It is awesome when we have those advocates and even evangelists for our brand. You know the ones. Those rabid believers who can’t wait to tell others about us. These folks become advocates when they feel like the brands that they love really “get” them. Building these believers is no easy task for any brand strategy. But getting started is not hard. It just takes 3 questions.

3 questions for an irresistible brand strategy

Think of someone you know who fits the profile of your ideal prospect. Now answer these three questions about him or her:

1. What are her needs? From a practical standpoint, what does she need from a brand like yours? Notice I said, “a brand like yours”. Don’t make the mistake of thinking of her like a customer or advocate. We want to capture how she thinks when she is evaluating her options. If we do this honestly, it may reveal some weaknesses in our brand. That’s okay. There will always be challenges like this. Recognizing and repositioning early leads to a loved brand.
2. What are her challenges? These are the things that are distracting her. Maybe she is worrying that she’s not spending enough time with her kids. Maybe it’s the anxiety of trying to stay on top of her finances. List out the things that are hogging her time, distracting her, or causing stress. This helps us understand how challenging it is for us to grab a piece of her attention. It also nudges us toward ways we can give her genuine help. That’s the path to winning her affections.
3. What are her desires? Let’s get past the practical. We humans are messy, unpredictable beings. Because we are driven by our emotions. This is good news. No, seriously. Emotions are more powerful drivers of brand affinity than any combination of rational features. How do we know what emotion to focus on? Simple. We ask, “What are her desires, dreams, and aspirations?” Out of those things, what could we help her reasonably accomplish - or at least work toward. If we align with her aspirations, we become a powerful ally to her.

Write down these answers. Then find some pictures that represent this person. You can even give her a name to make her feel more real. Put it all on a single page that you can share with your team. Now next time your team is debating how to portray the brand, ask,”what would Samantha (or whatever name we choose) think of this? Revisit her needs, challenges, and desires.

These 3 simple questions will make our brand strategy more focused and powerful. Because they unlock what’s relevant and important to our prospects – stuff they give a damn about. If we show them that we care about that, they may just give a damn about us.