When it comes time to create a client's foundational brand, discussion and examination are the names of the game. Being able to create a discovery blueprint complete with questions that both make a client feel heard and comfortable acts as a pivotal tool to create an identity that fits just right. As someone who can successfully create a brand's identity to then create the brand experience (both digitally and physically), it is extremely important that I understand a client's goals. I do this with a well-thought-out discovery session! The first set of inquiries in my discovery session covers the business side of the brand and how the visual brand identity I create will be applied. These questions answer the specifics on products, brand goals, taglines, where the branding will be featured, and so on. The next set of questions is about their demographic: their hobbies, their likes/dislikes, pain-points, etc. The last set of q's is on aesthetic preference which includes their visual inspirations, color favorites, and everything else under the visual umbrella. Everything I am able to gather from this session further helps me and my creative team create compelling visual stories that beautifully establish a glowing first impression for newcomers or seasoned customers.
Though my discovery session has about 30 deep-level questions, I wanted to pull out my top five to show the significance of what one simple question can answer.
1. What will your company be doing in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?
This isn't an opportunity for a client to just wax poetic, eyes dewy, as they daydream about where they would love their company to be after a certain period of time. This is a question that is helpful to understand how to implement a design with longevity and versatility. If the company is a digital entity with an e-commerce store whose 10-year goal is to release branded curriculum/books, my approach will be different from that of a skincare line with just a moisturizer who wants to eventually expand into an entire skincare line. This means taking a holistic approach to creating brand identities which can then be applied to brand experiences, no matter where in their trajectory or journey they might be.
2. Fill in the blank for your customer:“I want to purchase [product/service] instead of this other item/doing what I’ve always done because ________”
I like to make clients fill in the blank with this because it answers several questions: how well they know their demo and product and if they understand their client on an empathetic level. Their answer allows me to pick up on any pain points of their demographic in order to avoid key design elements that might trigger a negative emotional response. It might seem woo-woo, but it is necessary. For example, if a client is a fitness instructor and her demographic are women who are feeling tired, hopeless, ashamed, and cautious, I'm not going to design the branding like I would a Jillian Michaels. (Not knocking Jill, just making a point!)
3. What are some keywords that you will want your demographic to think immediately upon seeing your branding?
My mind in a branding discovery/Storybrand session acts as a funnel. The words a client might say to describe their brand go through an empathy/design funnel and come out in my brain with a description of the message they want their customers to receive. A great illustration of this: when a female client in a male-dominated field says they want their brand to feel legitimate, bold, empowering, and intelligent, what I hear is a client who wants their brand to stand out among her colleagues while still feeling inclusive and somewhat similar. They want to be themselves without sacrificing traditional, field design norms. From this place, a designer can create something new with familiar and distinctive nuances.
4. What are your branding must-haves?
In order to nail the specific foundational designs that encompass a brand's trifecta (logo systems, color palette, and typography), it's good to know the non-negotiables of the client. These questions inadvertently establish the goals and expectations of the client. If a client wants a bright pink logo that screams Lisa Frank's younger sibling, then by God, you're being given no-fail ammunition to create it. Another benefit of this question is that a client can go in several different directions which will show their priorities. For example, if they immediately begin discussing what they want the brand experience to be (I look for: I want a cool icon I can use for a wax seal and something that can look super luxe with gold), then I can make sure to focus on that element when it comes to presentation time with prepared mock-ups and brand ideations for the next steps. #customerservice
5. If I was struck by lightning after walking out of this meeting, and I only remembered one thing from it, what would be the most important thing for me to remember?
I will say, usually people are pretty taken aback when I ask this because it's pretty quirky. I'm asking them to imagine me being struck by lightning. I mean…what?! But it's a great question because I'm asking them to boil down their desires, expectations, and their priorities into one simple, bitesize sentiment. It is important for that reason. It's almost like a verbal TLDR. The answer to this question acts as my true north whenever my brain wants to go in several different directions. Often, a client who is struggling with what they like v.s. what is best for their brand, their answer will often supply clear insight into what the true priority is in moving forward with design and brand experience.
At the end of my session, after the last question above is asked, I verbally express my summary notes into a pseudo monologue after asking: "I want to go over what I've gathered from this call. Let me know if there is anything I missed which you feel is important for me to know moving forward." The summary includes the key phrases, keywords, demo specifics, pain points, company trajectory, and any other golden descriptors discussed. It is a great way to let the client they've been heard, their goals are being considered, and that your process is established on clarity and discernment.
Often, once the visual brand identity is created, I refer back to these notes when it comes time to build out campaigns, create content and various assets, and build a further brand structure to the foundation. When it comes time to hand the project over to a designer/design team or developer, these notes may provide the insight they would have otherwise been guessing at.
Cheers!