September 2023 - PHd design

How to Create a Powerful Brand for Your Staffordshire Business

Industry News 29th September 2023

how to create powerful brand

In the bustling business landscape of Staffordshire, competition is fierce. With so many businesses vying for the attention of local customers, having a powerful brand is no longer just an option—it’s a necessity.

But what exactly makes a brand powerful, and how can you create one that sets your Staffordshire business apart from the rest?

 

Your Brand Is Your Story

Your brand is not merely a logo or a catchy tagline; it’s the story of your business. It’s the narrative that defines what makes you unique, your core values, and what you stand for as an organization. When you tell your brand story in a compelling and authentic way, you connect with customers on a deeper level, building trust and loyalty that goes beyond transactions.

 

Your Brand is Your Visual Identity

A strong visual identity is at the heart of a powerful brand. This includes your logo, colour palette, typography, and imagery. Your visual identity should be visually appealing, memorable, and consistent across all your marketing materials. It’s the first thing potential customers see and is crucial for making a positive and distinctive first impression in a crowded marketplace..

 

How to Create a Powerful Brand for Your Staffordshire Business

Define Your Brand Values

Begin by defining what your business stands for. What sets you apart from competitors? Understanding your brand values is the first step in shaping a brand identity that reflects these values.

Create a Strong Brand Identity

Your visual identity should be designed to be visually striking, memorable, and consistent. This includes a well-crafted logo, a thoughtfully chosen color palette, fonts that resonate with your brand, and carefully curated imagery.

Tell Your Brand Story

Share the story behind your business. Why did you start it? What are your goals and aspirations? Openly sharing your brand story allows customers to connect with your business on a deeper level, fostering a sense of trust and relatability.

Be Consistent

Consistency is key in branding. Ensure that your branding remains consistent across all marketing materials and customer interactions. This consistency helps create a strong and cohesive brand experience.

Creating a powerful brand isn’t a task to be taken lightly—it’s an investment in your business’s future. A strong brand can help you attract more customers, build loyalty, and ultimately boost your bottom line.

Looking for Design Support?

Are you looking for support designing the perfect brand? We can help! Our award-winning design team have been delighting clients for more than 30 years, and our studio is independently ranked in the top 100 of all creative agencies in the UK. If you would like to learn more about working with us on your next design project, please get in touch.

Not quite ready to discuss a project with us? Why not join our fortnightly newsletter to keep up to date with the latest studio news, and get updates on the latest articles, giveaways and special offers from PHd Design – click here to subscribe.

 

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PHd Free Design Competition September 2023

Studio News 19th September 2023

Phd free design competition

Did you know that you can win a FREE design project from one of the top 100 creative agencies in the UK?
That’s right, our award-winning design team are once again giving away a free design project to one lucky winner!

We’re delighted to announce that our ‘Free Design Giveaway’ is back by popular demand.

This time, we’re giving one lucky business the chance to win any project of their choosing, to help with business development or marketing, such as;

Rebranding
Brand Guidelines
Brand Evolution
Brochure Design
Signage Design
Social Media Templates
Website Design
Infographics
Business Card Design
Etc.

And rest assured, the contact information entered below is only used to keep you updated on the progress of your entry. But suppose you would like to get exclusive guides, content and updates from our humble little studio (and of course notifications when the next free design giveaway will be). In that case, you can sign up for our fortnightly newsletter using the opt-in form below.

Don’t forget to share this with anyone else you know who might want enter,the more the merrier!

Apply below!

If you have a project in mind, tell us, and you might just get it for free… Good luck!

[contact-form-7 id=”2783″]

The deadline for entries is 11:59pm on 10th October 2023.

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PHd Design Joins National Doodle Day

Studio News 15th September 2023

national doodle day

Here at PHd Design, we’re big believers that creativity can make a big difference. So when we heard about Epilepsy Action’s annual fundraiser, ‘National Doodle Day’ – our team felt compelled to take part.

Months ago, our talented team submitted their doodles, and now the event is live! In total there are more than 600 doodles from celebrities, artists, and illustrators are up for auction, with all proceeds going to support Epilepsy Action’s vital work. Our team’s doodles are among the many creative pieces that will be auctioned off to raise funds.

If you choose to bid on and win one of our team’s doodles, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We have a special reward in store for you as a token of our gratitude for supporting Epilepsy Action through our contributions.

Join us in this exciting fundraiser by browsing the incredible doodles on auction and placing your bids. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of those affected by epilepsy. Your support, whether through bidding on our doodles or spreading the word, is immensely appreciated.

 

Epilepsy Action Website

National Doodle Day Auctions

 

PHd design charity fundraiser
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Your Graphic Design Questions Answered

Studio News 8th September 2023

Your graphic design questions answered

If this isn’t your first time to our page, you’ll know that PHd Design are big believers in transparency with the goal of making graphic design simpler to understand and to make it more accessible for those that may need it.

With this in mind, a few weeks ago, we gave our newsletter subscribers the opportunity to anonymously ask our team any questions they have…And here are their questions;

 

“I think that we could use your help to make our business stand out more, but as marketing manager, I don’t want to lose face or look as though I can’t make the business stand out on my own. Is there a way I can approach this with our business owners, that doesn’t make me look bad?”

This is a fantastic point, and believe it or not, this is something that a fair few marketers have mentioned over the years to our team during initial discussions. Rest assured, our team are not here to overshadow your efforts – in fact we’re here to help amplify them!

If your current branding is out of date, not an accurate representation of the brand etc, then it isn’t serving it’s purpose. And this actually results in a knock on effect for marketers. Think about it, if your brand identity doesn’t align with your business’s values, message, or the expectations of your audience, it can be challenging to create cohesive marketing campaigns. This misalignment can dilute your marketing efforts, making it more difficult to capture your audience’s attention and stand out in a crowded marketplace. In short – your branding could be making your job as marketer much harder than it should be. That’s where we can step in and lend our expertise, and help your business to bridge the gap between your marketing strategies and the visual representation of your brand.

So, when you consider seeking help to elevate your brand, it’s not about losing face or admitting a shortfall in your abilities. It’s about making a strategic decision to strengthen your brand’s presence, connect with your audience more effectively, and ultimately achieve even greater marketing success.

 

“Is it true that if I work with a design agency, that they own the copyrights to the designs?”

Yes, that’s correct. Technically the copyright belongs to whoever creates the design. But this is something that doesn’t sit right with us; after all if a business pays for design work, they should own it. It’s like buying a car outright with cash, and then being told by the dealership that technically they still own the car!

So we are always happy to sign over copyrights to our clients, provided they’ve paid of course.

 

“I’d like to have a chat about how you might be able to help me, but I’m unsure about reaching out as I don’t know what your pricing is like. Can you share a rough guide to pricing?”

This is another big concern for people. And we completely understand – but unfortunately it just isn’t possible to give even a rough quote without specifics.

Let’s head back to that imaginary car dealership we mentioned before…. Imagine walking in, and asking the manager how much it is to buy a car. He’ll have a fair few follow up questions for you before he can give you even a rough answer. Do you want a brand new car, or an older model? Do you want a car that runs on petrol, diesel or electricity? 3 doors or 5 doors? Would you like a more affordable make, like a Dacia, or something more luxurious like a Lamborghini? Etc….

And the same can be said for any design project. We would need to ask a number of questions before we are able to gauge the cost of a project and present you with a quote.

 

“It looks like you guys know your stuff, but at the same time I really don’t understand design. How do I know I won’t accidentally ask for the wrong thing and get ripped off?”

It’s easy to understand why people are so guarded when it comes to considering hiring a designer. After all, there seems to be hundreds of freelance ‘designers’ who claim to be experts in design simply because they can open Canva on their web browser, who then disappear, leaving their clients disappointed when their £30 logo doesn’t do it’s job and causes damage to their brand…

Our team truly are design experts, with over 30 years of experience, numerous national and international design awards, and of course we’ve been independently ranked in the top 100 of all UK creative agencies. But possibly most importantly the vast majority of our projects are from repeat clients. We endeavour to make working with our team as stress free as possible, avoiding overcomplicated jargon, explaining things in simple terms and just generally doing whatever we can to help. We’re here to give advice and guidance, to help you make the right decisions for your business. Because we know that if we do everything right, you’ll be our next repeat customer.

 

Looking for Design Support?

We believe that the world of graphic design should be easy to understand and accessible to everyone, and this Q&A session was a small step in that direction. Whether you’re an existing client or someone exploring the possibilities of working with us, we’re always here to answer your questions, provide guidance, and help you achieve your design goals. Get in touch with our team to discuss your next project and learn how we can help your business to shine!

Not quite ready to discuss a project with us? Why not join our fortnightly newsletter to keep up to date with the latest studio news, and get updates on the latest articles, giveaways and special offers from PHd Design – click here to subscribe.

 

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