How To Achieve Successful Brand Communication

Whether you're a small business just starting up or a large corporation on the verge of a rebrand, how you tell your brand's story is crucial to in how you communicate with your customers. There are so many pieces of the puzzle that come into play when it comes to the topic of branding and with the help of my dear friend and marketing maven, Emily Nickel, we hope to shed the light on a few of your daunting questions and help you find success in your brand communication.

 Emily is the head of marketing & branding for a company located in Fargo, Minneapolis, Grand Forks, and Bismarck. I oversee all media, communication, and advertising.

She is a freelance graphic designer in addition to her 9-5 job. She continued her freelance design/branding because it is a great way to connect with our community, and it allows for her to form relationships and collaborate with her peers.

In her own words, Emily shares how she got started on her creative path:

"I have always seen atmosphere and aesthetic as a means for creative expression. I love branding because it establishes recognition and distinct identity for a company or person. As I went through my college years I learned that in addition to being creative, I am a good communicator. I love being organized, thoughtful, and cohesive. I think branding is a good marriage between the two. It allows for that creative expression, while also providing some clear guidelines. It reflects who I am as a person! After having a bad job experience, I finally took the leap of faith and started freelancing in 2017."

- Emily Nickel

"Seeing other creative work greatly motivates me. There are so many talented designers and creatives that work very hard on their content, and it pushes me to do my best and present something innovative and striking."

- Emily Nickel

When I asked Emily what the most challenging part of what she does is, she told me that it can be very difficult talking to clients that have never thought about visual communication. She gets hired because they need creative ability, but that usually means the client lacks creativity. It tends to be a theme of “I need to see it to understand it” so there is a lot of back and forth. It is a process that she has learned to be patient with, and even enjoy.

When I asked Emily what the most rewarding part of what she does is, she told me for her it's the “I get it” moment with the client. I do most of my work for businesses that are in medical or financial fields, so typically image is the last thing that they think about. It is so rewarding when I present a logo or brand to a client and they finally see why visuals can be such a strong form of expression.

When I asked Emily how she visual creates communication, she told me there are so many ways to do this, but her favorite way is to create coherent graphics that are used in all the marketing materials. It is an easy way to simplify. Less words equal higher viewership. It can be easily reflected on a business’s website and social media. The more coherent the branding is, the more recognizable marketing will become.

I asked her how important it is to have good communication when working with clients. She told me her communication skills have grown so much since she began freelancing. Typically, her process is to meet face to face for the initial consultation, and then as they design a logo or brand the client and she emails back and forth. This means a lot of reiterating, and a lot of questions. In the beginning she made the mistake of not being clear enough with my clients because she didn’t want to bother them. Asking specific questions that help guide them through the creative process is key.

This week I was inspired by this quote from the Honest Designers Podcastin regards of going the extra mile in your business. I felt this could apply to not only designers, but also to any type of business who wants to show the love to their clients and customers.

When I asked Emily how she feels going the extra mile with clients is important to her she told me:

"It’s simple: The more I go the extra mile, the more likely I am to get referrals. That is my main avenue for new business, and it is important that I strike a chord with my work."

- Emily Nickel

I also asked her if she had any tips how she goes the extra mile for her clients. Of course, she told me she can't give away all of her secrets 😉 BUT she did give me to great suggestions:

1. Create tools/worksheets that guide the client’s brainstorming sessions. Whether one person or a team is making the final branding decision, I learned that providing useful resources is a major advantage.

1. Presentation. If I claim that I offer design expertise, I better present the logos on a beautiful template, and use mock-ups so that the client can see their brand identity in action. My portfolio, resume, emails, or worksheets need to reflect MY branding. I need to practice what I preach.

For the Designers: All of us creatives tend to be a little scatterbrained. I suggest taking the necessary steps to organize yourself so that you are confident in what you are communicating. Find a friend that can proof read for you or help keep you accountable to meeting deadlines. If you make a mistake, own it and move on.

For the Business Owners: If you are a business owner, you need to be able to articulate why your business is different. If it is overwhelming coming up with a concise answer, most likely that means you need to simplify your mission and values.

Website with my portfolio coming soon! For now, find her on social media:

Facebook/Linked In – Emily St. John Nickel

Instagram – @emnickel

Twitter – @em_nickel