In this post, I'm sharing a way of thinking about branding that changed how I approach design.

If you’re like me, you might sometimes feel stuck in that "order taker" role—just cranking out graphics without ever really feeling strategic. My goal here is to help you shift away from that feeling and get closer to speaking the language of business. To help you clearly see how your design decisions truly impact clients.

So here’s how I think about it:

Imagine a simple grid, with Distinctiveness running left to right, and Desire bottom to top. Up at the top-right is the ideal place—this is where every client dreams of being. It’s the place where a brand is memorable (distinctive) and valuable (desirable). Let’s call it Iconic.

Down in the bottom-left, you've got the opposite: Obscure. Nobody knows you, nobody wants you. Definitely not where any client hopes to land.

Now, the path from obscure to iconic isn’t exactly straightforward. Along the way, brands get sidetracked into two common traps:

• Eccentric (bottom-right): Super memorable, but not really valuable. It’s chasing distinctiveness at all costs—think clickbait or gimmicks. Fun, weird, maybe attention-grabbing, but not truly useful.

• Vanilla (top-left): Useful but forgettable. You’re making something people want, but there's nothing distinctive about it. It’s safe, easy, and easy to replace.

Your job as a designer—and increasingly as a strategic advisor—is to help clients avoid these pitfalls and stay on the road toward iconic.

After years of working with clients, I’ve found the best way to do this is by mastering three core disciplines of brand strategy:

1. Identity: Building from Authenticity

Identity is all about figuring out who a brand really is at its core. (I know, huge surprise.) It’s the internal stuff—the mission, vision, values, and especially the origin story. Think about it as authenticity.

If you skip this, you risk chasing superficial uniqueness (eccentricity). Identity makes sure you create from the inside-out, not the outside-in.

Practically speaking, Identity means getting really curious with your clients:

• What drives them?

• Why does their business exist in the first place?

• What’s their tone, their personality, their deeper story?

The clearer you are on their identity, the more authentic and meaningful your design becomes. It’s not random—it’s deliberate. And that resonates with people.

2. Positioning: Standing Out (for Real)

Once you know the identity, the next discipline is positioning—basically figuring out how your client fits into their market. This moves a brand from obscure to distinctive.

Positioning is all about differentiation. It answers things like:

• Who’s the specific target audience?

• What exactly does this brand offer?

• How is it fundamentally different from everything else out there?

When you help clients nail positioning, you carve out genuine space in the market. You're not chasing attention for attention’s sake, and you're definitely not stuck being vanilla. Instead, you're offering something unique and valuable. Design decisions naturally flow from this clarity—making it easy to communicate visually why your client matters.

3. Storytelling: Creating Desire

The final discipline—storytelling—is how you make your client’s customers care. It’s the element that sparks desire.

Storytelling isn’t just good copywriting; it’s about clearly placing the customer inside the narrative. If customers don’t see themselves in the story, they won’t feel any urgency or connection.

As designers, storytelling means creating visuals and experiences that clearly show:

• Where is the customer right now?

• Where do they want to be?

• How does the brand help them bridge that gap?

When you do this well, you move from being "just a designer" to becoming a true strategic partner. Every design choice—colors, images, typography—reinforces the customer's story and motivates action.

Why This Matters

Here’s the big picture: If you master Identity, Positioning, and Storytelling, you’re no longer just making stuff pretty. You’re building brands that are authentic, distinctive, and deeply desirable.

And this changes things for you personally:

• You earn your seat at the strategic table. Clients start asking your advice, not just your hourly rate.

• You unlock bigger opportunities. You get bigger budgets and projects because you’re now solving business problems, not just design problems.

• You feel fulfilled. You're not an order taker. You're a genuine advisor guiding your clients toward long-term success.

Ultimately, embracing these three disciplines helps you create brands that matter. Brands that customers love, employees rally around, and investors eagerly support. It’s good for your clients, but it’s also great for you—because now you’re designing with real purpose.

So, if you’ve ever felt stuck as a designer, take heart. You can move beyond that. Lean into Identity, Positioning, and Storytelling. Your clients will thank you, and you’ll find greater meaning in your work.

And hey, if you ever want to talk more about this, just shoot me a message. I’d love to hear how you’re putting these ideas to work in your own projects.

Thanks for reading. Talk soon!