EPISODE 3: HOW TO UTILIZE BRANDING AND DESIGN TO ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS WITH HINGE CREATIVE CO.’S HANNAH GROSECLOSE
Live Date: June 2, 2021
Show Description: In today’s conversation, Heather talks with fellow UGA alumna Hannah Groseclose, the owner, designer and creative director behind Hinge Creative Co. Heather recently hired Hannah and Hinge to spearhead Choice’s brand overhaul and was so thrilled with the end product that she had to have her on the show to talk about all things branding and design. Heather and Hannah discuss today’s popular design trends, the importance of authenticity and consistency in branding, the important work that everyone should do before they hire a designer.
This Episode Will Teach You:
The most common design mistakes to avoid
The importance of consistent branding
Top tips for good design and strong branding
How to prepare to work with a branding or design professional
Some of the biggest trends in graphic design that are worth embracing
What questions to ask a potential designer before working together
Design tools and resources that we can all use
Biggest Takeaways:
Hannah and her team at Hinge Creative Co. often relate branding to a good outfit--if it doesn’t feel authentic to you, you won’t feel confident wearing it. Rather than following current design trends, a visual brand has to be authentic to the person or company it represents.
Hannah has seen the most success and end-product satisfaction with companies and individuals who have laid a solid foundation before embarking on the branding journey. That work includes knowing your why, your mission and core values, your ideal customer, and what differentiates you from your competitors.
Solid, consistent branding across all digital platforms is shown to benefit a brand’s bottom line by 23 percent--and that’s regardless of whether the design is good or bad. At a minimum, Hannah recommends that everyone pick at least one color and font that they like and stick with those as they create their brand identity. And if and when you’re ready to work with a graphic designer, make sure they’re the ones asking you the right questions.
About the Guest:
Hannah Groseclose is the founder and owner of Hinge Creative Co. As a graphic designer and entrepreneur, Hannah is passionate about branding and helping other women in business. She’s a UGA grad (Go Dawgs!), mom to Tate, and wife to Graham.
Quotables:
“Though it may be trendy and cool, if it doesn’t feel authentic to you, you’re not going to feel confident in it.” Hannah Groseclose, 22:06
“Your branding should be like a good outfit that you feel super confident in. You’re still the same person on the inside, but you walk differently in the world when you have a great outfit.” Hannah Groseclose, 22: 51
“I think trends, they come and go, so I try to put my blinders on to the trends because as much as I love both I try to find what it is about people that’s authentic to them rather than the trends.” Hannah Groseclose,
“Just having consistent branding across all of your mediums, whether good or bad branding, can increase your revenue by 26 percent.” Hannah Groseclose. 24:28
“I think you can’t discount how much consistent color and font can change the whole game.” Hannah Groseclose, 29:10
“Piracy is never going to be the problem for you or your company, but obscurity will. You worry about you, don’t worry about those people.” Hannah Groseclose, 37:10
“We can’t be worried about what’s on side-to-side of us, we’ve got to be worried about our finish line.” Heather Adams
“Instead of the questions you’re asking a designer, you should look for a designer that asks you the right questions.” Hannah Groseclose, 39:26
“Look in your home, look in your wardrobe, you will start to see that there are themes that start to emerge visually for you.” Hannah Groseclose
“Being a designer is who you are; being able to use the tools is just skills. You can learn the skills.” Hannah Groseclose
“I think your network is your support system in so many ways, and it can help anchor you, and I think as big as you can make that network, as deep as you can make those relationships with people--certainly quality over quantity--never stop building those relationships with your network.” Hannah Groseclose
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