I softly launched a new way of working with me a couple of months ago (March 2023) and I’d love to share how it’s going so far with you. I haven’t seen anyone else doing branding for small businesses this way in the UK or further afield.
It’s called Unfurl your Brand, and it’s a pay as you go brand identity design process.
There are currently 4 wonderful women-owned businesses working with me through Unfurl your Brand.
- For one business we have completed their brand identity design and they’re opening their flower studio in North Wales, UK in June.
- For one business we have completed their logo design and the next session they book we’ll work on building out their brand identity.
- For one business we have their mood board, colour palette, and a plan for what I’ll be designing sorted. On their next booking (which is already in the calendar) I’ll be diving into the design.
- For one business, we’ll be working on their mood board and colour palette when they’re ready to book the session.
Note that each business is at a different stage in the process, and that’s the beauty of it. I have split the process up into manageable chunks, so it can either be worked through back to back (availability allowing) or it can be slowed right down.
Each stage is a potent, soft edged container of action that will move us along just enough. There’s no ‘all or nothing’ here. Just…enough.
After each stage there is a tangible outcome that’s complete and ready to be implemented, or can be savoured in favour of doing a branding launch when the rest of the process is complete. Launch with a bang, or go softly, softly.
Why it feels important to offer branding in this format for small businesses
Allowing you to do things your way is at the very heart of the values in my own business. It’s so important to me that I’m the guide who shows you the way and does the hard work for you, but that I’m also completely honouring who you are as a person and business.
There is structure and a process, but I’m allowing you to financially, logistically, emotionally, and energetically go at your own pace. This is not something that is generally encouraged in society as a whole, and especially not in business.
We’re measured from birth against a pre-determined timeline, tested, kept in line, kept indoors. We’re told to grow up, then later, especially as women, to snap back.
In business we’re told to get things done quicker, extract more, give less.
As well as allowing freedom for you within the branding process, it’s important to me that I counter the narratives I’m uncovering that are harmful. Once I see it, I can’t un-see it. I can’t go back, so I’m forging my own path.
To be really honest, the offshoot of all of this is that financially for me, income is way less predictable in a sense. It can’t not be if I’m allowing so much flexibility within the timeline of projects. I’m under no illusion that I’m building a way of working that would meet everyone’s needs, that isn’t the point.
Our move to Pembrokeshire and a huge downsize in space and living costs (after 9 months living in a caravan!!) means that I have a certain amount of freedom to try such a drastic new way of working.
This is just a note to say please do not think you should be working with your clients in the same way if it is not financially viable for you. Figure out your own way if it feels important. I’m doing what feels right to me and I know myself how it feels to see what someone else is doing and to feel like I should be doing it to, but it doesn’t work like that. We’re all learning and growing together.
I highly recommend this online course by Bear Hebert as an amazing starting point to figuring this stuff out, if you’re called to it (again, your business is yours). It’s $50 and well worth that price. Please note it’s for service based businesses and this is not an affiliate link:
Freely: An anticapitalist guide to pricing your work
I also made my own resource about the way I’m offering PAYG services, It’s a 3 part video series. And it’s only £9!
Final thoughts on Unfurl your Brand.
The cool thing is, I’m only ever working with one of these businesses at a time. They book and pay for time in my calendar each session, so although there are 4 clients here, it’s easy to manage. Something I really struggled with as my business grew and especially since having my first child. I have bits and bobs of other work in the background like single day design bookings from long term clients, but logistically, it works.
As you know may know I’m also growing the digital products and courses in my business so I hope that by having multiple income streams, things will even out financially. Offering payment plans on anything and everything has also been great actually – it not just a help to the client.
The whole Unfurl your Brand process also sets things up for me to be a longer term design partner with my clients. I’ve seen from recent Design Day bookings that working with people you already know is so easy and enjoyable. With the Unfurl your brand process split down into week long design sprints, clients can easily book further sprints or design days in the future to build things out even more.
Synergetically, it weaves together so many threads I’ve been pulling at and unravelling for the last few years. I feel both at peace and so excited about where this journey is taking me next.
If you would like to learn more about PAYG services with a view to offering them yourself, I made this 3 part video series all about it. It’s only £9!
Would you like to Unfurl your Brand together with me?
You can book in with a £150 deposit to get access to your online portal on the Tree House. You can watch the self-paced videos giving you more insight into the design process and fill in the Brand Discovery Workbook over the Summer.
When my availability opens back up late Summer / Autumn, you can begin to book in your 1to1 sessions via the calendar in your online account. First the mood board and colour palette session (£350), then later at your own pace, the design sprints (£550 per week).
Here are some handy links and more information for you:
- Download a pdf with all the info
- See example deliverables for each stage of the process
- See some work from my portfolio
- 3-part video series all about delivering PAYG services
