12 Steps to Feeling Confident Presenting Brand Strategy

When it comes to presenting brand strategy, your confidence can sometimes escape you. Whether it’s initial research, the strategy solution or the final playbook, it can be daunting to share your work and have someone else judge it.

Not only that, the prospect of having to find the words and conviction to present brand strategy is somewhere between ‘boil my own head’ and ‘tweak someone else’s work’ on the wish list of most designers.

I don’t think I’m reaching when I say we’ve all been there… when we’re a bit unsure if the work hits the mark. What will the reaction be? How will it be received? Will I be able to explain it properly and make my strategic intention clear?

Happily, there are some things you can do to feel more prepared and present with unshakeable confidence.

Wouldn’t it be awesome to have that Elon Musk level confidence in everything you put out into the world? And know that when you come to present it you will put your best foot forward and present like a pro.

Well step away from that vat of boiling water my friend! Here are my 12 steps to feeling total confidence when you share your brand strategy recommendations with your client.

What does client alignment have to do with presenting your work? Well, quite a lot actually. Because when you work with aligned clients who appreciate your value and are committed to the process of co-creating, you’re far more likely to produce your best work. That means outcomes you feel proud of, that you’re happy to put your name to and that you’re willing to defend with passion.

So trust your gut. If prospective clients aren’t committed to the concept of brand strategy or the process, it’s unlikely to have a positive impact on your confidence.

1. FIND aligned clients

When you know what problem, priority or opportunity the brand strategy should address, it makes the process far more objective. You have clear criteria to assess whether it’s delivering to brief. When presenting the brand strategy, you bring everything back to how it’s addressing the goal.

Objectivity brings confidence. You can create a clear and logical argument rather than try to wrangle subjective opinion – an almost impossible task!

2. DEFINE the goals

Any commercial creative process is a shared responsibility. Unlike creation of art which is personal, commercial creativity has a job to do and it’s important every stakeholder has input on the journey and the outcome.

When you’ve had your client’s input during the initial research and fact finding phase, presenting the brand strategy is less daunting. You have a mutual understanding of the project objectives and the opportunities.

When you take a co-creation approach, not only does the process of creating and presenting the work feel less lonely. It ensures there are no surprises, or only good ones at least. And it allows the client to feel some ownership and that they’ve been listened to.

3. CO-CREATE the solution

Supporting your brand strategy presentation with solid insight is a must. When you’ve done your research and you feel empowered with knowledge it adds weight to your rationale and persuasive argument.

Ensure you’ve covered the 5 pillars of research and have a perspective on how that informs the brand strategy solution.

Consider your client’s existing brand where relevant, their business, the competitive set, their broader industry and their audience. You should clearly define from this what the space and the opportunity is for your client.

4. RESEARCH the opportunity

When it comes building your brand strategy presentation, having a reliable, templated structure to follow will do so much for your confidence.

When you reinvent the wheel every time, not only is it far less efficient. It also feels like you’re presenting something new – you’re ways at the bottom on the learning curve!

Develop a simple page-by-page structure that you always use for your presentation format and your confidence will sky rocket – I promise.

5. FOLLOW a structure

Brand Strategy is notoriously complex. There are endless models and frameworks to learn.

Trying to wrangle all these different approaches can be confusing. It can turn what should be beautifully simple to understand and implement into something daunting and unusable.

It can be tempting to overload your presentation and make it something of a beast. But a meaty presentation is a flex that’s entirely unnecessary. It’s so much better to challenge yourself to be concise. Your client and your confidence will thank you for it.

6. SIMPLICITY is key

In the realms of creativity including brand strategy creation, insight and intuition go hand in hand. Research is a powerful tool, but so is your experience and your natural ability as a creative.

Intuition should play an integral part in guiding your final brand strategy presentation. If it doesn’t feel right, trust your gut. Don’t be afraid to revisit and review, and recognise when you’re getting stuck on something that you actually just need to let go of.

7. INTUITION is your ally

Give yourself time. We all work differently. Some people respond well to a bit of pressure or a looming deadline. However, there’s nothing worse than racing into a presentation feeling like you needed more time, and the work isn’t quite right.

Build thinking time into your process. Having space to revisit your final brand strategy presentation with fresh eyes before you present is guaranteed to settle your nerves and up level your confidence.

8. PERCOLATE on it

Go into it knowing what you want to get out of it and what needs to happen next.

There’s nothing worse for your confidence than fumbling at the end. Your client asks you a direct question about what you think or next steps and you’re not prepared with the answer. It can leave the presentation to fizzle out and give you a confidence knock.

Include a slide at the end that clearly lays out what needs to happen next. If the next step is feedback, let the client know how, what and when by. Don’t leave anyone in doubt – end strong.

9. WRAP-UP with intention

There are two thing to bear in mind when it comes to opinions

If you get opinions from others, solicited or unsolicited, ensure it’s either an expert perspective from someone who understands the project goals or who represents the target audience.

Secondly, don’t compare your work to others. All that does is make you doubt yourself and second guess what you’ve done. Trust your process, your research, your creativity and your intuition.

10. OPINIONS aren’t facts

I understand this may sound counterintuitive if you’re low on confidence, but hear me out.

Presenting brand strategy in person is crucial and doing it confidently comes down to your preparation and mindset going into the meeting.

Having the opportunity to step your client through your rationale is essential to a successful outcome. Emailing your presentation over, hoping it will speak for itself, and allowing your client to put it to the vote with their family, friends and colleagues is a sure-fire way to devalue it. Before you know it, you’re into ‘create by a committee’. And each committee member will have different agendas, preconceptions, and preferences.

Presenting the brand strategy in person is a great way to gauge your client’s gut reaction. If the co-creation process and research has been done right, nothing in the presentation should be a shock to them. This isn’t about forcing clients to make a decision on the spot. They can still take time to reflect. It’s about chatting through initial reactions and showing the client you care enough to discuss it with them in person.

11. PRESENT in person

Presenting brand strategy confidently isn’t just about the content, it’s about the energy and the attitude you bring to it. Act like a consultant – confident, self-assured and single-minded – and that’s how your client will see you.

When you are tentative or non-committal, that energy will rub off on your client. And that’s a confidence cycle. As your low energy brings their energy and confidence down, so too will your confidence deflate.

Take some time to set yourself up with a strong mindset and intention before your presentation. Go into it with the right attitude and, not only will you feel confident, you will give your client confidence in you too.

12. CONSULTANT energy

Presenting brand strategy with confidence is a combination of process, preparation and attitude – all things I help you with in The Brand Method. Trust in your process and have a consistent structure to follow. Ensure you take time to prepare the rationale to share with your client and give yourself space to reflect. Be intentional with your energy, attitude and mindset. I believe confidence comes down to how you see yourself and your role in the project, and how you show up. Are you a designer doing work and giving control to your client? Or are you a consultant offering solutions and guiding your client towards the best direction for them? You can choose.