Hey there, new client!
Ready? Let’s go!
First of all, a great big massive thank you for trusting me with your brand! This page has all the info you need to ensure your project runs as smoothly as possible; office hours and response times, how to schedule a meeting, where to submit your client questionnaire, how to download your final files… and more!
I can’t wait to get started!
Petchy xx
OFFICE HOURS
I’m usually available between 9 am – 3 pm CET Monday to Friday, however I do indulge in the odd CEO day or take a hike during “normal” office hours. It’s part of why I love my job! Rest assured though, that slightly unconventional office hours will not get in the way of your project – some of my best strategy work is done wearing hiking boots!
COMMUNICATION
To make sure each of my clients get their fair share of my undivided attention, I work in time blocks dedicated to each ongoing project. When I’m in “my zone” I put my phone on silent – but that doesn’t mean I’m ignoring you! The best ways of reaching me are by emailing me or sending me a voice or text message on Voxer.
RESPONSE TIMES
If you contact me before noon CET I will usually get back to you on the same day – and certainly within 48 hours, except for weekends, public holidays and planned time off (you will be notified in advance if I plan to be away for a period of time). If it’s something urgent, please mention it in the subject line so I can prioritise accordingly!
BOOK A CALL
Need to schedule some 1:1 time with me? Easy peasy! You can book a suitable time here, either for a 30-minute meeting or a 60-minute meeting. If you’re local, we can meet face to face at an agreed location – otherwise we meet in my virtual meeting room.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Schedule a time for our initial meeting. Your project timeline is outlined in the contract, and to avoid any delays I recommend booking this meeting for the week where your project is scheduled to start – but no earlier than the week prior, because it’s totally best if that meeting is fresh in my mind as I dive into your project!
I suggest familiarising yourself with the client portal, as this is where we’ll keep track of deliverables and milestones, and also where your final files will live once the project is complete. Click the link provided in your welcome email and have a mooch around! At the start of the project there isn’t much in there, but your files will all be uploaded there as soon as they are ready.
The client questionnaire is a crucial part of the project, and should be completed prior to our initial meeting. The Brand it! workbook has been designed to guide you through as you define your brand’s strategic foundations, and you might find it useful to take some time to complete this before filling in the questionnaire.
As a valued client, you also have free access to my self-study brand strategy course (create your account here) + my client community, The Brandits, where you can hang out with other business owners, make new biz friends, and get support from myself and your fellow brandits.
The design process
Great design is about more than just creativity and making things look pretty. Through research, analysis and a close collaboration with the client; the best solutions are born where your knowledge of your business crosses paths with my design expertise.
Every project is unique, and your personalised project timeline is outlined in the project contract. Though the timeline depends on the scope of your project (usually anywhere between 8-16 weeks), the process is largely the same for every identity design or rebranding project. Here’s an outline of each phase, so you can know what to expect:
Before we start
Before we get started, you’ll need to sign the project agreement. This will arrive in a separate email, via Adobe Sign. To avoid any delays to your project it’s important that you sign this before your scheduled start date, so if for some reason you don’t receive it: check your spam – and if it’s not in there either, let me know!
Research (1-2 weeks)
The first phase in any design project is all about digging deep. Exploring, evaluating and defining your vision, core values and goals. You play a key role as we stake out the course, and this phase is a crucial part of creating a unique and memorable brand identity that you can be proud of!
This first stage of the project is where you complete Brand it! workbook, submit the client questionnaire and pin inspiration to a shared Pinterest board. If your package includes one or more strategy sessions we will also conduct those now, as you’re in the process of defining your brand’s underlying strategy. If your package doesn’t include any strategy sessions, you can always choose to add one on if you need some guidance
Towards the end of this phase we complete our initial meeting, and I get ready to move on to the ideation phase.
Ideation + concepts (1-2 weeks)
I will now start to explore possible design concepts. This phase usually includes developing one or more style directions (aka moodboards), to ensure we’re on the same page and have a common understanding of the direction we’d like for the end result before the sketching phase begins.
Sketch + conceptualise (2-4 weeks)
Time to visualise the initial ideas, through both quick and more detailed sketches, on paper and screen! This is when I go quiet for a few weeks, and you can chill out while I knuckle down to create design concepts. I know you’re probably super eager to see your brand come to life, but at this stage I probably don’t have a lot to show you as a lot of the initial design work takes place in my head or as rough (and I mean really rough!) sketches. It’s important not to rush this phase, but to allow ideas to mature and evolve over time. Towards the end of this phase, I pick a handful of the strongest concepts that I then contextualise (making it easier for you to envisage the final result) before presenting them to you.
Iterate (1-2 weeks)
Design is an iterative process. Working closely with you, it’s now time to tweak and tinker your chosen concept, down to every little detail. Colour scheme, typography and visual elements all come together to form one strong and unified look.
During this stage it’s really important that you provide me with honest and constructive feedback. Effective feedback can turn a good design into a great design – but I get that it can be a little daunting if you’re not used to it, which is why I’ve compiled a list of handy tips below.
Finalise (1-2 weeks)
Almost there! It’s time for those final finishing touches to the identity’s underlying system, and the preparation of a brand board or more detailed brand identity guidelines. These guidelines will ensure correct use of all the visual elements, enabling you to create a strong and consistent look for your brand. Final files are saved in every file format you could possibly need, and then uploaded to your client portal for you to download.
Implement
Your shiny new brand identity is now ready to conquer the world! Your individual needs define the extent of this phase, but it usually includes design of branded collateral like brochures, business cards, banners, ads, website, social media graphics, clothing, packaging… you name it!
Feedback (optional)
Client testimonials help other potential clients decide if I am the right fit for their project. If you can spare a few minutes to leave me a sentence or two about your experience of working with me, that I can use on my website or social media accounts, I’ll totally jump for joy!
Head to this page to leave your review.
How to give constructive feedback:
Be specific
Vague design feedback is the worst. If you tell me to “make it pop” or “it’s too bland” it’s near impossible for me to interpret, because what “pops” to you and what “pops” to me could be two completely different things. The more specific you are, the less guesswork I have to do! Don’t be afraid to hurt my designer ego – honest feedback is crucial for a good end result.
Don’t say: Can you make it pop a bit more?
Do say: The colours might be a bit muted for our young audience. A brighter colour palette might appeal more to them.
Resist the urge to micro manage
But how do your give specific and constructive feedback without micro-managing? Easy. Tell me the problem, not just the solution. If you ask me to “make the tagline bigger” I’ll know that you want the tagline to be bigger, but I don’t know why you want it to be bigger. If I understand why you feel it needs to be bigger, I can suggest solutions that you may not have thought of.
Don’t say: Can you make the tagline bigger?
Do say: I’m worried that people won’t be able to read the tagline from the a distance. How can we make it stand out more?
Give examples
If you’re struggling to find the right words, use examples to illustrate what you mean; send me a link or an image to explain what you’re thinking. Not because I want to copy it, just so I have a visual reference instead of a vague description that I could misinterpret.
Don’t say: This isn’t what I had in mind when I said “classic and understated”
Do say: This isn’t what I had in mind when I said “classic and understated” – here’s an example of what I was thinking. The delicate font and muted colour scheme is more in line with my vision.
Don't be afraid to ask questions
Feedback should be a dialogue, not just a list of changes. Asking questions is not “annoying” – if anything, it shows me you’re invested in the project. If you’re wondering why I designed something in a certain way, ask me about it. That way I can explain the rationale behind my design choices, and explain how it ties in with the overall strategy.
Don’t say: *crickets*
Do say: I’m used to seeing logos with the tagline directly below. Is there a reason you chose to make them separate?
Put your personal tastes aside
Easier said than done, huh? It’s important to remember that your brand isn’t really about you as a person, it’s more about your business. Sure, we want you to like the end result, but what matters the most is if your audience resonates with it – and whether it will help you reach the goals we discussed at the beginning of the project.
Don’t say: I don’t like hot pink. We need to change it.
Do say: The hot pink is vibrant, but our target audience is mature and mostly male. Are you sure this is the best choice?
peasy, right?
Need more strategy sessions?
Maybe you opted for a package without any strategy sessions included, but realise you’d like some 1:1 support after all? Or you might want to add more sessions in addition to those included? No problem! You can book additional strategy sessions here.
Psssst: Use the voucher HELLOBRANDIT to get 10% off, just for being such an awesome client.
What the FAQ?
When and how do I pay?
For brand design projects:
You’ll receive an invoice for a non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. Check your contract for details of your personalised payment plan. You’ll be sent a final invoice once the project is complete and your files are ready. Payment is due within ten days unless otherwise agreed, and ownership of the design files remains with Petchy until full payment has been received.
If you’re paying by credit card, you’ll get a personalised payment link from me. If you’re paying by bank transfer, you will find the necessary information on your invoice.
IBAN: NO7839300558406
BIC/SWIFT: NORVNO21
For brand strategy projects:
Usually you pay for each strategy session, or a bundle of sessions, at the time of booking. If we have agreed on a fixed rate package for ongoing support, you’ll receive a personalised invoice and/or payment link for this.
Help! What are all these file types?!
It’s easy to get a teensy bit overwhelmed when you log in to your client portal and see a gazillion folders with different file types in them. Your logo files will be provided in a variety of different file types, each best suited to a specific application. Here’s a quick guide to help you navigate them all:
RASTER FILES
Raster files consist of tiny squares called pixels. When you zoom in on a raster image the pixels become more apparent while the details of the image become blurry. Your raster based logofiles are best suited for digital applications.
PNG – Portable Network Graphic
PNG files can be used for pretty much any digital purpose. They’re also useful if you need digital images with transparency, say if you want to place your logo on colored backgrounds or on top of other images. This file type is not really recommended for print.
JPEG – Joint Photographic Experts Group Standard
JPEG files are the most common files for use online as they are optimised for compression. This means that they download quickly because the file size is smaller. Unlike PNG files, JPEG files do not support transparency, and if you try to place it on a coloured background or an image, you will get a rather ugly looking white square around it.
VECTOR FILES
Vector files are made up of of paths and curves dictated by mathematical formulas. Vectors are infinitely scalable and remain smooth and crisp even when scaled up to huge dimensions. Your vector based logofiles are best suited for print.
AI – Adobe Illustrator
The AI file is the original, editable working file of the designer. Because they’re vector based, they will always be crisp and maintain quality – and you should use them whenever they’re accepted, especially when sending a logo to print. You won’t be able to open these files without vector software, but still hang on to them as they are considered your “master files” and you may need to supply them to a third party supplier at some point.
EPS – Encapsulated PostScript
EPS files are used much in the same way as AI files, and they’re considered the industry standard vector file format, as it can be used by the widest range of software.
SVG — Scalable Vector Graphics
The SVG file format is a popular tool for displaying two-dimensional graphics, charts, and illustrations on websites. Plus, as a vector file, it can be scaled up or down without losing any of its resolution.
Can you help me with other design stuff too?
Yes, but only ’cause you’re so darn special! I don’t usually take on ad-hoc design jobs, but I make an exception for my existing clients. Hiring me to be your long-term design ninja means peace of mind. Focus on what you do best – and I will make sure your brand’s visuals are always hard at work, communicating those core values like a champ! As your brand guardian I will ensure the correct use of your logo, fonts, colours, and other brand elements, so your brand always looks spot on. Every time. I’ve got your back!
As an existing client, there are a few ways you can book me for design services:
If you have an ongoing need for design services, you can choose to go for a retainer package where you pre-pay for a certain amount of hours (minimum 5) each month, at a discounted rate. That way, you get to jump the queue, because I’ll reserve time for you in my schedule! I have a limited number of hours available for retainer packages, so get in touch if you would like to book.
If your design needs are more variable in nature, we can work together on an ongoing hourly basis, you can request a quote for a fixed rate project, or you can book me for a full day. I have limited availability for these services, and they are booked in on a first come first served basis.
Can you manage printing of my project?
Sure can do!
You may already have a preferred print vendor, in which case I will supply print-ready PDFs that you can send to them. This is included in your project fee.
When needed I’m also happy to manage the entire printing process for you, right from obtaining quotes to liaising with printers about paper choices, formats, special effects (like spot UV varnish, embossing, metallic foils, die cutting…) – seeing your project right through to completion. In this case, a print management fee will be added to your invoice.
In either case, the printing company will invoice you directly for their services – which means no added mark-up charges, and you can contact them directly in the future if you need any reprints.
I need a website too, can you do that?
No. Web design and development is a whole profession (actually, it’s more like two) of its own, and I no longer provide these services.
I recommend you to hire a dedicated person or company to help you with your webdesign needs. That way you can be sure your little corner of the internet is working for you, not against you! A good webdesigner will be able to reference your brand style guide to create a website that stays true to your brand. I can also provide them with rough design sketches for them to work from, or take on a consulting role where I check in on the project at key points to ensure the design is consistent with your brand.
If you need pointing in the right direction, I have several talented webdesigners and developers in my network that I can put you in touch with!
What about copywriting?
Not really. Again, this is a whole speciality of its own, and you will find copywriters who specialise in sales copy, and others who are super rad at writing captions for your Instagram feed. And everything in between!
I can help you with strategic naming processes, help you narrow down a tone of voice for your brand, and maybe help you tweak that heading for your brochure – but that’s really where my expertise ends.
I recommend finding a copywriter that can help you with your specific needs. I can point you in the right direction though, as I have several badass copywriters in my network!
I want to ask about something else!
Ask away! The best ways of reaching me are by emailing me or sending me a voice or text message on Voxer.
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