Thanks for that. My intention was not to offend anyone.
The creative/design/branding people often get ignored and are often not a part of the process for ANY type of business, including startups, and we have way too much to offer for me not to speak up.
Using the services of someone like me (NOT necessarily me specifically) can help sharpen focus, define direction, and reduce negative comments such as what have been posted here.
I'll try to soften my bedside manner in future comments. My intent is to help clarify purpose.
I stand partially corrected, but sorry, I still stand 110% by the general idea behind my comments. I'm not "pushing" my services so much as pushing the concept of rigorously thinking an idea/concept through and testing it before rolling it out to the public (and getting other professionals involved in the process) - even if it is a "Show HN" post. When something is posted on any public forum you do open yourself up to criticism. My apologies if it's taken the wrong way, but startups DO need to consider this.
Branding is critical for any business. The "startup" industry needs to get that. I'm not convinced that it (as a whole) does. And that fact is both encouraging and shocking. Job security for me as a design/branding professional.
OK...so I DID click on the link, and OK, I'll concede, maybe a professional designer MIGHT have worked on this, but it looks like some kind of nightclub/social "party" app. If that's not the intention your designer needs to go back to the drawing board and redefine this brand.
I did not even click the link. All the comments alone made it very clear you did NOT use the services of a brand/marketing expert that could have helped clarify/define your brand. Your brand is sorely misunderstood.
Why do startups refuse to hire professional design/branding people at the early stage? when we can help make your idea into a real winner?????? Sorry but come on, "It's too expensive" is totally not a good enough excuse. Even for bootstrappers. Not if you hope to earn a living/funding with your idea. If the idea's that good, the expense of using a real professional is well worth the investment. And if the idea is less than good...let us work with you to get to a good idea. All designers should include fact-finding/question-asking-probing and positioning statement writing as a basic part of the service. That's what the major multinational design firms (the ones that work for the top global companies) do.
With all due respect, I will disagree with your advice to a large degree. I've tried what you are suggesting, literally for years. No success, and it's not for lack of talent or skill on my part, aesthetically speaking.
In my local area (I've lived several places), there is so much competition for the "small jobs", and so few local small businesses that actually care about the value of amazing design (or who can afford to pay the fees needed for a designer to actually be in business) - no matter how much you try to educate them - that it's really not worth it to go after such small fish.
If I'm going to spend my time and effort educating potential clients on the value of and need for branding, I want it to be on those businesses that 1) have growth potential, 2) are at the beginning stages of their lives, when the need is greatest and 3) run by people who have the greatest probability of "getting it", i.e., actually able to comprehend that there is a value to excellent, well-thought-out creativity and that sometimes that value justifies a little bit higher price than $99.
Joe's Body Shop or Jim's Plumbing or Karen's Flower Shop or Martha's Nail Salon are frankly not an adequate target audience for most designers who aspire to make some major impact, and in most cities those kind of businesses are at least 50% of small business (excluding national franchises/chain operations which dominate in many cities). They are perfectly content to have their name plastered on the side of their truck and leave it at that. I want to create solutions for businesses that are a little bit more meaningful. Once I do a couple of those, I think the word of mouth will build from there.
And maybe some of these other kinds of businesses will see what I do, and that it's awesome, and that it has the potential to help drive revenue by helping build respect and credibility with the public, and those businesses will then try to convince ME that their business is worth MY time, instead of the other way around.
I am encouraged by my self-promo efforts so far, but I'm always looking for ideas from people who have a knowledge of the startup scene.
Hi Brandon, good question and good answer. I'm a graphic designer looking to reach early-stage startups to offer my brand identity creation services. I have used Twitter and LinkedIn to get my name out there, but looking for other avenues as well. The startup scene is a little new to me but I think it's really the best "new frontier" for graphic guys like me to make any significant impact going forward.
The creative/design/branding people often get ignored and are often not a part of the process for ANY type of business, including startups, and we have way too much to offer for me not to speak up.
Using the services of someone like me (NOT necessarily me specifically) can help sharpen focus, define direction, and reduce negative comments such as what have been posted here.
I'll try to soften my bedside manner in future comments. My intent is to help clarify purpose.