If you're starting a business, investing in professional branding might feel like an unnecessary expense. After all, with tools like Canva making it easier than ever to create your own logos, choose color palettes and design marketing materials, why pay someone else to do it?
And honestly, many brand designers won’t tell you this, in some situations, you shouldn't!
DIY branding can be a perfectly sensible starting point, particularly when you're testing a business idea, building a side hustle or working with a limited budget. But as your business grows, your branding needs can change. What worked when you first started might not reflect the quality of your work, the customers you're trying to attract or the direction you want to take your business.
So, how do you know when it's time to invest?
In this guide, we'll explore the differences between DIY branding and professional branding, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and how to decide what's right for your business depending on your business stage and goals. We'll also look at the different ways you can level-up your branding, including an option that sits somewhere between doing everything yourself and commissioning a completely bespoke identity.
What Is DIY Branding?
DIY branding is the process of creating your own business identity without hiring a professional brand designer.
With accessible design tools like Canva, Adobe Express and other online platforms, it's easier than ever to put together a basic visual identity. You can create a logo, choose your brand colors and fonts, design social media graphics and build marketing materials without any formal design experience, and for someone just starting out, this can be a great way to get a business off the ground without committing to a significant financial investment!
However, creating a few attractive graphics isn't necessarily the same as building a cohesive brand identity.
A strong visual identity involves more than just a logo and a nice color palette. It's about creating a consistent visual language across everything your business produces, from your website and social media to your packaging, stationery and marketing materials.
Without a clear direction, it's easy to end up with a collection of disconnected designs rather than a recognizable brand.
What Is Professional Branding?
Professional branding involves working with an experienced designer to develop a visual identity that reflects your business, communicates your positioning and connects with your intended audience.
Depending on the project, this might include:
Logo design and a complete logo suite.
A considered color palette and typography system.
Supporting graphic elements, icons and patterns.
Brand guidelines to maintain visual consistency.
Business stationery and marketing materials.
Website and social media branding.
A professional brand designer brings more than just design skills to the process. They understand how visual elements work together, how to create a cohesive identity and how to translate a business's personality and positioning into a recognizable visual presence.
Rather than trying to piece everything together yourself, you're investing in an identity that's been thoughtfully designed to work as a complete system.
DIY Branding vs Professional Branding: The Pros and Cons
Neither approach is automatically right or wrong. The best option depends on your business, your budget, your priorities and what you're hoping to achieve.
Here's how they compare:
The Advantages of DIY Branding
It's more affordable.
One of the biggest advantages of DIY branding is the low financial commitment. If you're working with a limited budget, being able to create your own logo and marketing materials can help you get started without taking on additional expenses.
You have complete creative control.
You can experiment with different colors, fonts and design ideas until you find something you like. You're also free to make changes whenever you want, without needing to go back to a designer.
You can get started quickly.
You don't need to spend weeks researching designers, arranging consultations or going through a branding process. You can create a simple identity and start promoting your business straight away.
The Disadvantages of DIY Branding
It can be more time-consuming than you think.
Learning how to use design software, researching fonts, choosing colors and creating marketing materials all take time. What initially seems like a quick and inexpensive solution can become a significant ongoing task.
You might lack the design knowledge to create a cohesive identity.
Knowing which colors you like or which fonts look attractive doesn't necessarily mean you understand how to combine them effectively. Without a considered design system, your branding can quickly become inconsistent.
Your branding might not reflect the quality of your business.
As your skills, experience and services develop, your original branding might start to feel a little amateur or disconnected from the business you've built. This doesn't necessarily mean you've done anything wrong. It simply means your business has evolved, and your visual identity might need to evolve with it.
The Advantages of Professional Branding
You benefit from professional design expertise.
A designer understands how typography, color, composition and visual hierarchy work together to create an effective identity. They can also bring a fresh perspective and help you make design decisions you might not have considered yourself.
You get a more cohesive visual identity.
Rather than creating individual graphics as and when you need them, you're investing in a consistent system that can be applied across your website, social media, marketing materials and other customer touchpoints.
You can focus on running your business.
Outsourcing your branding means you don't have to spend hours trying to design your own graphics or learning new software. You can focus your time and energy on the areas of your business where your skills are better utilized.
The Disadvantages of Professional Branding
It requires a financial investment.
Professional branding can be a significant expense, particularly when commissioning a completely bespoke identity. For a new business with little or no income, that money might be better spent elsewhere.
It takes time to find the right designer.
You'll need to research designers, review their portfolios, understand their processes and find someone whose style and approach align with your business.
Longer turnaround time.
Unlike DIY branding, where you can make changes whenever you like, bespoke projects involve a design process with multiple stages of feedback and refinement. It can take several weeks to complete, so you'll need to be comfortable with a little more patience!
When Should You Invest in Professional Branding?
This is where I think the decision becomes a little more personal.
There's no magic point at which every business suddenly needs professional branding. A business that's been operating for five years isn't automatically more ready to invest than one that's been running for six months.
It comes down to a combination of factors, including your business model, financial position, growth ambitions and how important your visual identity is to your overall customer experience.
As a brand designer, I'd much rather see a business owner make a sensible investment at the right time than spend money on something they don't really need yet.
Here are some situations I'd consider when deciding whether to DIY your branding or invest in professional design.
1. You're Still Exploring a Business Idea
My recommendation: DIY for now.
If you're still in the early stages of developing a business idea, haven't launched yet or are simply testing the waters, I'd generally recommend keeping your branding simple.
Perhaps you have an idea for a business but aren't entirely sure what your services will look like, who your ideal customers will be or whether you'll even enjoy running it?
There's no need to invest heavily in a brand identity before you've established that there's a viable business behind the idea.
Start with something simple, create a basic online presence and focus on validating your idea. You can always invest in professional branding once you have a clearer direction.
2. You're Running a Side Hustle Alongside Other Pressing Commitments
My recommendation: DIY initially.
If you're the kind of person who loves a challenge, has big ambitions and is used to juggling a million things at once, I get it! Plenty of women successfully build businesses alongside full-time jobs, study, family life, raising young children or balancing a busy household. But there are also seasons when your priorities naturally lie elsewhere.
That doesn't mean you should put your ambitions on hold (I’m all for chasing your dreams over here!) It's simply worth being honest about your current capacity, rather than making big commitments based on where you hope to be in a few months. A branding investment should feel exciting and empowering, not like another source of pressure.
If now isn't the right time for a bigger investment, that's okay. You can start with a simple DIY identity and revisit your branding when the time feels right.
3. You're Selling Physical Products
My recommendation: Consider professional branding sooner.
If you're running a product-based business, your branding can play a much bigger role in the overall customer experience.
Think about everything your customers interact with before, during and after making a purchase:
Product labels and packaging.
Shipping boxes and inserts.
Product photography.
Your website and online store.
Retail displays and signage.
Business cards and promotional materials.
Your visual identity needs to work across all these different applications, often at different sizes and in different formats.
A professionally designed identity can provide a consistent foundation for all these touchpoints, helping your products feel like part of a cohesive brand rather than a collection of individual designs.
I'd also consider the cost of getting things wrong. If you're ordering hundreds of product labels or investing in custom packaging, having a considered brand identity in place beforehand can help avoid unnecessary redesigns and reprints.
That said, if you're still testing your first product or haven't established demand, there's no reason to invest in a complete bespoke identity immediately. A ready-made brand identity could be a sensible middle ground.
4. You're Generating Consistent Income and Ready to Grow
My recommendation: Start considering professional branding.
Once your business is generating consistent income and you've established that there's demand for what you offer, it might be time to think about investing in your visual identity.
Perhaps you've been using the same DIY logo for a couple of years, your social media graphics look a little different every time you create them, or your website doesn't quite reflect the quality of your services.
You might also be ready to increase your prices, attract a different type of customer or position yourself more competitively within your industry.
At this stage, professional branding becomes less about simply having a nice-looking logo and more about creating a visual identity that supports the direction you're taking your business.
5. You're Competing in a Crowded or Premium Market
My recommendation: Consider professional branding.
If you're operating in a particularly competitive industry, your visual identity can play an important role in how potential customers perceive your business.
Think about industries such as skincare, wellness, interior design, coaching and consulting, where customers might be comparing several businesses offering similar products or services.
Your branding helps communicate your positioning before someone has even read your website copy or spoken to you.
If you're trying to attract a premium audience, for example, your visual identity should support that positioning. A collection of inconsistent templates and generic graphics might not communicate the level of quality or attention to detail you're trying to convey.
This doesn't mean you need to spend thousands on bespoke branding. But it does mean your visual identity deserves some thought.
6. You're Investing in Other Areas of Your Business
My recommendation: Consider professional branding before making further investments.
If you're already spending money on a website, advertising, signage, packaging, photography or other marketing materials, it's worth considering whether your branding is strong enough to support those investments.
Imagine spending thousands on a beautiful new website, only to realize that your existing logo, colors and graphics don't work particularly well together.
Or perhaps you're investing in printed packaging and promotional materials, but your visual identity is still evolving.
Having a cohesive brand identity in place first can make it much easier to create consistent marketing materials and avoid having to revisit everything later.
Three Questions to Ask Before Investing in Professional Branding
Beyond how long you've been in business or how much money you're making, there are a few other things I'd encourage you to think about.
1. How Seriously Do You Want to Take Your Business?
There's a difference between having a little side project that brings in some extra income and building a business you want to grow into a full-time career.
Neither is more valid than the other, but they come with different priorities.
If you're actively working towards growing your business, attracting higher-value clients or entering a more competitive market, investing in your brand identity might make sense sooner.
If you're happy with things as they are, there's no reason to rush.
2. How Do You Feel About Your Current Branding?
Be honest with yourself.
Are you happy creating your own graphics and managing your visual identity, or do you find it frustrating?
Perhaps you spend hours trying to make your social media posts look consistent, struggle to create professional-looking marketing materials or feel a little embarrassed sharing your website.
If branding is taking up time you could be spending on more valuable areas of your business, outsourcing it might be a worthwhile investment in itself.
3. Can You Comfortably Afford the Investment?
This is an important one.
Professional branding should be an investment you can reasonably afford, not something that puts unnecessary pressure on your business finances.
Consider your current income, operating costs, other business priorities and how much you're comfortable spending.
You don't need to stretch your budget to commission a bespoke identity just because you feel you should have one.
There are different ways to access professional branding, and finding an option that fits your current circumstances is far more sensible than spending beyond your means.
what next step is right for you?
I genuinely believe every business deserves branding they feel proud of, regardless of how long they've been in business or how much they have to spend.
But that doesn't mean everyone needs to invest in professional branding straight away. It's about finding an approach that makes sense for where your business is right now, while giving you something to work towards as it grows.
Whether you're still figuring things out, ready to move beyond DIY design or looking for a completely custom identity, there are a few different ways to get there.
1. You're Not Ready to Invest Yet: Start With a Brand Audit
If you're still in the early stages of your business, working with a limited budget or simply not ready to invest in professional branding, there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a DIY approach for now.
But before you start experimenting with new logos, colors and fonts, I'd recommend taking a step back and looking at what you already have.
What is working well? What's missing? Does your branding reflect your business, attract the right people and feel consistent across your website and marketing materials? A little clarity can go a long way in helping you identify where to focus your efforts, rather than constantly changing things without a clear direction.
I've created a free Brand Audit Checklist to help you review the foundations of your brand, identify what's working and pinpoint where there's room for improvement.
2. You Want Something More Professional: Explore Ready-Made Brand Identities
Perhaps you've been DIY-ing your branding for a while and feel ready for something more elevated. You want your business to look more established, but commissioning a bespoke identity costing thousands isn't quite within your budget.
I've got you covered! My signature collection of ready-made brand identities offers a more accessible way to get professionally designed branding, without the cost or time commitment of a completely bespoke project.
Each identity comes with everything you need to create a cohesive, professional-looking brand, from logo suites and color palettes to typography, supporting graphics and marketing materials. You also have the flexibility to customize the details and make the identity your own.
3. You're Ready to Invest: Consider Bespoke Branding
If your business is established, you're clear on your direction and you're ready to make a more significant investment in your brand, bespoke branding could be the right next step.
Working with a designer allows you to create something completely tailored to your business, your audience and your ambitions.
From developing your visual identity to considering how it will work across every customer touchpoint, the entire process is built around creating a brand that's unique to you.
If you're ready to take your business to the next level and want an identity that's been designed specifically for you, I'd love to help. Take a look at my bespoke branding services to find out more about working together.
Wherever you are in your business journey, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to branding. Start with what makes sense for you right now, and give yourself room to grow from there!
Meet the Designer
Hey, I'm Joanna, a UK-based brand identity designer and the creative behind JK Creative Co. I love creating brands that look beautiful, feel authentic and help small businesses stand out.
Whether you're looking for bespoke branding to capture the true essence of your business, or a ready-made identity you can customize and make your own, I've got you covered. Whatever stage you're at, I'm here to help you build a brand you're proud to put your name to!
