I'm the creative and founder behind K Made Design Co., and I’m here to help you transform your brand and website into your greatest assets, that build your reputation for you and a community of hyper-loyal brand advocates!
Hi, I'm Karlie!
Are you a self-certified design DIY-er?
If so, HATS OFF TO YOU.
Whether you’ve DIY-ed your business’s logo, entire brand, or even your website, here’s a round of applause from someone who knows first-hand just how freakin’ difficult it can be.
In this series, we’ve been going over everything I did to successfully launch my business’s rebrand. So naturally we’ve got to cover, well, the rebrand itself.
Before you read on, feel free to grab my Brand Launch Checklist – ESPECIALLY if you’re in the midst of a rebrand or have one planned for the future.
TACKLING MY REBRAND: PART TWO
Creating my brand to reflect my identity
I’d say about 90% of my clients come to me because they’ve recognized their brand or website no longer accurately represents their business.
And I fell smack-dab in that group.
See, if your business is growing and evolving, chances are the logo or website you DIY-ed at the start of your business isn’t quite keeping up.
Maybe the website template you tweaked is turning way more visitors than it’s converting…
Or maybe the DIY logo you whipped up doesn’t quite showcase your level of expertise or professionalism you’ve created…
Or maybe you’re just simply a little embarrassed to promote and market your business or website because you know your brand isn’t show-off worthy.
Whatever your reasoning, you can bet I’ve probably felt the same at some point!
When I put together my previous brand and website, my business was in a much different place.
I was still figuring out who I was, what my business was, what I was specializing in, who my ideal client was, and so much more.
And now, a year later, I’m finally feeling a lot more solid on my business and who I want to attract.
The kicker? It’s MUCH different than I’d imagined. Thus, much different than what I had designed for.
Before:
Now, was it necessarily a bad design? Not at all! It definitely served me well for that season in my business.
I needed to elevate the face of my business so that it can reflect my level of expertise and professionalism, and therefore attract the type of clients I love to work with.
My original brand and website was cute, but a little amateur. It didn’t give off the “I know what I’m doing and can help you make big changes in your business” vibe.
So what did I do?
I took to Pinterest, to gather a moodboard of inspiration of how I wanted my business to look and feel to use as a guide – and then got to designing!
After:
In order to make my brand reflect the type of business I wanted to give off, these are the changes I focused on:
Simplifying the color palette: While I still incorporated a fun pop of color with some strong and happy blues, the majority of my color palette is a lot more simplified and neutral. I’ve noticed that, in the past, I tried so hard to incorporate so many types of colors that I loved, and it ended up coming off as a little too youthful. Keeping things simplified gives off a cleaner, more elevated style that better represents my business’s professionalism!
Cleaning up the typography: While the fonts I used are still slightly similar, it was important to me that the typefaces on my website matched the clean and simple look I was going for. However! I still made sure to choose ones that incorporated some sense of personality, authenticity, and warmth.
Having the logo suite make an impact: I also recognized that my logo suite was a little bit…flimsy? (Can a logo suite be flimsy lol?) I really wanted to take the time to create a uniquely styled logo suite that not only represented my business’s new stage, but also made an impact. In the past, I’ve found that I was simply doing too much in my logo suite. This round, you guessed it, we kept it simple and impactful! I carefully curated the typefaces to come off as a mix of both luxury and edgy, and kept the layouts bold and simple.
The common theme? Simplifying! Oftentimes we think the more we do, the better the designs.
But, in reality, the strongest designs often come from when we do less, but do it well.
Do you find yourself wondering if your designs are keeping up with your business’s evolution?
Maybe you just want to talk to someone who was just in your shoes, who could help you move forward? You know what to do!
Feeling overwhelmed, conflicted, or intimidated by the thought of branding? You're in the perfect place. I’m Karlie, and as the creative behind K Made Design Co., I breathe life into brands for visionary entrepreneurs like you every day. My role is to spotlight what makes you distinct and then propel you to stand out in your industry.
Overwhelmed by your own brand.
Inspired
Your reputation is pivotal, and I’ve heard through the grapevine that the quality leads you're seeking are scrutinizing yours. A piecemealed brand does no justice to your meticulously crafted client experience, services, and business structure. It’s time to align your external brand image with the exceptional quality of your services.
I believe every female founder deserves an iconic brand & website that live up to their business.