After decades of building beautiful digital homes for businesses, we’ve developed what you might call a sixth sense for project hurdles. We often see patterns emerging during the discovery phase that less experienced teams might ignore in their rush to get started. People usually refer to these as red flags, but we prefer to view them as diagnostic cues.
When a client says something that feels “off”, it rarely means that the project is doomed. Instead, it means we’ve reached a spot that requires more foundational work. These red flags tell us exactly where your brand marketing strategy is thin, and where we need to slow down to help the project move along the way it should.
Here are five common project hurdles… and what they tell us about the health of your brand.
“We want the site to pop. It should stand out!”
This request comes from a client with big dreams but not many concrete ideas or content. When you cannot describe what you want your audience to do or feel with specific language, it usually means you haven’t fully defined your core message yet.
“It should pop” isn’t a strategy. If we build a site based on just that suggestion of a vibe alone, we’re building a house on sand. We can’t design a container before we know the volume of what will go inside of it!
What’s the solution? We stop the design process and revisit the basic pillars of brand marketing. We ask: who exactly are we talking to? What specific problem do we solve for them today? Once we define the “what”, the visual “pop” will take care of itself through intentional design choices.
“We’ll use the same verbiage from this 2013 presentation.” or “Here’s our competitor’s site– can’t we make it look exactly like that?”
This client might believe that recycling old content or mimicking a competitor will save time. In reality, it does a massive disservice to your brand. If you use decade-old content, you tell the world that your business has stopped evolving. If you copy a competitor, you’re telling the world that you don’t have something unique to offer.
What’s the solution?: We use this as a cue to explore your Unique Selling Proposition. We dig into what makes you different now. Effective brand marketing requires a fresh, authentic perspective that reflects your current expertise– not a competitor’s success!
“Every one of these buttons is vital. Can we make sure they’re all emphasized so nothing gets missed?”
If you turn every dial up to ten, you end up with white noise. This request signals a lack of hierarchy and maybe a misunderstanding of priorities. It means the client hasn’t yet determined the most important action they want the user to take.
What’s the solution?: We sit down and map out the specific user journey. We force a choice: if the user only performs one action on this page, what should it be? We build the visual hierarchy around that one specific goal, which will do wonders in converting visitors into customers.
“We’re ready to get started!!”… followed by weeks of radio silence and a few rescheduled calls.
The enthusiasm for a new website or brand marketing strategy exists, but the project is not a priority at the moment. This often happens when the client feels overwhelmed by the weight of the work ahead. They want the shiny new result of a beautiful website and brand strategy they can share, but they dread the messy process of discovery and decision-making.
What’s the solution?: We pause and have an honest conversation about bandwidth. A successful website requires a dedicated partnership. If you cannot show up for the initial meeting, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to show up for the difficult strategic decisions either. We’ll wait until you’re truly ready to commit your time and energy to the process!
“We had the whole department review the mockups. Here are twenty pages of feedback from everyone!”
You’ve simply got too many cooks in the kitchen. When multiple stakeholders provide varying opinions, the brand loses its soul– and we lose a clear direction to steer the project forward with. Trying to please everyone might lead to a Franken-site– a patched-together design that incorporates the suggestions of every internal department, but lacks the cohesiveness to successfully send a message to the outside world. A lack of consensus in brand marketing usually results in mediocrity.
What’s the solution?: We focus on a single point of contact. One person must hold the final “yes” or “no”. We’re ultimately designing for your target audience, which keeps the brand sharp, cohesive, and effective.
The Value of the “Slow Down”
When we spot these issues, we don’t run away. We lean in! Doing the hard work of brand design now prevents a collapse of your digital presence later. Strategic brand marketing is about functioning with purpose, not just looking good.
If you’re ready to build something with a real foundation, we’re here to tell you the truth and prioritize long-term results over quick fixes. Contact us today to start building a website that truly works for YOUR business.