Build A Stronger Brand Using The Brand Discovery Process

Every business wants their customer to see them as more than just another solution to their problem.

We want our customers to see us as an entity that understands their specific needs. Someone who knows how to fulfil these needs in ways that other companies do not.

The brand discovery process gives your brand purpose and personality. It helps your brand connect with your customer on a deeper, more personal level. If done properly, it becomes the single most important tool for all of your future communication and marketing and can even be applied to achieve better customer service..

The purpose of the brand discovery process is to ask questions that will lead you to answers needed to build a robust, relevant and stronger business

First you want to unpack and simplify your business goals by asking a few critical questions.

What are the company’s core values?

It’s usually useful to examine your first answer and again ask “why?”. This can help you break through to new, levels of understanding your core values?

What metrics do we use to measure success?

Asking “why?” here is also useful in finding better, more specific metrics.

What are the problems that customers face and how do we (or how would you like to) solve them?

Think about your approach to solving the problems your customers face. Try not to stick to the first thing that comes to mind and dig deeper to to address multiple facets to their concerns.

Which of our products or services are the most profitable?

We usually want to examine what brings our business more profit and try to replicate our findings throughout our organisation.

How well does our brand connect with our customers?

Do you fulfil your customers needs in ways that are memorable to them? Do you address factors that connect with them personally?

Who are your competitors?

Look at companies that you consider big contenders in your sector but keep the list reasonably short. Two or three of your strongest competitors will do.

Where do they rank on Google search and how does this compare to your ranking?

Perform a quick search on Google using various combinations of keywords to see where you and your competitors rank. If you’re not on the first page, you most likely will not be seen by prospects.

How are you different from your competition and in which areas do they outshine you?

Examine your approach and consider how your service or product USP’s stand out and how unique they really are. Do the same for your selected competitors in areas they may be making a big impact on the market.

The core function of the brand discovery is to surface deeper insight to your customer and how to connect with them in ways that are meaningful to them. By reviewing existing customer data you can hone in on areas that you may have neglected in the past or find new opportunities that can build stronger relationships with them. Some questions to ask are:

Who is your ideal customer?

Don’t think that you are limited to your existing customers because it’s possible that you have attracted a few that may have a negative impact on your business.

Why do they buy from us?

What makes your product or service particularly more attractive to them and why do they choose you over your competitors?

Where are they engaging with our brand?

Focus on the touch points your customers most interact with and which are more successful in giving the most favourable outcomes to your customer and your business.

How can we better engage our audience?

What are their habits and how do they prefer to interact with their favourite brands? Blasting out a monthly email weekly can be a serious pain point for your customer. Think of creative ways that they can digest your content and marketing efforts that bring real value to them.

What audiences are we not reaching?

What opportunities are you missing out on through lack of presence, and what potential customer is likely not to interact with your brand because of this?

By answering the above questions, you can create customer personas. These customer personas can be used as a tool in every step of the branding and marketing process allowing you to focus more on the needs of your customer and base your future decisions on what would be best for them. Often businesses rely on their own opinions and preferences to make marketing decisions which often lead to spending cycles that bring no results. Always base your decisions on well researched and objective data.

The answers to these questions will guide to improve the relationship between your brand and customer. By using them, you will also strengthen company culture and employee engagement.