/ Branding
How do I brief a designer for branding work?
Explain your customers, your competitors, what you want people to feel, and where the brand will be used. Not what you want it to look like.
/ 01
The short version
Designers need constraints and context, not instructions about colours.
/ 02
What actually matters
- • Who your customers are and what they worry about.
- • Three competitors and what you think of them.
- • Where the brand appears: van, signage, packaging, web.
- • Three words you want people to associate with you.
- • Budget and deadline stated plainly.
/ 03
The bit most people get wrong
Sending a Pinterest board of logos you like produces a copy of someone else's brand. Describing the customer produces yours.
/ 04
What to do next
Write a one-page brief covering those five points before contacting anyone.
/ 05
Where RIOT fits in
We're a small Colchester studio helping UK SMBs get briefing branding right without agency waste or freelancer flake. If you've read this far and you want a second opinion on your specific setup, book a 20-minute call and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth doing anything at all.
We work with clients across Essex, Suffolk, London and the wider UK — and remotely with brands abroad. No lock-in, no monthly retainer minimums, no pretending your problem is bigger than it is.
/ FAQs
Common questions
Should I share examples I like?
Yes, with reasons why — not just images.
How long does branding take?
Two to six weeks for a small business identity.
Still not sure?
Book a free 20-minute call — we'll answer your specific version of this question with no sales pitch.
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