I cannot tell you how delighted I was to put this post together today! It included seeing the beautiful faces of so many makers in our community AND I got to relive the fun time we had at Craftcation with Sarah Deragon shooting our new photos. I hope you enjoy seeing the transformations as much as I did and that they inspire you!
In a past life my job was to work alongside graphic designers to make sure they understood what the client wanted and the client understood what was realistic and possible. It gave me great insight into how designers think (I often say, "I speak graphic designer"). And it also allowed me to see how many people did not understand the role or abilities of designers. Which is why I am so glad designer April Matthews is sharing how to work with a graphic designer-- because it will save you time and money (I promise!)
Today is the last post in a series on rebranding from #ahasmembers Robert and Stacia Guzzo of Handcrafted HoneyBee. First off I want to say thanks to the Guzzos for giving so much information to share with other makers out of the kindness of their own hearts. Writing this series was A LOT of work and they gave and gave and gave so much.
This week's post is a complement to the series we have been running with #ahasmember Handcrafted HoneyBee on their massive and intensive rebrand. The rebrand was more than just new graphics, but I think it's important to see how a designer enters into the picture. I am the first to raise my hand and say that I do not have the money for a designer to meet all of my design needs.
BUT I know that having is important to nail the crucial things-- like your logo and packaging. And especially if you are doing a rebrand, a designer can help you sort your thoughts out more than you'd ever know.
We asked Arianne of Aeolidia, the design firm that #ahasmember Handcrafted HoneyBee enlisted to do the graphics for their rebrand, to talk about why design is so important and what you need to know about doing your day-to-day design on your own!
Please give a warm welcome to Robert and Stacia Guzzo, founders of Handcrafted HoneyBee. This energetic #ahasmember business team has generously offered to share their recent, dramatic rebranding journey with our community. Here is Part 3, as told by Robert Guzzo, Co-Founder of Handcrafted HoneyBee.
Please give a warm welcome to Robert and Stacia Guzzo, founders of Handcrafted HoneyBee. This energetic #ahasmember business team has generously offered to share their recent, dramatic rebranding journey with our community. Here is Part 2, as told by Robert Guzzo, Co-Founder of Handcrafted HoneyBee.
Please give a warm welcome to Robert and Stacia Guzzo, founders of Handcrafted HoneyBee. This energetic #ahasmember business team has generously offered to share their recent, dramatic rebranding journey with our community. Robert and Stacia address issues like maker burnout, incorrect customer targeting, and the process of finding that sweet spot where a company's mission and its ideal customers collide.
Knowing when to start transitioning or when to make a huge change in your business is always a challenge. What makes a change like this even trickier? Initiating a shift when things (on the outside) are going incredibly well and your business is highly successful and receiving industry accolades. Meghan of Handmade Brooklyn shares the exact moment when she realized that her successful business was making her life miserable and what she did in response to this epiphany.
Branding has become a big buzzword over the last few years and all to often it has come to be shorthand for your logo and the visual elements you use to identify your business. And while your logo and your visuals are certainly a big part of your brand (especially in the era of Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube and other highly visual platforms), there's a lot more than just nailing your graphics to having a winning brand.
