A true story that will inspire you to keep your Brand Design files on-hand

This past week, one of my clients received a well-intentioned email from a design agency they previously worked with, making it clear that they are holding their branding hostage. (lol. Well, they’re trying to)

The client had emailed the agency asking for a copy of their previously paid for Brand Guidelines and secondary logos. Three weeks later, after their email had bounced between agency contacts, they received a response along the lines of the below:

“Ideally, we would have all brand asset requests sent through us, so that all your collateral is uniform. We can create templates for you to use so you can update your content as needed; we just need to know format, use, etc.”

(*Brand guidelines are a reference document that outlines the essentials of your brand font, colours, logos, and any icons or patterns, as well as details on how to best use them to stay on-brand)

To be sure, the client wasn’t asking for permission to have new designs created for their business; they were asking for a copy of information and designs they previously paid to have created during the brand design process. They were also prepared to pay for the time involved in looking up their files, since they had misplaced or failed to download their copies.

I share this story, because:

(1.)  It’s interesting from a business model perspective.

This agency is likely trying to ensure continued business with the client, by encouraging all requests to pass through them.

Unfortunately, the client hasn’t been impressed by this approach.

(2.) It highlights how not having a copy of your Brand Guidelines on-hand can cause delays for future marketing and designs for your business.

Designers move on, agencies close, and your design needs change over time. It’s perfectly normal to want to work with different designers for different projects over the lifespan of your business. Not every agency or designer is great at every type of design (also very normal). Having a copy of your guidelines helps communicate in a pinch with anyone you bring on board to help you, from new staff to external designers.

(3.) It’s a great reminder to PRETTY PLEASE save a copy of the files I’ve created for you.

Or any files you’ve had created by another designer, in your own filing system, so that you’re never left hanging.

Don’t have Brand Guidelines, or not yet on the guidelines party boat? 

I really think you ought to, but don’t take my word for it. Here’s what one of my clients had to say about the support she received in helping her create clear guidelines and design templates for her business:

“She helped me create a consistent brand experience through aligned fonts, colours, and images. I feel more confident in how I’m showing up for my clients.”

If you’d like to have confidence in how to use your branding, and set yourself up to have marketing designs created with ease, this is something I can help you with. Brand Guidelines can be as simple or complex as you need (from 2 to 20+ pages). Get in touch if you’d like some help with yours!