How to Hire a Designer Objectively

As the ways to communicate online and with technology expands, so does the number of places your logo and colors need to be kept up to date. Your logo has to be replicated across every platform on dozens if not hundreds of profile pictures and thumbnails. And you’re probably using more online services than you think. In fact, the only thing holding some churches back from rebranding is the simple logistical costs of transitioning. That’s why it’s more important than ever to have a timeless visual brand. For every additional year your branding stays relevant, you’re saving ministry dollars on the costs of a rebrand. Conversely, a DIY or cheap logo that’s fresh but doesn’t stand the test of time is costing you money in the long run.

Where I live in Oklahoma is not too far away from Drummond Ranch. The Drummonds are a wealthy family with 433,000 acres of land in Osage County. I own 37 acres, which feels like too much some days. The Drummonds own more than 10,000 times more than that. It’s been said that at one point in the 1960’s they had an operation with 200,000 head of cattle. Those numbers are mind-blowing. If you’re a cattle rancher with 200,000 head, you can bet that branding (literal branding) is on your mind. Now let’s say you wanted to “rebrand” your ranch (I might be having too much fun with the wordplay). Even a tiny change would be massively costly. A ranch of that size would ruin its recognition (and finances) by rebranding every 5 years or even 10 years. If you truly needed to change your brand, there’s only one responsible thing to do: Spend the extra time and money to future-proof the rebrand. Upgrading your branding to something more timeless is a financially savvy move in the long run. Get a brand without an expiration date, and tending it will become easier.

If there’s a disconnect between your vision and your church visuals, you might have considered a rebrand at some point. There are different ways to approach a church rebrand, but there are two old ways of doing it that can be anywhere from “just ok” to a total disaster. The Bootstrapped Brand This seems like the intuitive way for a lot of churches. Here’s how this approach normally looks: Have a member design your logo Find a font that “looks nice” Rebrand again in 2 or 3 years when you outgrow it You don’t feel like investing much time and resources into the rebrand, so you rely on a home-grown approach instead. Here’s the problem: without a professional designer, what these churches get is probably not the best quality, and probably won’t last as long as they want it to. The Secular Agency This second way seems like it solves the problems inherent in the bootstrapped rebrand. Here’s what it often looks like: Go online and find a designer who does corporate branding Endure 6 months or more of revisions and tweaking End up looking, well… corporate… This approach invests time and money into the rebrand, recognizing that a DIY identity is probably not what you want. The problem with hiring a secular agency, is that they are probably not specialists in branding for churches. They may not understand the unique two audience dynamic of a church brand, and they probably don’t have as much practice capturing a distinctly Christian aesthetic. The Better Way Maybe I’m biased, but there’s a better, more effective, and less stressful way to rebrand your church. I truly believe it’s critical to have a dedicated, professional designer who understands and specializes in churches. You shouldn’t have to pick between an expensive, year-long process of a secular agency or the uncertainty of doing it yourself. I do just that, but don’t take my word for it. Look at the portfolio of churches I’ve helped.

Today I want to exhort you. Keep up the good work! I’m encouraged to keep pressing on when I hear stories or see online that you’re tending your church brand. Here’s how I’m trying to follow suit! Writing Daily I’ve been a lot more intentional about this, and people are noticing. Writing daily has helped me collect lessons learned in my work and articulate my unique philosophy around church branding. This has also given me content to pull from for social media posts. I’ve been able to easily share a combination of quick quotes from this newsletter and finished rebrands without having to switch into writing mode for every post. Understanding My Audience I’ve started paying attention to which of my brand’s touch points are having the biggest impact. To do this I have some website analytics running and some questions I ask now on introduction calls. This helps me focus my writing and website copy on what’s relevant and engaging for my audience and clients. Community Participation This year I’ve made it a goal to give back to pastors and churches wherever I can. Part of that effort has been interacting and responding to posts in a Facebook group called Church Creatives. This is a wonderful community of 80,000+ pastors and church staff who appreciate the value of creativity/ design for churches and ministries. The second thing I’m doing is distilling my branding experience into free resources that pastors can use to align their branding with their vision, prepare for a rebrand, and make a bigger impact. More on these in the near future. That all seems like a lot, but what’s made it manageable is a daily cadence and habit of tending my brand, even if it’s just 10 minutes of jotting down some notes or reacting to a Facebook post. So take it as an encouragement: You can do it too!