Where to begin.
The branding and design process can be… confusing. Especially if you are looking to start a small business, have a passion project that you are wanting to turn into a nonprofit, or are apart of a church that needs creative help.
The creative process can also be… painful. Especially if you are not passionate about design or skilled in developing branding for your organization.
For me, the branding and creative design process is exciting, it is fun, it is inspiring, and it is so amazing to support leaders who find themselves lost in a confusing array or flashy and over priced digital design offerings. And the need is so great as most organizations, nonprofits, and small business find themselves overwhelmed and under resourced for the gigantic need that is branding and design.
In 2022, the IRS reported that there are 1.97 million nonprofits win the United States and on average have less than 5 paid staff per nonprofit. This means that hopefully some is passionate enough to take on the digital design, graphics, and marketing, but this is often a side project to someone’s full-time responsibilities in a small organization.
A 2020 FACT study puts the average weekly attendance at just 65 adults per church in the United States with an estimated 350,000 active church. That means that the vast majority of churches are going to be run more like a small business and the lead pastor will be more like a small business owner. They will be asked to lead, create, design, envision, preach, clean, organize… on and on.
Some may love this, but more often than not, the lead pastor or small business owner or nonprofit leader will find themselves passionate about their mission, but overwhelmed by the prospects of creating the branding, designing a website, crafting emails, or communicating with supporters, clients, or the congregation.
This is where by brother-in-law found himself just last year. Overwhelmed. He has ran a very influential nonprofit organization called A Living Letter Ministries for the last 10 years. He is passionate about the mission of the organization and caring for people, however he is paralyzed by creating graphics, designing a brand, or developing digital resources or emails. In fact, when I started collaborating with him on his needs, I found that most of what he used was outdated, the website was limited, and the logo and branding were tired looking. So I took on the challenge to rebranding the ministry, redesigning and website, and become an ongoing collaborative partner in A Living Letter Ministries. I cohost and produce the podcast, I collaborate and develop ways to connect with supporters, and I do everything I can to keep Drew from the stress of the creative design process.
The need is so great and the prospect of doing this all on your own is overwhelming. I have been learning this on the job over the last 5 years, as the Worship & Creative Pastor at Christ Community, but I have developed my design abilities, website knowledge, and video editing over the last 20 years of full-time ministry in the local church. And being a full-time pastor, I understand demands of creating, designing, and maintaining a simple, beautiful, and mission-forward brand.
If you are finding yourself overwhelmed and under resourced, I may be able to help. I will start by getting to know your organization or business, understanding the mission of what you are trying to accomplish, and evaluating your current branding/design/website (if you have them. Once I understand your need and have determined that a partnership would be helpful and effective for your organization, then we can begin collaborating on design, color schemes, logos, and more. This will lead into updating all of your digital designs including website, email campaigns, print material, and so forth.
Most rebranding projects take less than 6 months and cost between $4,000-$5,000, but that really depends on the extent of what you are needing, the size of your organization, and the types of projects that you will be wanting.
Reach out if want to collaborate about your organizations branding and design needs and I would love to find a time to connect and hear what you are needing. I don’t believe there is a cookie cutter approach to branding and design, so everyone I collaborate with will get a uniquely designed approach to fit the needs of your organization.
Email me at mark@thecreativeco.org or fill out this form to get going today!
Mark