SS: Most designers do strategy calls wrong

A few weeks ago in our newsletter, we broke down what “including strategy in your design” really means.

​If you missed it, you can check it out here.

As you may have noticed in that newsletter, the foundation of designing a Strategic Brand Identity lies in how effectively you capture strategic insights from the start.

Two designers could work with the exact same client but end up with completely different outcomes.

One delivers work that technically meets the brief but leaves the client feeling underwhelmed and uncertain.

The other delivers work that makes the client say “This is exactly what we needed” - not just because the design looks good, but because it actually solves their business problems.

What’s the difference? It’s how the designers approach their strategy calls.

The successful designer does more than just ask questions and take notes. They extract the right insights and help clients gain clarity on their own brand strategy in the process.

They understand that strategy calls aren’t simply a question-and-answer process. Rather, they’re a discovery journey that helps clients clarify their brand (often revealing aspects they hadn’t previously considered) and lays the foundation for everything that follows.

So, in today’s newsletter, I’ll show you exactly what separates these two approaches and how you can become the designer who leaves clients feeling confident and excited about your work.

Most designers approach strategy calls like a checkbox exercise.

They don’t prepare.

They don’t research.

They barely look at the client’s website or social media.

They have no context about the industry or market positioning. So they spend the entire call learning basic information they could have gathered beforehand, instead of using that time to uncover deeper strategic insights.

Generic Designers: “Who is your target audience?”

Client:“Well, anyone who needs our service, really. Probably ages 25-55.”

Generic Designers: “Mmm hmm…”

The client rambles about their business for 45 minutes.

The designer frantically takes notes.

• They don’t ask follow-up questions.

• They don’t try to dig deeper when their clients say their value is “Inclusivity”.

• They don’t challenge the client to think more about what sets them apart, who specifically they are trying to attract, or which direction they’re headed.

Everyone walks away feeling like something was accomplished.

But when it comes time to design, the generic designer is staring at a pile of surface-level information that doesn’t actually inform any strategic decisions.

All this leads to designs that try to appeal to everyone and connect with no one.

So what’s missing?

Strategic Brand Designers structure calls to extract strategic insights

The idea is NOT to run these calls and have a nice conversation with your clients.

It’s to ensure these calls are designed intentionally, so that every insight builds toward a clear strategic direction.

Strategic Brand Designers never show up cold.

They send a detailed questionnaire during onboarding and research the industry and competitors. This allows them the time and space needed to come prepared with specific observations and questions to drive conversations like:

“I noticed your three main competitors X, Y, and Z are all using very similar messaging around ‘quality and reliability.’ When your ideal customer is choosing between you and them, what’s the one thing that would make you the obvious choice?”

This is what makes them the real design experts who solve business problems.

They understand the value they deliver by asking difficult questions, where the client may not easily know the answer, and is forced to think about their positioning and value proposition. Then the job is simply to let these insights work as the foundation for your designs.

So how do you get there?

It all starts with understanding that preparation is everything.

And I am sharing my 3-step framework, so you can start applying this from the very next call, instead of having to start from scratch!

Step 0: (Prerequisite) Send the questionnaire first

Before you even schedule your strategy call, send a questionnaire once the client is onboarded.

This should ask questions to uncover their business model, current challenges, target audience, and goals. You need this baseline information so you can spend call time digging deeper instead of learning basic facts.

Step 1: Review the client questionnaire thoroughly

Don’t just skim their responses. Analyze them.

Look for patterns, gaps, and opportunities.

• What challenges keep coming up?

• Where do they seem unclear about their own positioning?

• What assumptions are they making about their audience?

This analysis allows you to ask deeper, more specific questions during the call.

Instead of “Tell me about your target audience,” you can ask “You mentioned your target audience includes working professionals aged 30-45, but when you described your biggest repeat customers, 60% of them seem to be women. Should we be focusing more specifically on that segment?”

Step 2: Research the industry and competitors

Before your call, spend time reviewing competitor websites and social media accounts.

Note the visual trends, brand messaging, and design similarities across the industry. What is everyone else doing? Where do you see opportunities for differentiation?

This helps you make informed recommendations and avoid design clichés. More importantly, you come to the call with valuable observations that position you as someone who understands their industry.

Step 3: Prepare a structured call script

A consistent script ensures you cover all key topics and don’t miss critical information.

Your framework should cover:

• Brand foundations (purpose, mission, vision, values)

• Target audience mapping and customer journey

• Competitor analysis and market positioning

• Visual inspiration and strategic direction

The script acts as your guide, keeping the conversation focused and strategic while ensuring you gather everything needed to make informed design decisions.

And that’s it!

Start using this framework in your next call and see how your clients perceive your expertise differently!

And I know this will feel time-consuming at first, but the more you practice, the more you will naturally start gathering the right insights without needing a script to follow.

But do this well, and you will never wonder if you’re missing crucial information again.

Chat soon,

Abi 😊

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