At what point do you need to invest in professional branding and website design to grow your business? This is an essential question to ask as you grow your online business. Usually people fall into two schools of thought:
- “Why do I need professional design? Shouldn’t I just be a better coach/business owner? I can do things myself on Wix and Canva.” and,
- “I can’t start my business until everything is perfect. I need professional branding and website design before I take on any clients!”
Both of these lines of thinking can be harmful to your business. Waiting too long to level up your brand and visuals can hinder your growth, some of my clients have literally seen record sales months after launching their professional brand and websites because they’re now showing up strategically with visuals that attract their target market.
Starting too soon, however, can result in being unclear about who you’re targeting and what your business goals are. Almost all of my clients’ businesses have changed dramatically in the first year of business – we’ve had to go back through and rebrand and rework their websites to fit their new vision.
So when is the ideal time to hire a professional? There are 3 key things to look for to know if you need some professional design help. Let’s dive in.
You know you’re ready to invest in professional design when…
1. You already launched your business and are making money and getting clients.
Yep, you heard that right. You DON’T need a fancy custom site to start making money! I always give this analogy:
Your business is the cake, quality design is the frosting.⠀
An incredibly beautiful blog is nothing without a loyal, engaged community. A perfectly branded business without revenue? It’s just fluff.
Once you’ve started something and you’re seeing real results (aka, you’re making money, attracting your ideal client, and finding that your stuff actually STICKS)– then you’re ready to hire a brand designer. Why? Because now you not only have cash to put towards your investment in a designer, but you’re also crystal clear on your ideal client so your branding session can be strategic and powerful.
You don’t have to be rolling in the big bucks, you just have to know you’ve got something that works.
Because everyone loves cake, but cupcakes with frosting? Irresistible.
You know you’re ready to invest in professional design when…
2. You’ve plateaued.
Good business practice and consistent content will produce growth without any professional design materials, absolutely. But maybe you’ve noticed a plateau in audience or revenue growth? Maybe you’re not reaching your ideal clients?
Then friend, it’s time. ⠀
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It’s time to get FOCUSED, results-driven website design and development from someone who can help you bust through that ceiling and start growing again. I’m the biggest believer in DIY branding and marketing, but there comes a time when you hit your limit for what you can achieve DIY. Community is awesome, there are so many professionals ready to help you grow strategically. I have personally hired professional marketing help after one year of business because I realized all of my clients were referrals! Marketing isn’t my zone of genius, so I hired a professional (and let me tell you, the growth was incredible).
My biggest example of this is my client Alyssa, or @littlelyssfitness . Alyssa is the queen of do-it-yourself. She gave herself her own logo and brand on Canva, created a Wix website, and grew her instagram following organically. Although she was doing well, she realized her website was confusing and difficult to navigate and her brand could be more strategic to better attract her ideal client. Once she bit the bullet and booked with us, she saw record-breaking months of sales after doing nothing new but launching her new brand and website.
Don’t stand in the way of yourself. If you’re a gritty go-getter like us, it may be hard to let go of the reigns. But trust me, your business and growth will thank you if you do.
And finally, number 3, you know you’re ready to invest in professional design when…
3. You’re ready to up your pricing, niche down, or pivot.
First, you deserve to raise your prices. You do. But it’s so important when doing this that you APPEAR like the professional that you ARE. A clean, easy to use, custom website doesn’t just make you LOOK like a professional but also is an excellent resource to your client base that gives extra incentive to raise those prices. This isn’t just for you, your clients deserve better.
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Second, and you hear this all the time, but niching down is a huge key to leveling up in business. Part of what it takes to niche down, however, is having a rock-solid understanding of who your ideal target market is and how to best reach them. This is where professional research and custom, strategic design can make ALL the difference.
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Finally, if you know it’s time to pivot, this can be difficult to do alone. I get it, you’re evolving, and you’ve identified exactly what it is you want to focus on in business. This is incredible, but making this shift NEEDS to be rooted in strategy. You’ve already built a reputation as one thing, and pivoting easily to your next step in business requires planning and research. This is where hiring a professional to brand you for your new ideal client is KEY. The last thing you want to do is to pivot to your dream audience and have a brand that doesn’t speak to them or alienate your current loyal following in the process. Hiring a professional is key.
If any of this sounds like you, it’s probably time to make the leap.
Here’s the thing though, massive disclaimer here, there is no one-size-fits-all rule in business!! You are a unique individual with a unique business. You could be brand new in the game and ready for design, these are not hard-and-fast rules. My advice: talk to a professional. Many people, including myself, offer free consultation calls to chat about your business goals and recommend next steps. I always tell my clients: your success is my success. We’re not going to recommend something to you that won’t help you achieve your goals.
So book a consult today and let’s chat about your goals.
Ok, so what if you know you’re not ready yet. What are some steps you can take to help your online presence?
The answer: Templates templates templates.
I created website and Canva templates for the new designers who aren’t ready to invest in custom website design BUT need something strategic to help them grow their business. Stop wasting your time on horrible Wix websites that don’t convert and purchase a strategic template instead. Learn more about templates and free resources I’ve created for coaches here.
-Tatum Brandt
