Andrea Shillington, Founder & Owner, Brands for the People
What does online dating and branding have in common? A crowdsourcing design platform called Brands for the People that matches up social startups with graphic designers from around the world. It’s a service for small businesses starting up that promises customers they will love their designer.
The service is a hybrid between an online dating website like E-Harmony and crowdsourcing design site like 99 designs.
It’s like a online dating website because startups get to choose their matching criteria ranging from budget to core skills to personality characteristics. The Founder, Andrea Shillington says “the matching part of our service is designed to connect entrepreneurs with a creative partner. It’s our purpose to help establish a marriage like relationship between the business mind and the creative mind, at a price the startup can afford.”
Branding starts with who you are on the inside
If you’ve ever read a dating profile you may have noticed people have a tendency to share a similar story: “I have a great group of friends, I love my job and on the weekends I enjoy being outdoors and active.” If you’re hoping to attract your ideal mate it’s important to craft a dating profile that speaks to why you’re different than most men and women out there. The more brave and bold the profile is, the better chance some has of attracting the right partner. “Brands should do the same thing,” says Shillington.
There are many cheap and easy ways to get a startup up and running using design resources like website templates and off the shelf logo designs. “The problem is the Internet is now littered with many me-to businesses that have over-promised and under-delivered which has resulted in a more discerning customer. It’s a critical time for startups to look professional, differentiate themselves and get clear on their unique message,” says Shillington.
“It’s not always easy to articulate what it is that makes your business idea unique.” That’s why, Brands for the People includes a do-it-yourself training program called Famous Brands 101 that’s designed to help the entrepreneur get clear and feel confident about what makes their business different in the first place.
Brands for the People follows a strategic approach that entrepreneurs would normally get when hiring a leading branding agency, but without the cost of hiring one.
Unlike traditional crowdsourcing design sites, Brands for the People attracts higher-end designers that understand western design aesthetic. “I do not participate on traditional crowdsourcing design platforms. The reason I joined Brands for the People is because they focus on the quality of the designers and advocate a strategic branding process, whereas traditional crowdsourcing platforms focus on the supposed benefits of getting hundreds of logo designs,” says Matt, A Brands for the People, Platinum Designer.
“Branding your business should be a story that ends in a happy ever after, but more often then not it starts with a bit of lust that’s quickly followed by a frustrating experience with a big bill at the end. We aimed to change of all that,” says Shillington.
“We believe that there is a perfect match for every social enterprise out there. Brands for the People helps them find ‘the one,’ that is our commitment,” Shillington added.
About Brands for the People:
Brands for the People matches entrepreneurs with the brand designers to create famous brands that will change the world. Branding packages start at just $595 and startups are guaranteed they will love their designer or their money back. Our handpicked community of brand designers are from Canada, UK, Australia and beyond. Only designers that have a portfolio demonstrating their brand identity expertise are accepted into the community.
For more information, visit http://www.brandsforthepeople.com.
