Introducing the Step-by-Step Process to Create a Brand Experience

You've decided that now is the time for a rebrand and are excited to put a new face on your business to impress clients with a new and polished presence. But now that you've decided to invest, you want it all—a new logo, possibly a new name, and an updated and refreshed website—and you want it all NOW, or at least as soon as possible.

However, the branding process is just that, a process, and if you rush it, you might not end up with the result that you ultimately want.

The essence of a brand extends far beyond a logo and a catchy tagline. A brand is an experience; it’s a story waiting to be told and felt. At Alkimie, we understand the transformative power of a brand that is not just connected with its audience but is deeply connected with itself.

In order to be prepared for what a rebrand truly looks like, here’s an outline of a realistic timeline that delivers the kind of complete brand result that you ideally want for your business.

Step 1 (1 week): Discovery & Consultation

Before we get into naming, designing, rewriting, or anything materially tangible, the branding process kicks off with a consultation—this is a moment to connect, understand your brand's current state, and envision its future together. This phase is about rediscovering your brand's essence, understanding its strengths, and identifying areas for enhancement.

We also need to understand any gaps that exist in your brand strategy. 

Maybe you DIY’ed your original logo. You might not have thought about your audience and what they wanted then because you were busy bringing in business on a day-to-day basis. And that’s okay! It's a normal step in the brand evolution of a business, but as with all things, change happens over time and your business has most likely evolved since you started. So even if you had all of the things in place X number of years ago, you've likely evolved past them by now.

If you have a clear and current idea of who you are, what your brand stands for, who your audience is, and what makes you unique, you can probably skip to Step 2 and get straight to the fun stuff—your new look and feel. However, if you have existing gaps, some foundational brand strategy work is a must-have because it’s the foundation of every expression of your brand.

Step 2 (2-5 weeks): Revisit the Brand Strategy 

Getting this step right is important! This is where we review any original brand strategy documents and work to fill in any gaps. This phase involves not just identifying who you are, but refining it and turning it into a cohesive narrative that resonates with your audience. We'll craft your mission, vision, and values, helping to define the very essence of your brand.

But it's not just about introspection here. We'll also explore your audience dynamics—who they are, what they desire, and how you can uniquely meet their needs. This insight forms the foundation of effective branding, ensuring your message resonates with the right people.

At the end of this stage of the branding process, we want you to have a clear sense of:

·   Who you are: your mission, vision, and values

·   How you sound: your personality & tone of voice

·   Who your audience is: your ideal client profile & audience personas

·   What makes you unique: your Unique Value Proposition & key messages

With these foundational elements in place, we can pave the way for the visual expression of your brand and, most importantly, move forward with clarity and purpose!

Step 3 (3-5 weeks): Rework the Visual Brand 

Consider your visual brand the delivery vehicle for your brand. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just a pretty picture, it is a vital communication tool. The colors, logo, fonts, and all of the design elements of your brand need to be well-considered expressions of who you said you were as a business AND appeal to your audience. This is why we’re strategy first—if you don't know who you are and to whom you’re speaking, your visual branding won’t deliver the results you want. 

If your design team doesn't know who your audience is and doesn't understand your identity, they can't build an effective visual communication system for you to reach them. Instead, you'll end up with something generic, or worse, something that miscommunicates what you are about. 

At the end of this stage of the branding process, you'll have what you need for design:

• Color palette & mood boards

• Design elements

• Logo suite

• Font system

• Brand guide

Step 4 (4-8 weeks): Create the Website 

One of the most exciting pieces of branding is creating your online home—your website. A website brings everything together—the logo, the color palette, the brand images, and your key messages. Your website acts as your storefront and shop window for interested consumers to browse what you have to offer. With this in mind, your website needs to be both functional to help people find the information they need and compelling enough to get them to take action.  

Every website build is different and so website timelines can vary greatly depending on the size, depth, and complexity of the website. It’s important to take into consideration how much content needs to be created, what the visual design looks like, what the functionality of the website will be, and so much more. There also needs to be time allotted for feedback and revisions.  

Building a Brand Experience Takes Time & Intention

The full branding and website build process can require a couple of months time, at minimum. So if you have a deadline in mind for a whole new website or just a light brand refresh, it's never too early to start researching potential scope, investment, and team that will help to bring your vision to life. 

It’s pretty standard for branding and design teams to be working on multiple projects at a given time, and we’re no exception. If our project schedule is full, then we are scheduling new projects several months in advance so that we can give projects the time and attention they need.

TL;DR: PLANNING AHEAD is essential if you want your branding done right.

Our point? PLAN AHEAD. Doing so ensures everything will come together—your marketing partner’s availability; your readiness to do the work; and your ability to invest in the project. 

If you leave it to the last minute, your preferred marketing partner may not be available to do the work in your preferred timeframe, or you may miss an important deadline. Rushing the branding process can add unnecessary stress and leave you with a finished product you’re not proud of.

We don’t want that to be the case, and neither do you. We want you to have a brand that’s fully representative of who you are, reflective of what you have to offer, and that speaks to clients.

So, if you have a brand or rebranding project in mind for this year, let’s start the conversation!

The Alkimie Collective is a strategy-first brand and marketing collective that transforms brands from the inside out. We help brands rediscover their soul, tell their authentic stories, and galvanize those who feel drawn and connected to those truths. When you stand strong in the power of what you bring to the world, you become the brand that makes the noise, instead of getting drowned out by it. Together, we can tell the brand story people have been waiting to hear. We believe people connect with brands that are connected with themselves.