INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
development cycle and corporate culture
for over a decade (and a marketer before that), working with organizations ranging from tiny startups to the Fortune 500; this piece will
give you a general idea of branding costs, with the knowledge that these broad numbers may not be applicable in every single case (in fact,
concept that can show product/market fit and bring investor dollars
You may only need a logo, website, and basic brand positioning
original strategy work will give you a base for conveying your identity to professionals who can take it further
Two suggestions that designers commonly recommend are Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout and Designing Brand
Identity by Alina Wheeler, a primer on brand design.Approximate cost: Your time.Logo and visual identityA brand is a relationship with your
Sites like Fiverr and 99designs offer cheap logos, but independent consultants like Pablo Defendini advise that if you can find a small
guide.Approximate cost: $100-$3000.WebsiteAs a UX designer and front-end developer, I often recommend that young companies not spend their
cost, and you can buy domain names from a registrar likeNamecheap
fit with a designer is crucial: Trust is the most important factor in a designer-client relationship, and design is ultimately a
So take the time to find a contractor or firm that you respect and feel comfortable with
Another option: If you already have a strong designer in-house, you might consider setting aside time for them to focus on your brand
identity system with multiple brands
Costs are also driven by scope and time
When you receive proposals from firms, be clear about your needs and transparent about what you can afford
or going through fewer rounds of feedback and iteration
$150-$600/hour for a firm depending on their size and location.Brand strategy and positioningBrand strategy and positioning should drive
With a smaller budget, a consultant might spend a few days with your company leadership figuring out your core values and how to articulate
For a larger budget, expect design teams to do more research and a competitive analysis, resulting in deliverables like a communication
strategy and voice/tone guidelines for your marketing team
More expensive projects may also include things like trainings to make sure your staff correctly and consistently implements your brand
In general, pricing is determined by how many people are working on your branding project and the complexity of your deliverables
Approximate cost: $5000-$20,000 (freelancers and small firms), $30,000-$80,000 (large firms).Logo and visual identityVisual identity is the
result of independent research, visual moodboarding, and rounds of feedback and iteration, says Murray
Murray suggests also including social media visual strategy and Instagram post templates.Pricing here increases the more logo variations you
need, the more brands you have, and the level of detail required in your visual guidance
Rounds of feedback and iteration add cost, as does the size of the team you hire
Approximate cost: $5000-$15,000 (freelancers and small firms), $15,000-$75,000 (large firms).WebsiteThis is the branding piece with the
greatest variability in cost, with projects getting more expensive as they require more user research, prototyping, content creation, and
Pricing is largely dependent on the complexity of engineering requirements and the number of iterations you want to go through
Generally, you have static marketing sites on the lower end, websites built on lightweight content management systems (i.e
a custom visual design built to run on WordPress) in the middle, and web applications managing heavy databases or a more robust CMS like
Sitecore or Drupal on the higher end.Approximate cost: $2000-$20,000 (freelancers and small firms), $30,000-$200,000 (large firms).Company
A naming agency will develop names that work with your brand positioning, do a competitive analysis to research the tone, strength, and
messaging of these names, and pre-screen them for trademark availability
an experienced designer and willing to give you an incredible deal
But no matter who you choose to work with, branding is a vital part of your business that will help you both understand and communicate who
