5 Essential Brand Strategy Books and the Power of Presentation

Discover the brand strategy publications that will help you harness the influential art of presentation design

The way we present information dramatically influences what the audience absorbs, which is why presentation design is an art in and of itself. Katya Kovalenko (@katyakovalenko) is a Barcelona-based data designer with a background in communication and advertising. She helps businesses communicate visually, clearly, and effectively. Some of her clients include Telefónica, Nestlé, Indra, and plenty of startups she has assisted in delivering their messages efficiently.

In her Domestika course, Katya explains the potential of presentation design and the process she uses with her clients to build their brand strategy. She helps you structure your presentation, develop the content and narrative, and design it professionally.

Katya recommends some essential and acclaimed publications on brand strategy to help you make the most of this art. Here is the list:

The Brand Gap, by Marty Neumeier

The author of this book invites you to follow their unique approach if you intend to create a ‘charismatic brand’ that your customer cannot live without. The list of contents in Marty Neumeier’s includes a new definition of brand, the five essential disciplines of brand-building, how design determines a customer’s experience, the three most powerful questions to ask about any brand, and much more. With a handy 220-word brand glossary, this book helps bridge the gap between business strategy and design.

ZAG: The Number One Strategy of High-performance Brands, by Marty Neumeier

An AIGA Design Press book, ZAG is the second publication by the author of The Brand Gap and focuses on how brands can radically differentiate themselves to create lasting value. Marty Neumeier's recommendation for brand strategy is: "When everybody zigs, zag.” To succeed, brands must not merely keep up with competitors, but they must out-position, out-maneuver, and out-design them. Engaging and entertaining, the book will teach you all the secrets to design ‘difference’ in your brand and make it a success.

Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action, by Simon Sinek

Based on the most-watched TED Talk video of all time, this book explains why some organizations and brands are more successful than others. In business, Simon Sinek explains, what comes first is not what or how you do something. What matters is Why you do it. If the starting point for offering a product or a service lies in your purpose, people will be more inclined to believe in you and choose you over other brands, who may not be as inspiring.

Find Your Why, by Simon Sinek, David Mead, and Peter Docker

Find Your Why picks up where Start with Why ends. It’s a straightforward guide to help you define the ‘purpose’ Simon Sinek brilliantly illustrated and championed in his previous book. Along with two of his colleagues, Peter Docker and David Mead, Sinek has created a guide to searching for a personal “why” suitable for both businesses and individuals. Through simple steps, the book promises to create a path for success for you and your colleagues and build a more fulfilling life.

The Decision Book: Fifty Models For Strategic Thinking, by Mikael Krogerus, Roman Tschäppeler, and Jenny Piening

This international best-seller aims to help you in the eternal questions of ‘what you want,’ ‘how to get it,’ and ‘how to live more happily and work more efficiently.’ This stylish little black book includes the 50 best decision-making models used on MBA courses (the Eisenhower matrix for time management and the Swiss Cheese model, for example). It is indispensable for solving problems when designing a presentation, evaluating ideas, and getting to know yourself better.

To know more about influencing through a presentation, sign up to Katya’s course Principles of Presentation Design. She will show you the full potential of presentation design and the process she uses with her clients, with professional tips from the designer’s perspective.

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