1. Hey Clarisa please tell us a little bit about yourself. Who do you serve and how did you get into this business? 

I am a Brand and Website Designer for Wedding Professionals who want to represent themselves well, so their client touchpoints can match the level of luxury they offer to their couples through their services.

Hand-drawn details and unique hand-painted patterns for my clients have been my mission from the day I started. I wanted my graphic design business to be more art-focused so that I can create Brands that go beyond the latest trending font. I wanted the visuals you receive in your deliverables to have meaning and be something that you felt connected to as a business owner so that you can cherish it for the lifetime of your business.

I started working in print shops after college where I learned the production of business cards, magazines, brochures , and other marketing materials. It wasn’t a glamorous job, but I learned a lot about the fundamentals of layout design and gave me an appreciation for things you can feel and hold.

That is why I love delivering my Brand Guidelines Booklet as a gift at the end of each of my client’s Branding Packages so much. It gives them something to keep on their desk and to look through for years to come. This 52-page Artifact Uprising hardcover booklet is a compilation of all the presentations we’ve had throughout our time working together and holds important reference information about your color palette and logo variations to help you stay consistent with your new aesthetic.

2. What’s one thing your business has done for others that you didn’t expect?!

At the beginning, I had thought that new Brand visuals and a beautiful website impacted the business– but I soon realized that it instead impacted the PERSON. There’s something to be said about the change in attitude, productivity, and desire to succeed you feel when you *look the part*.

If you are intentionally keeping potential clients away from your site because you don’t like the way it looks, has outdated information, or simply doesn’t reflect the quality you want to be putting out into the world, then it is doing you a disservice. Because feeling good about the way your business looks is the key to inviting your ideal clients into your digital home. At the end of the day, a new brand makes your business look great, but it makes you FEEL great, and that’s even more important.

3. What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone wanting to elevate their brand? 

Always look to the future. Wherever you want to be 5 years from now, design your brand to reflect THAT version of you– not where you are right now. You always want your new Brand to be something you can grow into, no out of.

Consider the types of clients you want to work with. What location do you aspire to live in or travel to? What additional services do you plan on having or starting? Design something that matches those aspirations. Because like the old saying, “dress the part”, you want something that looks like it matches the level you want to get to so that it forces you to reach your dreams and play that part, and pretty soon you’ll find yourself accomplishing your goals.

4. Speaking of creating a brand, can you walk us through creating a brand palette for your business? 

Your brand palette has 3 parts: Colors that match the aesthetic you envision, colors you love, and colors that resonate with your target audience. Once I collect all that information, I look for photography that embodies that style and incorporates at least half of those desired colors. I then look at the composition of all those photos within the moldboard and select complimentary colors to finalize the complete palette, which is comprised of 2 main colors and 4 additional secondary colors.

5. What are some myths that people believe and assume when it comes to creating a brand palette?

People are always going to look to color trends first, and that is really a terrible starting point. If you want a timeless brand, you’ll need to dig deeper into yourself and what you connect with. I see a lot of people changing their colors often because they are simply selecting what is on-trend. But trends change constantly. So instead of searching for the next hot palette, look in your closet and see the types of colors you personally feel comfortable in. What colors do you wear often? What colors do you like? Those are the colors that you feel are a part of you, and that you will continue to enjoy even after the year has passed.

6.  Clarisa, you are absolutely incredible at what you do! We have personally worked with you for our very own custom logo and design and the process was exceptional!  Can you share about your process, what inspires you and how long this typically takes you? 

For a custom Brand, the starting point is Booking, followed by completing a Brand Identity Questionnaire where I can learn more about you, your business, and your ideal couples. Once submitted, I review your responses and create your Brand Identity Presentation.

This Presentation is a Zoom call where we outline your Target Audience, Brand Words, Brand Story, and reveal your new Color Palette.

Next is your Design Start Date, which is the day when your project officially begins. I take all the information I’ve learned about you and begin designing your new Brand elements. This process takes 4 weeks and is the time when I sketch, paint, and put together your final Brand Presentation.

Your Brand Design Reveal includes all the visuals within your final Branding and showcases your custom monogram, primary logo, variation, brand patterns, and stationery designs.

7. Clarisa, you are an expert and truly a guru when it comes to branding as a whole! Please share with us why your brand is so important when running a business! 

Your Brand is what your couples are seeing first. You want to set the stage for your services in a way that shows your value and justifies luxury pricing. Branding can help you stand out in your industry, and makes your couples feel like they can trust the work that you do by the way you are showcasing yourself out in the world. Remember, your client experience begins when a new lead lands on your website, make sure you are making a wow-worthy first impression from the very FIRST time they meet you, on your About Page.

8. Speaking of being intentional when it comes to your brand palette and your brand as a whole, What are your thoughts on having branding photos done for your business? 

The way a website looks is directly impacted by it’s photography. If you want to ensure you are at the forefront of your business, and you are engaging viewers to begin to know, like, and trust you, than you need to introduce yourself through your brand photography.

By taking someone behind the scenes and showing yourself in your work environment, you are helping a potential client visualize what it would be like working with you. And even more importantly, building the trust that you are an expert at what you do.

You’ve heard the saying, “see it to believe it”, and that’s true for your Branding and Website as well. Show yourself behind the scenes with images that feature all the hard work you put into every wedding.

9. You are a member of our branding collective membership and we are so happy to have you as a member! Can you share with our listeners and readers- How this helped your own brand? 

I LOVE my Brand Photography Membership. I use the images from my professional galleries for social media and my website. It is so hard for me to take beautiful images of myself on my own with my cell phone. It has been wonderful having Terrie by my side to capture different angles, help me set up a scene with props, and keeping me accountable by scheduling our sessions.

10. Where can readers learn more about you online? 

View my Portfolio on Instagram: @cala.lane

More info about my services on my Website: CalaLane.com

Website strategy and tips on TikTok: @calalanedesign

Schedule a design consultant: Scheduler