Blog, resources, thoughts
Why my family uses branding to choose cafes
In our family, when we’re looking for a cafe or restaurant to eat at, logo design makes up about 80% of the decision. But generally it seems unfair to the other businesses. What if there’s amazing food at the other places? Well, this rule gets put to the test a...
10 lessons I learnt as an artist that help me be a better designer
Unlike other brand designers, I’m a self-taught designer who originally trained as an artist. Every day, I utilise skills from my art background that help my clients connect on a deeper level with their audience to build trust and, ultimately, revenue. One of the most...
More posts
My competition (not community!) research process
Branding is only as effective as the research behind it. And this is one of the key difference between my branding packages. The more time spent on competition research and strategy, the better the results you’ll see in your business. A lot of my clients are proud of...
How colourful should your branding be?
Branding is a vital component of any business, and it's often said that the colours you choose can make or break your brand's success. But just how colourful should your branding be? Well, it's all about balance! Like a well-plated dish, your brand's colours should be...
5 burnout recovery strategies for business owners
Dealing with burnout? You’re not alone. Here’s 5 burnout recovery strategies that helped me love Monday mornings again. 6 months after launching my business in 2016, I completely burnt out. The only work that looked good was working in an admin job with zero...
Branding and marketing in a downturn
There’s no ignoring the fact that people and businesses are starting to struggle with the increase in interest rates. Is it bringing back C*vid small business heeby-jeebies? In this economic climate many small businesses pull back on everything; you go into...
Sustainable construction needs a branding shake-up
I’m on a mission to make the sustainable and ethical consumer choice, the fun and desirable one too. Why do we choose Who Gives A Crap toilet paper, even though it’s more expensive? Hint: it’s not just because it’s better for the environment. It’s because the branding...
How brand design can help you achieve your 2023 business goals
Brand design can MAKE (or break) your marketing. Here’s 4 ways that it can help you smash your business goals this year. So you’ve reflected on 2022, rested and recharged over the festive season and you’ve set your goals for the year ahead. Perhaps something didn't...
5 steps to work out WHICH brand designer to work with
There is a whole ocean of brand-designing fish in the sea, and many are great with a similar price range. How do you go about narrowing down the options and choose a branding and logo designer to work with? When starting thinking about rebranding, many people go to...
How to maintain brand consistency
Let’s start at the beginning. There’s a lot of talk in online business sphere around consistency - with branding, with social media, and working ON the business. It feels like a lot of advice to lots of everything all the time. But social media consistency often means...
Can you rebrand with the same logo?
Rebranding can be a big process, especially for an established business with a physical presence (or 2, 5 or 20!). So, when rebranding, it’s important to make sure each decision is made with solid data and strategy behind it. When you realise it’s time for a rebrand,...
Why small businesses should embrace creative risk
It’s 2017. I’ve just spent many hours designing logo concepts for a new client. It’s a tricky one because they struggled to articulate what they thought their branding should look like. At last there’s one idea that feels right, according to what I understood their...
How to launch your new brand
Your new branding is in! It’s perfect in every way, and you have all the files sitting in their neat little folders. You’ve been dreaming of the moment when your business finally looks the way it feels. When your long-standing clients engage more fully, and your staff...
A moodboard is not a brand strategy
Some people can cook delicious meals seemingly intuitively. Like my husband (yep he’s a keeper!). He can turn what I see as a bare cupboard into a beautiful meal, including dessert! Same goes for brands. There are businesses that can start with a basic logo and...
Goodbye Paige Digital, hello Design Salad
Design Salad is officially here! It's been 6 years of learning, practising and refining under the name Paige Digital. Now, Design Salad is born of a long vision, rooted in purpose, and ready to celebrate my differences. I'm already a little nostalgic for the Paige...
Rebrand Part 3: What is brand personality?
For a solo business owner, developing a defined brand personality can be easy to skip. Because it’s the same as your personality, right? Not necessarily. In my personal life, I make fun of myself and can be self-deprecating. I’m often messy, and my introvertedness to...
Rebrand – part 2: Why I thrived in a failing sports team
I’ve always been more about collaboration and community over competition. Ever since primary school when everyone got into the sports team because the school was so small. And when we got a reputation for coming last in every game, I was proud of (and relieved by) the...
Behind the rebrand – Part 1
You may or may not have heard, but Paige Digital is rebranding! And changing names! Yep, it's a huge decision to make, but I knew it was now or never. Between people calling me Paige (embarassing for them, not a feeling I want to be associated with my business) and...
What is included in a brand strategy?
The term brand strategy is thrown around a lot these days. Many designers mention they do “brand strategy”. But if the final document doesn’t give you a warm feeling of relief, knowing how you will go about moving your small business up and up, then the brand strategy...
5 years: the journey so far
Paige Digital rebranded to Design Salad early 2022. What a milestone. It’s been a rollercoaster ride, as with most businesses. But I’m very proud of where it’s at now. I haven’t talked much about the early days, and why I relaunched Paige Digital one year ago. So...
How great branding makes running a small business easier
The idea of branding as opposed to a logo can seem like a 'nice-to-have' for small businesses. I'm all for DIY where possible-I even cut my own hair till recently. But some things deliver way beyond expectations. Like quality linen sheets. A decent outlay, then years...