The Tibs Design Studio Blog

BRANDING AND STRATEGY ADVICE FOR INDEPENDENT CREATIVE BUSINESSES

Hi there! I'm Tibs. I'm a brand designer who is passionate about helping independent creative businesses thrive. This blog is where I'm sharing everything you need to know about branding and strategy for your small business.

Recent Blog Posts

Where to sell your products online

November 2, 2024

We’re honestly living in a really exciting time when it comes to selling products online because it’s possible for almost anyone to start up a small handmade business from the comfort of their home. But with all this possibility theres also a lot of decisions that you have to make about how you market and sell in your business within the online landscape.

The age of authenticity in branding

October 23, 2024

If you’re in the thick of marketing your small business, you will have no doubt heard about how important it is to be authentic and relatable in order to gain traction while marketing, especially on social media. The trick is finding the balance between human connection and professionalism.

Using brand rituals to foster connection and loyalty

October 16, 2024

As a small business, you have the opportunity to turn tasks like a monthly workshop, a social media series, an onboarding process, a packaging process, a newsletter, etc. into powerful brand rituals that connect you with your customers and build brand loyalty.

Why I'm a Brand Designer for Small Businesses

March 25, 2024

I'm sharing a little bit of my story and my "why" in today's post. Running a small business isn't easy but for me it's so, so, worth it. I think we all desire to do something meaningful with our time and I'm no different.

Storytelling as a Small Business Owner

March 18, 2024

There are two stories that you need to tell as a small business owner: your own story and your customer’s story. Telling your story allows you to demonstrate authority in your field and highlight connection points with your customers. Telling your customer’s story shows your customer that your product/service is for them and telling this story should be a large part of your marketing material. Most small businesses make the mistake of only telling their story and not telling it in a way that focuses on that authority and connection.

Your Canva Logo Must Go

March 11, 2024

In this post, I’m going to give you four reasons why it’s time to say goodbye to your Canva logo. And to be clear, when I’m talking about a Canva logo, I’m mostly looking at the folks using Canva templates for their logos or using Canva illustrations in their logos, but this advice extends to anyone who doesn’t have a professionally designed vector logo.

Branding Advice from Unexpected Sources: Walt Disney World

March 4, 2024

I was at Walt Disney World a few weeks ago and my brand designer brain could not turn off! Despite WDW (let's not even talk about Disney as a whole!) being a giant and your small business being, well, small, I still think there's a lot you can learn from them!

Book Recommendation: Building a StoryBrand

February 26, 2024

My biggest takeaway from the book: Storytelling is a powerful tool but we have a tendency, especially as small business owners, to make ourselves the hero in the story when the hero has to be our customer. When you read this, work as you go!

Is Your Logo Holding You Back?

February 12, 2024

The way your business is perceived is a major factor in how successful you will be. And your visual identity (including that DIY logo you've had for years) is a major part of how your business is perceived.

When and How to Approach Rebranding

February 5, 2024

Many small business owners that I talk to aren't sure or are intimidated by the idea of a rebranding project. They don't know where to start or if they're even ready for a project. If that's you, this blog post should hopefully help you figure out when and how to approach a rebranding project.

Your Brand Values are Boring

January 29, 2024

I see the same values over and over again and they generally don't tell me anything about what to expect from a business that isn't already super obvious. For example, I see the value of "Quality" all the time. And while it's great that you have a quality product, wouldn't all of your competitors say the same thing?

The Basics of Color Psychology

January 22, 2024

As a small business owner, you should know the basics of color psychology. Before we get started, a definition for you: Color psychology is the study of how colors impact human behavior and emotions. In design, marketing, and branding, it focuses on strategically leveraging colors to evoke certain responses from consumers.

Why Brand Design Must Come Before Packaging Design

January 15, 2024

This blog post is for those businesses who have been around for a bit and are looking for an upgrade to their packaging. If that’s you, I’m so glad you’re thinking about updating your packaging to something more strategic. As you can guess by the title of this blog post though, I am going to tell you to hold your horses on the packaging design until you have a solid strategic brand identity in place.

Secrets of long-term success for product-driven businesses

January 8, 2024

I'm going to be real with you: long-term success for a small business is not easy to achieve. Continued success requires scaling and growing your customer base and ensuring your customers keep coming back to you. I'm about to spill the tea on a keys to building relationships that last way beyond the first purchase: storytelling, killer branding, delighting your customers, and offering limited releases.

The face of your product-based business

January 1, 2024

If you think you can get away without showing your face as the founder or owner of a product-based business, you’re wrong. Ok, maybe you could get away with it, but you’d be missing out on a huge opportunity to stand out, build trust, and make important connections.

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid in DIY Branding

December 9, 2023

Are you thinking about DIY-ing your brand? Read this first so you can avoid the top five most common mistakes that small businesses often make when DIY-ing their brand.

The Importance of Branding for Small Businesses

December 7, 2023

Branding is a crucial for growth in a small business. In a crowded market, strategic branding helps you stand out, build trust, and connect emotionally with customers.