Special events are brand ambassadors for your nonprofit. Think of it as Christmas Eve or Easter service for a local church—an event that draws in lapsed or new audiences. It is a beacon that attracts those who identify with your values and mission in a fun, interactive format. 

Too long a name, too much jargon, too generic, or outdated logos. These are some of the common issues I see when evaluating nonprofit brands. It’s a tall order—settling on a name that is easy to say and remember, paired with a logo that communicates what you do for your community. There are many ways it can go wrong—but it’s not impossible OR unfixable.

So, you have decided now is the time to brand your nonprofit. Your Board is in agreement, you have the budget allocated, and have included a timeline in your most recent Strategic Plan. Your next step is hiring a brand strategist and designer to start the process. How will you choose, and where will you find them? Follow my process for finding, evaluating, interviewing, and hiring a brand designer.

How does one go about designing for Ballet performances that haven’t been choreographed yet? Here I describe my design and branding process step-by-step for Nashville Ballet’s 2023-24 Season and performances.

One of your first steps as a new nonprofit or business is to build brand awareness, which may or may not include a logo. You might ask why a brand designer would tell you this—but I strongly believe you need to get to know your target audience and organization for the branding process to be effective. In fact, I started my own business without a “logo” and did not rebrand till several years down the road. A logo is the pinnacle of your branding, the shining star at the top of a pyramid that represents, at a glance, all that your brand stands for. In this step-by-step tutorial, I will cover nine ways you can build a strong foundation—the bottom of your pyramid—by using consistency to establish brand recognition.

Great brands have solid foundations made of consistent client experiences, clear communication, and striking visuals. Your brand is how you are perceived by your audience. Your branding communicates your brand values. Your identity visually connects your brand values to the emotions you want to project to your ideal audience. Your brand, your branding, and your identity work together to form an experience that your client can feel, hear, and see.

When you get excited about a new project, what gives you more satisfaction—taking your time over several weeks to think it through and work on it in small increments until it is finished? Or starting it early and finishing before sunset? If you answered the latter, then a VIP Design Day may be just what you are looking for.