Every time I take on a new client it’s so important for me to learn all I can about their business from the get go. After all, my main goal before I even begin to design is to get to know their brand even better than they do. In addition to the three strategy workshops I offer my clients, here are three questions that I find really open up the conversation for getting to know a brand.
When did you start your company?
This questions really opens it up to what the story is behind the brand, and believe me, every company has one whether they know it or not. It asks specifically “when?,” but leaves room for them to elaborate also on the “Why?”
EX: My wife and I love coffee, and always wanted to start our own roaster in our neighborhood, so last October we finally decided to take the plunge and do it. So from this I get, love of coffee, family owned, and geographic location. It’s not enough to totally get started, but do serve as good clues for the strategy workshops. These are all story elements that I can take into account and use within their brand design.
Who do you view as a success in your industry?
It’s an aspirational question that sets up not only who they are competing with, but who they strive to be, and for me the designer, what they want to look like.
EX: I’m a distillery in Austin, but I want to compete with the big guys, like Titos. So from that I know that the distillery deems a company of Tito’s size and reputation as successful, which will be helpful when I start the design process. It’s a good way to get them thinking about this if they haven’t already, and it also helps prepare them for the Competitive Audit workshop I do with them later on in the process.
What differentiates you from your competitors?
How you stand out helps you break free from the copy cats in your industry. You may not be the first in your industry but if you offer something unique, that relates to your target audience you’ll be the best in their eyes. This really creates a spark in the client thinking about their own business. Every new business idea requires an edge to be successful, my job is to help them accentuate this attribute in their visual design.
Asking questions is of course very important in understanding a client’s need. These are just a few that have helped me reach a mutual understanding with mine. If you have more of your own I’d love to hear about them. Please fill out the form, or feel free to send me an email.
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