Branding is an integral part of the job of any designer. But building a great brand is not only done by having a great design. A big role is also played by the company who owns the brand - may it be big or small. You may have clients that understand the importance of a brand but don't know what it takes to build a brand. It happened more then once to me, that I had to presented a design combined with a communication strategy containing the measures the brand owner has to take in order to achieve his goals. Some clients just stared at me, others just dismissed the suggestions not understanding that design alone doesn't do the trick. It was frustrating.

I often hear that designers should educate their clients - but most designers are not able to. This is where the new book from Guy Kawasaki comes into play: Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions. It can help you to educate your clients without being rude.

Guy talks in his book how great brands like Apple enchant their customers - and all your clients want to be a brand like Apple, don't they? I was lucky to get a copy for review of this book and have loved it so much, that I have incorporated it into my client process.

When I meet with a new client I give him the book as a present. They will not only appreciate it, but will know what I care about (because I highlight some chapters) and since it is not me who gives the lessons I don't appear to be the know-it-all.

What I like about the book most is the easy to read structure and that all the latest technologies (Facebook, Twitter, etc) are covered in a way that everyone can understand how to use them to build a brand.

You may think that this will take away the "you are the expert" aura from you, but in reality if your client understands what you are doing he will appreciate your work even more.

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More Resources about the book can be found here: