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In this concise but valuable post, Susan Meier explains how looking at a brand through the lens of empathy can inform and build strong brand relationship marketing strategies.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It’s putting yourself in their shoes. And it’s the key to good branding, because the brand relationship is built on understanding the customer’s world view and desires. 

Hey, you got a lock?

Would you make a key and then run around looking for a lock to open?

To make good products and services, you’ve got to think first about how they’re going to be used and care about the people who’ll be using them. 

Draw a small circle.

You can’t be all things to all people. Whom can you best serve? Draw the circle as small as you can – that’s called your minimum viable audience. Identifying who’s in and who’s out will save you a lot of effort in both product development and marketing.

Once you’ve identified that specific group, you’ll want to find out: What do they care about? What makes them tick? What are their aspirations? Because knowing your audience and what’s important to them is critical to building your brand.

Show me your underwear.

Ask your customers these questions. Listen mindfully and humbly. Get to know them as human beings.

Better yet, observe them in their natural habitat. I have crisscrossed suburbia taking photographs of peoples’ bookshelves. I’ve spent hours watching college students shop online. I’ve grocery shopped with moms and hit the dog run with dog owners. And I’ve had scores of women show me their lingerie drawers.

Key points include:

• Beginning with brand purpose
• Identifying brand benefit story
• Drawing brand boundaries

Read the full post, Choose Empathy, on SusanMeierStudio.com.