Building your brand

When establishing your freelance design career, start treating your name like a brand. Build up your profile just like a company would by telling your personal story, showcasing your individual style and advertising your products.

Here’s all you need to know about defining your personal brand, and how your 99designs profile can help share your story.

Why it's important to create your brand

Having a personal brand helps distinguish you from the sea of designers out there. You need to clearly convey what makes you unique and why clients should choose you over others. Great branding improves your discoverability, and helps connect you with potential clients.

A personal brand also improves your credibility as a designer. Imagine you’re a company looking for a logo designer. Wouldn’t you rather choose someone with an amazing portfolio and clear style over someone who doesn’t?

Your own story also stays consistent when you have a personal brand. If you’re just starting out with a business card and website, defining a brand will help you down the road when you open your own design studio.

Stationery design by S.V ART

The brand-building process

1. Decide how you want to be perceived

Write down what makes your story unique. How did you learn to become the designer you are today? What’s your personality and your style? These questions (and others) will help you establish what makes you tick.

2. Get inspired

Designers draw inspiration from everywhere, so get out there and soak in all the world has to offer. Start a mood board to gather inspiring images, colors and quotes. What you choose says a lot about your personal preferences and will help you discover your unique design personality.

3. Create your personal logo

Start your personal brand by creating your own logo. Take the inspiration you’ve gathered and sketch up some ideas . Sometimes a doodle is just a doodle. But other times, it helps flesh out the ideas in your head and establishes your personal story.

Then, play with it! Experiment with colors and highlights. Add symbolism. Remember to stay true to who you are, and your revisions will reflect that.

4. Pass the adaptability test

Think about how your logo will look like with different treatments. Will it work with different background colors? How will it look at different sizes? Your brand should present the same message even in black and white.

5. Go online and offline

Consider how your brand looks both on screen and in print. Imagine when your design career takes off and you’re setting up your first design studio. Your logo will need to look good on a storefront and even on merchandise. It’s never too early to make sure your personal brand is cohesive across different platforms.