Amazon, Apple, and Starbucks’ successes are due in big part to strong branding. Having a strong product is not enough for consumers to stay so evolving with technology is big. This is where branding also comes in. Having a brand that strongly resonates with your target customers is a great way to take your business to the next level.

Here are the six questions you need to ask yourself in developing your brand:

1. What is Your Brand Story?

Your brand story will define who you are as brand and what image you are trying to present. Consumers not only want to buy your product or service but they also want to buy an experience. Brand stories evoke emotions which will propel them to buy. Brand stories are developed out of your value proposition. Your story should capture attention and should be linked to your business strategy.

1. Who are Your Target Customers and How to Speak to Them?

It’s very important to define and establish your target audience. Consider the ideal customer profile and buyer persona when thinking of what your ideal customers should be. Analyzing factors such as annual income and profession can give you a better understanding of what type of customers would be a good fit for your brand.

After establishing your ideal customer profile, it’s time to develop a buyer persona. A buyer persona represents the specific people who you will be selling to. Developing at least three buyer personas is the recommended practice.

1. What Other Brands Do You Admire?

Identifying the other businesses that you admire will help you identify their best practices that you can apply to your own branding. This can help in improving your branding effectively.

1. What are Your Competitors Doing?

It may not look likeable but identifying your competitor’s strengths can be very helpful in building your brand strategy. Knowing their strengths can help you identify how your brand can stand out against the competition.

1. What Do You Want Your Customers to Feel Towards Your Brand?

Customer experience plays a critical in a customer’s decision whether to purchase your product or not. So it’s very important to know what kind of experience you want to provide to your customers. One way to know what experience you want to give is define what a 5-star experience would feel like if a customer interacts with your brand. Generate ideas on what would encompass this experience until you reach the best possible experience you can provide to your customers.

1. What Are Your Core Values and How Should Your Brand Express These Attributes?

Lastly, you should know what your core values are and what attributes you want your brand to express. It will be easier to establish your brand’s personality by defining what are your brand’s important qualities. List down words you want your brand to be associated with. Identify the key attributes and establish the right voice and tone that will portray your brand’s values. This is greatly help in honing your future content which will make it easier to identify your brand.