Branding and Marketing Strategy in Atlanta

Choose the work that addresses your business problem

Start your brief with a concrete problem. For example, you might want customers to understand a new service, distinguish your shop from nearby competitors, or complete more appointment requests. Identify the audience and the action you want before choosing a logo package or advertising channel.

For positioning work, request customer research, a description of your intended audience, reasons customers should choose you, and messaging examples. For visual identity work, specify the logo files, colors, typography and applications you need. For marketing planning, request channel priorities, a spending plan and a measurement approach. Ask the provider to explain how each deliverable addresses your stated problem.

Define the geographic audience in your brief. A shop seeking walk-in customers and a business serving clients across the metropolitan area should describe their intended reach in different terms. Give the strategist your actual customer locations and service boundaries. Ask them to justify any recommendation to broaden advertising beyond those areas.

Compare proposals with the same scope

Send providers the same brief, existing materials and target launch date. Ask each to identify who conducts research, who writes the messaging, who designs the assets and who handles rollout. Request a sample deliverable and a reference from a client with a comparable assignment. Discuss how the provider handled revisions and handover with that client.

Request an itemized proposal covering interviews, workshops, concepts, revision rounds, final files and implementation. Separate agency fees from advertising spend, printing, photography, software and legal work. Ask providers to state exclusions and explain the approval process for extra charges. Compare total costs for the work you intend to commission.

Agree on ownership and permitted use of final work in the contract. Ask about editable files, font and stock-image permissions, subcontractor contributions and access to accounts. Keep your business in control of its domain, advertising accounts and analytics access. Specify the handover materials and any training your team needs.

Build a budget without assuming a local market price

Obtain written quotes for your defined scope before setting an agency budget. Ask for a discovery-only option if you need help deciding which work to commission. Request separate prices for strategy, creative production and rollout so you can approve stages without committing to unspecified future work.

If you plan to seek federal trademark registration, keep filing costs in a separate budget line. USPTO lists a $350 base application fee per class for Section 1 or Section 44 applications that meet its requirements. It also lists additional fees for missing required information and use of custom goods or services descriptions. These figures are federal filing charges, not Atlanta branding prices or attorney fees. [2] [3]

For an intent-to-use application, USPTO lists a later $150 per-class fee for an amendment to allege use or statement of use, and $125 per class for an extension to file a statement of use. Ask a trademark attorney to advise on clearance, filing basis and classes before you commit to a new name or a costly rollout. USPTO states that filing an application does not guarantee registration. [2] [3]

Approve a rollout your team can carry out

Agree on review milestones before work starts: research findings, positioning, messaging, creative concepts and final handover. Name one person who consolidates feedback from your team. Ask the provider to record approved decisions and price any change to the agreed scope before proceeding.

Request a rollout list organized around your actual customer touchpoints, such as your website, appointment forms, menus, packaging, storefront materials or sales documents. Assign an owner and completion date to each item. If you intend to seek local assistance, establish what that program would cover before signing an overlapping implementation contract.

Choose a business measure before launch, such as completed bookings, qualified inquiries or purchases associated with a campaign. Record the starting point and agree on a review date. Ask the strategist to explain what you can measure with your existing systems and which setup work requires a separate budget.

Selected federal trademark filing fees

Choose your next step before requesting a proposal

Your hiring checklist

1. Write down your audience, geographic reach, business problem and desired customer action.
2. Gather existing brand files, customer feedback, account access and current performance records.
3. Ask Invest Atlanta about applicable assistance, eligibility and remaining funding.
4. Send the same brief to shortlisted providers and request itemized proposals.
5. Check sample deliverables and discuss a comparable project with a client reference.
6. Agree on revisions, payment milestones, ownership, permissions and account access in writing.
7. Assign rollout tasks to named people and agree on the handover materials.
8. Record a starting business measure and schedule a post-launch review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I commission a logo or strategy first?

If you have not agreed on your audience, offer and message, request a strategy phase first. If those decisions are settled, give the designer that brief and specify the applications you need. Ask the provider to explain any proposed research before adding it to the scope.

Can I rely on Invest Atlanta assistance being available?

Confirm availability with Invest Atlanta before making a purchasing decision. Its announcement says applications opened April 1 and remain available until funds are allocated. The announcement does not establish remaining funding or your eligibility as of October 12, 2026. [1]

Does a branding quote include trademark registration?

Ask the provider to specify whether it includes clearance advice, legal services or filing work. USPTO charges a qualifying base application fee of $350 per class, with other fees depending on the application. Keep these charges distinct from design and strategy fees. [2] [3]

What should I receive at handover?

Specify approved messaging, final and editable design files, usage guidance, permissions, account access and a rollout task list in your agreement. Ask for a walkthrough so your team can use the materials and continue the work without depending on undocumented instructions.