Behind every successful brand’s visually pleasing content, catchy captions, and kick-ass community management is a more subtle yet impactful element known as the Brand Persona.

It is the vital set of human characteristics such as personality traits, values, and attitudes that a brand identifies with to establish a solid relationship with the audience. Think of it as a person, character, or idea that people get to know when interacting with a brand!

I’ve put together five simple steps to help you figure out your ultimate brand persona:

Know the core of your brand

The first thing to keep in mind while defining your brand persona is to look into your brand’s vision, mission, and values.

Not only do they serve to remind you of what’s important to your business and to the audience you’re targeting, but they also serve as a compass to align your goals and values with your brand persona to maintain authenticity.

Cater to your target audience

Finding a persona is not just simply picking and choosing what you want people to associate with your brand. It’s making sure that the traits of your brand are complementary to your customer persona.

Rather than focusing on your brand’s preferences, it is essential to know who your customers are and what they need or want.

Having an in-depth look at your audience’s demographic, how they communicate, what they like, and other important information can be fundamental in establishing your persona.

Think of adjectives that describe your brand

Listing adjectives that describe your brand is a great brainstorming activity that helps you hone your brand persona.

For example, a fashion brand can be described as energetic, stylish, and witty, while a tech brand can be innovative, knowledgeable, and aspirational.

Make sure to avoid using adjectives that contradict each other such as quirky and excited yet also serious.

Imagine your brand as a person

This might seem unusual but if you can’t decide which direction to take your brand persona, try imagining your brand as a person who just walked into a room. This can help you create your brand’s ideal first impression.

Try asking yourself these specific questions:

• How does your brand greet customers?
• How does it act?
• What does it communicate?
• What is the brand wearing?

Create a mood board

If you find it hard to describe your brand in words, creating a mood board helps you visualize the perfect brand persona.

The mood board can include a combination of photographs, graphics, colours, and words on a single space that provides an illustrated example to paint a picture of how you want your brand to be seen from a different perspective.

From here, you can identify a persona that accurately captures the essence of your brand.

This may just seem like a small piece of a big pie that is your business, but having the right one can take your brand game to the next level and serve you well in the long term.

With these actionable steps I’ve provided, you can create a brand persona that helps you stand out from the crowd and connects with your customers for many years to come.