Of all the questions to ask yourself about your business, “why you do it?” is easily the most important, and Uplander knows it.
Uplander is a start-up creating high-quality oak buildings for their clients by combining traditional carpentry methods with the very latest technology.
It was clear from the outset that they recognised the importance of good design and we worked closely with them to create a tailored brand identity that clearly reflects their mission and most importantly their “why”.
Being clear about why you are in business and then building your brand around that is very important. It ensures that your branding gets right to the heart of what you want to achieve and helps you to stand out from other brands that focus on simply saying “this is what we do”.
Focusing on the “why” means that our four-stage design process is vital as it ensures we provide the right design advice and work for Uplander.
The first stage is listening, so we began by asking founders James and Victoria a series of questions to help us – and them– to be clear about their thinking and their business.
The second stage is understanding: understanding the business, services, audience and objectives. There is plenty of competition in similar areas but Uplander know that for most customers, getting an oak building is a significant process and investment. So they have focused on their work process being hassle-free and a pleasurable experience for the customer. They want to ensure that every step is organised and customer-focused, where they are involved every step of the way, from initial sketch to final product. Even providing financial support for those who need it.
Having a deep understanding of the Uplander business allows us to be clear about the effectiveness of our designs, leading to the creation and implementation stages, at which point we could begin to pull together some design ideas.
We began with a basic design package, as there was no need to spend large sums in the beginning. Our proposition was to really focus on their customers and themselves as people.
The logo style has a contemporary and quality feel that communicates the balance between the traditional materials and contemporary approach that Uplander uses.
We helped them set up their social media presence and also created business cards, flyers and graphics for their vehicle.
We were delighted to hear that almost immediately after their website went live, they received their first customer enquiry and considering their customer-driven work process, we are sure that customer will be very happy with the whole experience.