Good design communication shouldn’t need a translator

One of the things I hear surprisingly often from new clients is some version of: “I’m probably explaining this really badly…” or “I don’t really know how to describe what I mean.”

In many ways, that’s actually what branding conversations are about.

You shouldn’t need a background in branding, design or printing to confidently take part in conversations about your own business. You’re already the expert in your business. My job is to listen, understand how you see things and help translate instinct, personality and ideas into something visual and strategic. A lot of my process is really about getting inside my clients’ heads and understanding what they’re trying to communicate, even when they feel they’re not explaining it perfectly.

Over the years I’ve made a very conscious decision to keep my communication as jargon-free as possible. Not because I don’t understand the technical side of design, but because I do. A good designer should be able to explain complex ideas clearly. There absolutely is technical language within the design industry, and sometimes those terms are important behind the scenes. Things like vector files, bleed, hierarchy, lockups, RGB, CMYK and dielines all have very specific meanings. But clients shouldn’t feel like they need a translator just to understand what’s happening in their own project.

I’ve seen how intimidating industry language can become. People nod along in meetings because they don’t want to look inexperienced. Questions go unasked. Misunderstandings happen later. Sometimes clients end up feeling disconnected from a process that should actually feel collaborative and exciting. For me, good communication is part of good design.

A branding or packaging project already involves a lot of moving parts. There are creative decisions, technical requirements, printers, suppliers, approvals, file types and production considerations. Adding unnecessary complexity to the conversation doesn’t make the process more professional. Usually it just makes it more stressful. That doesn’t mean oversimplifying things or avoiding expertise. It means translating expertise into clear guidance.

I often explain my role as helping clients navigate decisions they don’t deal with every day. Most business owners aren’t expected to know the difference between Pantone and CMYK, how a logo should be supplied to a signwriter, or why a barcode needs testing before print. That’s part of my job to guide them through. I also regularly offer to speak directly with printers, signwriters and suppliers when technical conversations are needed. In my experience, having those direct discussions usually makes the whole process smoother and avoids unnecessary confusion or back-and-forth. Part of my role is often acting as a translator between the creative, technical and production sides of a project.

Interestingly, I think clear communication usually leads to better creative outcomes too. When people feel comfortable asking questions, they tend to give more honest feedback and conversations become far more collaborative. Clients are more likely to talk openly about concerns, preferences and goals rather than worrying about whether they’re “using the right terms”.

Another thing I hear a lot is: “I’m just not very creative.”

But I honestly don’t believe creativity is some rare trait that only belongs to designers or artists. A lot of creativity is really just problem solving, and business owners do that constantly. They adapt, make decisions, communicate ideas, navigate challenges and find ways to connect with people every day. Often, clients are far more creative and insightful than they give themselves credit for. They’re already describing feeling, personality, instinct and audience, which is exactly what branding conversations should be about.

Some of the best branding conversations I’ve had with clients haven’t involved design terminology at all. They’ve involved words like grounded, fresh, warm, structured, premium, playful or trustworthy. Those kinds of instinctive descriptions often communicate far more than technical language ever could, because they’re really about feeling, personality and how a brand should connect with people.

Interestingly, one of the words clients often use to describe my process afterwards is “fun”, usually with a bit of surprise. I think that’s because once people stop worrying about saying the “right” thing, the whole process becomes far more relaxed, collaborative and creative. Branding conversations should feel engaging and enjoyable, not intimidating.

At the end of the day, my job isn’t to impress clients with complicated language. It’s to guide them clearly through a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming and help create branding that not only looks good, but works well in the real world too. Good design communication shouldn’t need a translator.