Many of my clients start out DIY-ing their brand, and honestly, I love that about them. Even though it’s a wild ride, they’re just figuring it out as they go. They’re still doing the damn thing! A DIY brand doesn’t mean you’re any less committed, determined or hell-bent on making something that stands out.
So just because you don’t have the budget for semi-custom or custom branding just yet, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for basic AF templates or a blah and boring brand.
You deserve more, and we’re breaking down all our DIY design tips to help you get a brand you’re damn proud of.
To Preface: Strategy Before Aesthetics (This Is The Hill I’ll Die On)
Before you dive into logos and color palettes, let’s get one thing straight — your brand isn’t just a logo and some pretty colors. A strong brand design is multifaceted. Dude, there’s SO MUCH MORE that goes into an immersive brand than a pretty logo design.
Your brand is defined by what you stand for, who you’re speaking to, and why it even exists. If those foundational pieces aren’t in place, the best-looking brand in the world won’t save you. Strategy reigns — always. So here’s a quick DIY brand foundation breakdown:
1. Get Clear on Your Brand’s Core
- Mission & Vision: Why did you start this? What impact do you want to make?
- Target Audience: Who are your dream clients? What do they need from you?
- Unique Selling Proposition (USP): What makes you stand out in the jungle of noise in your industry?
Looking at competitors can be helpful — but let’s not go down the comparison rabbit hole. The goal is to see where you can stand out, not to let imposter syndrome creep in. If that happens, take a break, shake it off and come back when you’re ready to own your unique edge.
We dived deeper on these type of questions here.
2. Craft a Logo That Looks & FEELS Like You / Your Brand
You don’t need a crazy expensive logo to look legit. Here are your best options:
- Canva Starter Logos: A solid starting point to get a feel for your brand’s vibe. If you’ve got a strong vision in mind, you can even start from scratch and experiment with their different graphics and design elements.
- Pre-Made Logos: Buy a template and tweak it to make it yours — but read the fine print on licensing.
- Custom Design: If you’re ready to invest, this will set you apart (and we know a badass designer if you’re interested — yes, hi, it’s me!)
3. Create a Brand Style Guide to Keep You Consistent
Consistency is your best friend when building a recognizable brand. Your style guide should include:
- Logo Usage: Make sure you have 2–3 variations of your logo (like a primary logo, a stacked version, and a submark or icon) so your branding stays clear and legible at any scale. This will keep your brand looking sharp from your website to your social media to print.
- Color Palette: Aim to choose between 6-8 colors total to keep your brand cohesive and recognizable. Straying too far outside this palette can create confusion and weaken your brand identity. Pro tip: pick one primary accent color you want to be known for—your bold, standout hue that leads the pack and becomes an instant marker for your brand.
- Typography: Limit yourself to 2-3 fonts. Find great options on Creative Market, Adobe Fonts, Google Fonts, and Dafont.
- Hierarchy: Give hierarchy to each of the three core elements above. What’s your primary logo? Which 2-3 colors are your go-to anchors? What fonts will be used for headings and subheadings? Defining this upfront creates strategic flow and consistency across every touchpoint—whether it’s your website, social posts, blog, or business cards. This is what makes your brand feel cohesive, intentional, and instantly recognizable wherever you show up.
This is something I’m FIERCELY passionate about at Lenya Creative, so you know I couldn’t resist making a post telling you exactly how to create your own Brand Style Guide (based on our own tried-and-true process for our clients).
4. Building A Killer Website: Starting From Scratch vs. Templates vs. Semi-Custom
Your website is your brand’s home base, and there are A LOT of options out there to get started. So here’s our quick takeaways between the three main routes:
- Starting From Scratch: A lot of website platforms have free “beginner” templates to start from. This is a great place to start if you need to get something up and running. While free, you will be paying with your time.
If you’re not sure which platform to choose, I’m spilling the tea on Showit vs. Squarespace vs. WordPress here.
- Templates: Website templates are budget-friendly and easy to implement — at least, the good ones are! (I.E., please note that not all templates are created equally.) Definitely don’t pick the first one that looks pretty. You’ll want to do some research to make sure it’s gonna make your life easier, not harder. Does it have space for your industry-specific content? Can you easily adapt it to highlight your services or products? Imagine what you’ll say in each section before committing. Once you’ve found a solid framework, reference your style guide to ensure the colors, fonts, and overall vibe align with your brand identity.
Sign up for our Showit templates waitlist and get 40% off!
- Semi-Custom Websites: If you want to go one step up from a fully DIY website project (but still need something more affordable), semi-custom website design is the next best thing. It’s a great option for new or emerging businesses that need a professional website fast but aren’t quite ready for deep customization. If you’re still refining your brand’s direction and need something polished but flexible, semi-custom allows you to get online quickly while leaving room for growth. It’s also ideal if you thrive on quick decision-making since semi-custom websites require a focused, fast-paced process.
Craving a semi-custom website in a week?
OUR LION SPRINT PACKAGE IS A CLIENT FAVE
(This package also includes a juicy brand style guide built for you so you can hit the ground running)
5. Time to Get Hella Consistent
Your brand isn’t just for your website. Every client / customer touchpoint should be super branded. Things like:
- Social Media Ads, Posts & Stories
- Pricing Guides
- Proposals, Invoices, Contracts
- Emails & Signatures
This is what makes a brand feel polished, cohesive, and professional — even if you’re just starting out. It’s the little details that really get people, ya know?
Tools & Resources to Keep Your Brand on Point
- Instagram Reference Sheet: Save your color palette as an image and upload it as a sticker so you can easily keep your IG stories on-brand using the eyedropper color tool.
- Post Templates: Reuse branded Canva templates to save time and stay consistent.
- Freebies & Guides: Download and use resources that make your brand-building process easier.
You know we got you covered, because we loooooove to see brand consistency
Free Instagram Templates | Free Brand Mood Board iPhone Wallpaper | Free Brand & Website Audit Checklist
