In the early days of building a business, many founders wear every hat from a creator, manager, marketer, and often, brand designer. Doing your own branding offers a practical and cost-effective way to get started, especially when budgets are tight and momentum matters more than perfection.
But over time, those quick-fix branding decisions can start to feel a little… wobbly. That logo whipped up in Canva at 10pm on a Friday might not be doing the heavy lifting anymore. Colours feel inconsistent, the messaging loses its edge, and suddenly the brand just doesn’t feel right.
We spoke with the team at locally based creative studio, RubyOnyx, to explore three of the most common DIY branding mistakes they see small businesses make. And most importantly… How to fix them!
Mistake 1: Inconsistency across touchpoints
Instagram says one thing, the website tells a different story altogether, and printed materials still use outdated branding. When your brand visuals and voice lack consistency across channels, it creates confusion and can weaken brand recognition.
Establishing consistent branding is crucial. Defining a clear set of colours, fonts, tone of voice, and visual style builds a strong brand foundation. When your brand looks and sounds cohesive everywhere, it instantly feels more professional, trustworthy, and becomes easier for your audience to recognise and remember.
For small businesses, this kind of consistency boosts brand recognition and helps you stand out in a crowded market. It ensures your brand messaging connects and builds trust every time someone interacts with you.
Mistake 2: Design without direction
You’ve got a nice logo and some cute colours, but something still feels off. That’s often a sign there’s no clear brand strategy behind your visuals. It might look good, but it’s not working hard enough for your business.
This is the perfect time to take a step back and get clear on what your brand identity really stands for. Knowing who you’re speaking to and the feeling you want your audience to have when they see or hear from your business makes all the difference. Once those foundations are set, your design choices become easier, and way more effective.
Mistake 3: Confusing messaging
When brand messaging is too broad, full of jargon, or overly polished, it loses its authenticity and sounds like a real business run by real people. That lack of authenticity creates a disconnect and makes it harder to build genuine relationships with your audience.
Simplifying your message makes all the difference. Stripping things back to the essentials, like what your business offers, who it’s for, and why it matters, brings clarity and builds connection.
When your brand voice feels natural and confident, your brand starts to speak for itself and truly resonate with customers.
When it’s time to step things up
If your DIY branding got you off the ground but now feels like it’s slowing you down, it might be time to call in the experts.
RubyOnyx, a local creative studio, works with small businesses across Australia to help brands grow with purpose. They blend smart brand strategy, storytelling, and thoughtful design to create clear, consistent branding that actually works. This team knows their stuff!
Want to see what they can do? Head over to their website to start the chat.