We’ve wrangled up some of our most frequently asked questions about our creative process and services. Don’t see what you’re looking for here? Email us design@moonlitmedia.com
faqs
because inquiring minds want to know
01. Logos + Branding
What’s included in your brand package?
I can’t tell you how many times I have met someone who hired a “professional designer” to create a “brand” for them, but ended up with only a low-res JPEG, which literally can’t be used for anything. I don’t mean to sound like a snob but PLEASE do your research! A true brand package from an experienced, legitimate designer or brand stylist will include the following:
A timeless logo that reflects you and your business, and will appeal to your target market. As a general rule of thumb with logos, less is more. Don’t get too crazy with details, you will have opportunities for that elsewhere within your brand. Your logo must work in black and white as well as in color.
A color palette that you can use both in your online presence as well as your physical space (if you have one.) I recommend staying away from what everyone else in your industry is doing with color because being different will make you stand out. Also, keep in mind that your favorite color might not be the best color for your brand. Remember, you want your brand identity to reflect you, but you also want it to attract your target clients. If your target audience is mostly men, don’t use baby pink.
Additional brand elements or accents, such as patterns, textures, and icons. These elements will work hand in hand with the logo and color palette to further convey your brand’s personality. We always use patterns and textures that have a cohesive look and feel to the logo so that they can be used seamlessly.
Supplemental brand fonts, which should be different from your logo font(s). You will use them on all branded collateral to keep everything consistent. Brand consistency will make you look like a pro who knows what you’re doing. I typically include a font for headers, a font for body copy, and sometimes a script or calligraphy style font to use sparingly for fun accents.
What is the difference between a branding, submark, icon, alternate logo?
- An icon, also referred to as a logomark, is usually a simple symbol that is immediately recognizable as part of your brand (think Nike swoosh).
- A submark is a stripped down graphic of your main logo. The submark typically does not include text or the full name of the business. Instead, the submark is a graphical shape, drawing, or icon that represents your business.
- An alternate logo is another version of the main logo, with a slight difference - usually either horizontal, or centered depending on what the primary is. Just so you have all bases covered!
- Your branding is never just your logo, it is the total presence that makes up your business (and isn't even entirely visual!). From your logo, website, color palette, right through to your tone of voice, marketing, messaging, copywriting and photography.
What’s the difference between a “Standard” and a “Detailed” logo?
A standard logo is a logo that is an icon, text and tagline (if necessary). A detailed logo is really just a standard logo with more detail added. Detailed logos take more time because of the added details/illustration so they tend to cost more.
Not sure if you need a detailed logo? Here are some examples:
What is a moodboard?
Moodboard - Includes colors, image inspiration and brand 'mood' based off your questionnaire answers. This is a springboard for your project, but please note all images, fonts, colors, textures etc in the moodboard will not be part of your final design, we will build upon this 'mood' and direction to make sure your design is unique and authentic to your business.
What is included in the Brand Style Board?
The Brand Style Board will include your logo variations, color palette, personality, visual inspiration and font selection. This comes standard with most of our brand packages. For a more robust version of this, including font hierarchy, logo and file usage and using your brand in context, you should also include a Brand Style Guide for your project. This is useful for you as the owner to utilize your new brand identity, as well as pass on to a future designer/web developer/anyone who will be using your brand.
What do I need to have ready before the project start dates?
Before we begin any actual design work, we will need your design questionnaire returned with your business details and a style inspiration board sompleted from your "homework" forms. You must have a solid idea of your target audience, business mission, products and services, a general idea of styles you like - or dislike - and of course, your business name!
Do you print any marketing materials for me?
You'll hear us say that we are a "Full Service" boutique. This means we can provide you with a print-ready file to bring to your commercial printer, or we can provide an estimate for printing and have everything shipped to you as a completed project. Just let us know when we being and we'll take care of everything for you!
What if I don’t like the concepts you provide or need more than 2 rounds of revisions?
Luckily, that’s not something that happens often! If you are not happy with any of the designs we provide you have the ability to purchase additional hours for the creation of new concepts. This is a rare occurrence because there’s always something we can work off of from the original designs we provide. We promise you will love the final logo we are able to provide!
If for some reason you are still not happy after two rounds of refinement (which happens very rarely!), we will continue the refinement process at our current hourly rate.
We go through an in-depth questionnaire and briefing process in the beginning to make sure we are on the same page, so 99% of the time 2 refinement rounds are plenty!
This seems a bit pricey. What’s the deal with that?
Our designers are more than passionate about their job. With over 20 years experience I’m confident we will design a logo that fits you and your company. We’re very competitive with our pricing and offer only the highest quality work with over 200 deliverable files, copyright transfer and single-page style guide.
What if I want to add on additional marketing materials later?
You can add on business cards, social media graphics, etc. whenever you’d like! Since we have to complete the logo first we wouldn’t start any additional marketing materials until after the logo project is completed. SO whether you want to print and designs cards now, or come back to us later on, we’d love the opportunity to completely round out your brand identity.
When considering business cards, you should keep in mind if you have your domain and email address set up first. Business cards should include the following:
Your first & last name
Your job title
Your business location or mailing address (unless you have an online-only business)
Your contact info, including phone number & email address
Your social media handle(s) and hashtag(s) so clients can follow and interact with you on Instagram and whatever other social platforms you are using to promote your business
What is your process?
Working with Moonlit Media is a collaborative process. We want our clients involved in every step and we make sure that we are doing everything we can to allow for a successful project.
Our process works like this:
First we will send you our design questionnaire and client homework. This helps us better understand your project needs. Then you will receive a link to your client portal, made specifically for you. In the portal, you can access all the links, forms and files you will need throughout the branding design process.
The next step is a collaborative design brief which will serve as inspiration for the overall tone and style of the brand. The mood board includes photos, color palette, logos style inspiration, patterns, textures, illustrations – everything to help convey the overall “look & feel” that we want to convey through your new brand.
Once you’ve had a chance to review the brief, we ask for approval so that we can then begin our internal brainstorming & sketching to create the logo concepts.
Can you create my project faster? Do you have a rush fee?
Short answer - possibly. Each project timeline has be thoughtfully created to give us enough time to do our research, for us to draft your design, and to go through the refinement rounds. However, there are some circumstances in which your project may be able to be turned around quicker if the situation allows. If you need a rush project, please let me know well in advance so I can create a custom quote based on your requirements and a rush fee may be added depending on the deadline and complexity of the project.
Is my deposit refundable?
No. All deposits are nonrefundable as it is my way of securing your spot in our workflow. If you back out of the project, you may leave an empty spot that could have been given to another project. The deposit ensure that all of our clients are serious about moving forward with their project.
PRO TIP
Ask the designer you’re considering hiring if they will be comfortable giving you honest feedback, even if they think your ideas are taking the project down a wrong path. I believe it’s half of my job as a branding specialist to be straightforward with my clients, especially when I am concerned that their feedback or suggestions are negatively affecting the project.
02. Websites
Is my deposit refundable?
No. All deposits are nonrefundable as it is my way of securing your spot in our workflow. If you back out of the project, you may leave an empty spot that could have been given to another project. The deposit ensure that all of our clients are serious about moving forward with their project.
Why WordPress?
Wordpress isn't just the blog site you used to hear about 20 years ago. It's become a fully functioning Content Management System (CMS) that's easy to use for our clients. But here's a few other awesome reasons we love WordPress:
- It's free and open-source, meaning you don't have to pay for the platform. It adapts, so as your business grows, your website can grow with you and you won't have to keep starting over!
- It supports numerous media types - images, documents, audio, video.
- You can scale up your website with themes and plugins - Need to add eCommerce? Done! Want to start charging for a subscription plan? Easy! Want to add a gallery down the road? We can do that!
- You don't have to be a website genius to manage it! If you have a good host in place, they can watch for website errors, site backups and any suspicious activity. All you'd have to do is update any themes or plugins that aren't auto-updated and any improvements in SEO if you choose to go that route.
- SEO Comes First! Yes, you heard us! WordPress is known for having SEO built into the platform and even generates title tags and mets descriptions for your pages and posts. But there's also more advanced features with online plugins and tools, which we can discuss if you're looking for a little extra organic boost.
- You have full control of your site - unlike many website builders and other web platforms like Squarespace, Shopify and Wix. Which is also why we don't work with other platforms.
- Since WordPress was born a blogging platform, it's the best one out there!
- Everyone is doing it, so jump off the bridge with them! Well, maybe not off the literal bridge but WordPress has been proven time and time again and a reason why almost 30% of all websites are built with WordPress.
- It saves you money! We of course can build any website from the ground up with HTML/CSS but most clients choose not to go that route unless they have a specific need/functionality request. The reason is because homegrown websites start at 4x more in cost and for clients that need something for starting out, WordPress hits all the checkboxes.
Do I need to have my content and images ready before the project starts?
Yes, you must have everything ready by the project start date. Unless you're having us write your content for you of course. Failure to do so could result in rescheduling the project to a later date and/or a restart fee.
Since we build our wireframes with the best user experience in mind, we use all of your written copy to do that. And if we don't have it, the project gets stuck. By having things ready, when the project goals are finalized before the project, you and I are working with a clear direction, purpose, and mission.
What happens if I pay the deposit to book my spot but then do not have my content ready to go?
If you pay your deposit to book your spot but then do not complete your project homework or do not commit to having your content ready to go, you will be bumped to the next available spot and could be required to pay an additional rescheduling fee to re-book your project back in.
What is website hosting/why do I need it/who is my host?
Website hosting is a service that allows you to post your website onto the Internet - think of it like the “land” or space where your website live. In many cases our clients already have a hosting service provider (GoDaddy, Hostgator, etc.) and we can usually use your existing host. However, if you are starting and don't have a domain or hosting provider we can help get you set up with a Business Plan (purchased separately by you). But this is something we go over before your website goes live so don't worry too much right now!
Do you purchase the hosting plan/domain name for me?
We can! For hosting, you can use your existing host or purchase a Managed WordPress hosting plan (we always recommend the Ultimate Plan) separately and we go through this process when you are ready to launch your site. Visit https://www.moonlit.media/products/wordpress for more information and pricing.
For domains, you will need to purchase your own domain name and provide me with the permissions to access the account (if you do not purchase your domain through us). You can browse and register your domain name at https://www.moonlit.media/products/domain-registration
With that said, Moonlit Media is not responsible for server downtime, software issues or any other compatibility issue that may arise after the launch of the site from your hosting or domain provider. But most hosts like GoDaddy offer award winning customer service and can help you all with all of your hosting issues.
What happens if I need blog posts or products added?
For every site package, we can upload up to 5 blog posts. If you need an eCommerce website and we've discussed pricing, most websites will come with the first 25 products included. If you need more formatted, the work will be quoted on an hourly basis.
Will you write my website copy?
Absolutely! While I have designers that are in charge of the design of your website and the look and feel of the visuals, we also have an amazing content creator if you need help and she will write your entire website copy! She will work with you to strategize your content around your unique message and offer research and revisions. Let me know if you want to work this into your package.
Will you take my website photos/product shots?
If you are local here in Southeast Pennsylvania or in Phoenix, AZ we can absolutely connect you with one of our photographers. They have their own unique process and can work one-on-one with you to get the perfect photos. Right now those are the only areas we can connect you with a photographer we love and trust!
Do you provide wireframes before we begin the site process?
We create a website stylesheet which outlines all your assets, colors and fonts. We then create a full wireframe prototype of the site with only one thing in mind - USER EXPERIENCE! The wireframes are the backbone/process of the website project and focus on details like "How is my content displayed to the end user in a way that makes sense?", "What does my navigation look like?", "What happens when I click where?" From there we add in the visual elements with photos for the mockups, then we build the site completely on our private development servers, go through user testing and then public development.
Do you provide SEO for my site?
Included in all my website packages is basic SEO set up to optimize your website to the best of my ability. Writing for SEO is not included and is best done by a copywriting professional. If you require additional, specific or on going SEO services I would recommend getting in touch with an SEO expert who can give you clear direction and insight in how to fully optimize your SEO strategy.
Will you maintain my site after launch?
We can create a custom quote for you whether you need monthly updates run, weekly changes to products and inventory, or just on the fly updates! Also included in every large website package is 1 hour of training (via Zoom) to go over your site and how to edit it. A Help Guide PDF is also included in your website package.
Do you offer payment plans?
Payments are broken into three parts. There is a 34% non-refundable deposit that needs to be paid up front in order to secure your booking, the next 33% at the start of the visual mockups, and the final 33% that can be paid on the end date OR when the project is complete (whichever comes first).
Can you design my site faster? Do you have a rush fee?
Each website package timeline has been thoughtfully created to give us enough time to do our research, create the perfect user experience, build a visually attractive website, and for us to go through the testing and migration. However, there are some circumstances in which your site may be able to be turned around quicker if the situation allows. If you need a rush project, please let me know well in advance so I can create a custom quote based on your requirements and a rush fee may be added depending on the deadline and complexity of the site.
03. Social Media Templates
Will you be managing or setting up my social media account?
No, this service is for template design only - you will be sent the finalized designs in Canva or Photoshop files to use and post yourself at your leisure but no social media management will take place. We're hoping to add this service later this year so be sure to check back with us!
What program will my templates be designed in?
Either Canva or Photoshop depending on which you are most comfortable with.
Do I need to provide content for my templates?
It isn't 100% necessary but it does benefit the design if you do have some imagery we can work with and some text. It means we can make the designs unique to your business and content rather than generic if we have to guess at what you might need.
What happens if I don’t know how to use Canva or Photoshop, do you provide training?
A help file is sent if you choose to use Photoshop as your preferred platform, or I'll direct you to the Canva help hub if Canva is your choice. A basic knowledge of either platform is preferred but if not, you will be able to follow the guides/help links and learn at your own pace. If you need further, specific and tailored training, I can quote for that at the time of booking.
Do I need a logo/branding complete for a social media package?
Yes. You'll need to provide us with your logo files (vector files are preferred), fonts and color palette as well as any other brand collateral like patterns, textures etc. We want to personalize your new templates as much as possible so you'll need solid branding to get us started! If you don't have that yet, we can start with a branding package and then move onto the social media templates as a complete package.
What parts of the templates can I edit?
All of it! You will sign off on a final look and feel but the great thing with these templates is that you can then change any part of them later on once you've been sent the files. This means you can swap out the images, the text, the fonts, the colors, everything!
PRO TIP
Think about how you can tie your online brand identity to your brick and mortar business or physical space. They should feel like one and the same. Don’t forget about icons; they are great for Instagram story highlight covers.
04. General
What if I don’t like the concepts you provide or need more than 2 rounds of revisions?
Luckily, that’s not something that happens often! If you are not happy with any of the designs we provide you have the ability to purchase additional hours for the creation of new concepts. This is a rare occurrence because there’s always something we can work off of from the original designs we provide. We promise you will love the final logo we are able to provide!
If for some reason you are still not happy after two rounds of refinement (which happens very rarely!), we will continue the refinement process at our current hourly rate.
We go through an in-depth questionnaire and briefing process in the beginning to make sure we are on the same page, so 99% of the time 2 refinement rounds are plenty!
This seems a bit pricey. What’s the deal with that?
Our designers are more than passionate about their job. With over 20 years experience I’m confident we will design a logo that fits you and your company. We’re very competitive with our pricing and offer only the highest quality work with over 200 deliverable files, copyright transfer and single-page style guide.
What if I want to add on additional marketing materials later?
You can add on business cards, social media graphics, etc. whenever you’d like! Since we have to complete the logo first we wouldn’t start any additional marketing materials until after the logo project is completed. SO whether you want to print and designs cards now, or come back to us later on, we’d love the opportunity to completely round out your brand identity.
When considering business cards, you should keep in mind if you have your domain and email address set up first. Business cards should include the following:
Your first & last name
Your job title
Your business location or mailing address (unless you have an online-only business)
Your contact info, including phone number & email address
Your social media handle(s) and hashtag(s) so clients can follow and interact with you on Instagram and whatever other social platforms you are using to promote your business
Can you create my project faster? Do you have a rush fee?
Short answer - possibly. Each project timeline has be thoughtfully created to give us enough time to do our research, for us to draft your design, and to go through the refinement rounds. However, there are some circumstances in which your project may be able to be turned around quicker if the situation allows. If you need a rush project, please let me know well in advance so I can create a custom quote based on your requirements and a rush fee may be added depending on the deadline and complexity of the project.
Is my deposit refundable?
No. All deposits are nonrefundable as it is my way of securing your spot in our workflow. If you back out of the project, you may leave an empty spot that could have been given to another project. The deposit ensure that all of our clients are serious about moving forward with their project.
Do I need to have my content and images ready before the project starts?
Yes, you must have everything ready by the project start date. Unless you're having us write your content for you of course. Failure to do so could result in rescheduling the project to a later date and/or a restart fee.
Since we build our wireframes with the best user experience in mind, we use all of your written copy to do that. And if we don't have it, the project gets stuck. By having things ready, when the project goals are finalized before the project, you and I are working with a clear direction, purpose, and mission.
Do you offer payment plans?
Payments are broken into three parts. There is a 34% non-refundable deposit that needs to be paid up front in order to secure your booking, the next 33% at the start of the visual mockups, and the final 33% that can be paid on the end date OR when the project is complete (whichever comes first).
Have a question we didn’t answer above?
So what's next?
Are you ready? Let’s work!
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