasting impact on your audience.
Get The Tea on Our Branding Packages
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Abbey Oslin and Courtney Petersen are Minnesota-based marketing experts with over 20+ years of combined experience working with big brands. They are educators and co-founders of Duo Collective; a boutique organic marketing agency specializing in SEO, branding, and custom websites for women-led small businesses and creative entrepreneurs.
Ready to grow your visibility and become unforgettable?
Learn more or work with our team here.
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