Why Your DIY Brand Isn’t Working (and What You Should Do Instead)

You’ve worked hard to build this brand and it still feels off, like something’s not clicking. You know deep down you need a professional to step in, but you’re not totally sure why.

Because you’ve made the logo (maybe even a few variations), you’re using consistent colors, you have a landing page, and your Instagram looks aesthetic… but still – something’s missing, and you can’t quite put your finger on it.

I’m here to tell you: it’s not just one thing.
Your brand is likely missing a few essential pieces:

Strategy: Intention matters more than aesthetics

A pretty brand means nothing if there’s no purpose behind it. And I’m not just talking about adding a coffee cup to your logo because you’re a coffee cart. Your brand is so much more than just a logo, colors, or cool fonts.
It’s a unique identity – a feeling people associate with your business. Like Bezzos said:

“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room”

In other words, your brand should intentionally speak for you when you’re busy doing what you do best.

This is why strategy is such an important part of brand design. It takes you on a deep dive into your audience, industry, and story. It helps you figure out what makes you uniquely different, how to stand out in a crowded space, and how to get noticed and connect more deeply with the people you’re trying to reach.

Collaboration – You need more than a one-and-done brand

There’s a saying that goes:

“You can’t read the label from inside the jar”

That couldn’t be more true in branding. You need someone who can step in, ask the right questions, and help you figure things out. Templates won’t do that. A designer will.

Building your brand should be a fun, collaborative experience – like you’re co-creating something that truly reflects you. You should walk away feeling like you have a new creative bestie, not just someone who checked off a deliverables list.

Which leads me into my next point…

Trust – You need to feel aligned and confident with your designer

Designing your brand is personal and so is choosing who brings it to life.

You might spend weeks (even months) working with your designer, especially if your website is involved. That’s a relationship. And you deserve to feel good about it. That’s why discovery calls exist. Not just to learn what your project needs, but to see if you and your designer vibe.

Because you’ve worked too hard to hand your brand to someone who doesn’t get it. You want to work with someone who’ll care about your business like it’s their own.

Personality: What makes you unique is your superpower

Another reason that alignment matters? Because when you feel like yourself, your brand does too.

It’s important you are a good match with your designer, you want to feel comfortable being your authentic self with them. It’s your designer’s job to is to help your personality shine through your visuals (especially important if you’re a service provider!).

Let’s say you’re a wedding photographer in a destination town. A couple is planning their wedding from hundreds of miles away, scrolling through local vendors they’ve never met.

They land on your Instagram.
Your website.
They see your face, your vibe, your genuine energy and instantly feel like they know you.
Through your online presence they have an idea of how you’ll show up at their very personal, intimate wedding.
That builds trust.

Meanwhile, your competitor has a logo that looks familiar (not in a good way), no personal touches, no connection points.

Guess who they’re hiring?

People book people they feel good about. Which is why you need your brand drenched in personality and feeling like a handshake before you’ve said a word.

Details: The small things make a big difference

The right font. The perfect color tone. The correct spacing. These tiny adjustments create big trust and shift the way your brand feels when someone scrolls by. Even just adjusting the hue of a single brand color can change how your message is received.

When your brand visuals are off, you risk blending in. But when they’re aligned with your authentic personality? You stand out without even trying. Your brand shouldn’t look like your competitors. Because what worked for them? Might not work for you.

Your brand is meant to carve its own path – not follow someone else’s. The tiny details that get overlooked are what makes your brand identity so special.

Clarity: Your brand needs direction to go far

Getting clarity on a brand is HARD – I know from experience. Truthfully, it took me years to figure out my focus: helping service providers in destination towns build brands that get noticed. And I didn’t do it alone.
It came through feedback, collaboration, and people asking me the questions I hadn’t thought to ask myself.

Without clarity, it feels like shouting into a loud crowd – or worse, like you’re invisible. I’ve felt both and I know it’s frustrating, overwhelming, demotivating, and daunting. But once you’ve worked through everything I’ve listed above – you’ll find clarity.

So here’s the truth…

Your brand should make life easier. It should speak on your behalf, build trust, and give people a reason to choose you before they ever meet you. Good design doesn’t just look good. It aligns. It connects. And it brings in the right people.

Remember what I said about not being able to read the label from inside the jar?
Bringing someone from outside your business to take a bird’s-eye view at you, your messaging, your audience, and your competitors will help reveal things you haven’t seen.

Feeling like this hit a little too close to home? Let’s see if we’re a good fit.
Book a discovery call and let’s chat over coffee about how we can bring your brand to life.