So you want to know how to become a brand designer but you have no idea where to start?
I’m that brand designer who had absolutely no idea what they were doing when they started but started anyway. And here’s how you can do it too.
This is going to sound like the lamest piece of advice but just start. A common thing I see across all new designers is that they get overwhelmed with all of the possibilities. So much that they delay starting because they want it to be perfect.
You’re not going to be great when you start, and that’s okay.
Creatives are amazing people and whatever you end up doing with your business will be great. But you have to suck a little bit first to get great at being a brand designer. I’m still at the start of my journey and I’ve got so much to learn. Here’s a little part of my journey. I wanted to start a podcast for ages but I was nervous. I researching microphones and the perfect software to start my podcast. The lack of confidence held me back too. Until I received a really great piece of advice from a friend.
Don’t overthink it just start with whatever resources you have access to and go from there.
I opened my Spotify for Podcasts account & found a discounted Blue Yeti microphone in a second-hand tech shop. Then, I just started. I brainstormed a few ideas of the things I wanted to talk about and I didn’t overthink it anymore.
Fast forward six months later, I’ve had some amazing guests on my podcast. I even rebranded it to really align with the topics that I enjoyed talking about the most. I’ve got some amazing plans for the podcast in 2024 too.
Choose the right places to spend your money.
You don’t have to have fancy equipment or a lot of money to start your design career. When I first started my business back in 2022 I had no money to my name. I was on maternity leave and enjoyed designing just for fun. My partner encouraged me to open up on Instagram so I could connect with other designers. 2 weeks after opening my Instagram account I got a message from a photographer asking to hire me.
Fast forward to 2024 I have taken on some incredible design projects. I’ve also built a brand strategy course & worked with high ticket clients.
My point is don’t overthink it just start.
If you want to know how to become a brand designer while looking to save a bit of cash. (who isn’t!). Then here are my top suggestions for the things that helped me grow my business that have free/low budget:
Brand Design Software
If you really want to know how to become a brand designer, you need good software. Go with Adobe Illustrator, it’s the industry standard for a reason. Adobe Photoshop is incredible for bringing your designs to life through mock ups. Mock-ups can also be done on Adobe illustrator (it’s just a little bit more tricky). I studied photography all the way through school and college so I already had Photoshop when I started. But if you don’t have the funds to invest in other software is in the Adobe suite, just get Illustrator!
Taking inquiries for your Brand Design Projects
If you want to get clients you need somewhere where they can professionally apply for a project with you. Instagram DM‘s I’m not going to cut it, there’s free things that you can use instead.
My favourite web design platform is Showit. I used Wix for ages until I realised that the capabilities of Showit were better suited for me. And for the extra features I could have it was worth the tiny bit of extra cash. Show it is a really great drag-and-drop builder that makes it super easy.
It’s the perfect option for designers and creatives and there’s tons of support on their website if you get stuck. If you would like to try show it there is a free trial. Or if you sign up with this link then you can get one whole month free.
Sign up for Showit with this link for one month free!
This is an affiliate link. When you sign up and claim your one month I also get one month free which is great! Spread the love!
Marketing for Brand Designers
As for marketing your business I always preferred Instagram over anything else. I personally believe it is the easiest platform to grow on as a designer. TikTok and Pinterest or two other fantastic options but personally Instagram is where it’s at. Sign up make your free account and just start posting work even if you don’t love it
Speaking of which…You are not going to attract clients if your amazing designs are sat in your camera roll. I promise you it’s not that deep and nobody actually cares. If you post a bad design, most people are just going to scroll past it. And if they love it maybe they will drop you a like or comment. Either way don’t overthink it get your work up there
Educate Clients, not Designers
Something that a lot of creators say is that education is important to grow your brand. “Educate people to position yourself as an expert”.
Although this is great, it’s hard to educate people if you are new. You don’t want to be giving out false information simply for likes. This is where the problem is. When people say you need to educate a lot of new designers assume that means teaching about Adobe Illustrator. This is not the case. Think about what the goal is here. You want to attract clients. So you need to educate potential clients, not other designers.
Simply sharing your story is great. Start talking about how your process works and even your values. These are all things that can let potential clients get to know you and maybe even learn something.
You don’t have to be great to start but you do have to start to be great.
Looking for more resources for new designers? Click the link below to listen to my podcast episode “The designers guide to essential resources.“
Listen Here or visit my Podcast Page
