Put Yourself in Their Shoes (A Branding Exercise)
One of the most powerful things you can do when creating or refining your brand is to step into the shoes of your customers.
At its core, branding isn’t about your logo or your colour palette — it’s about perception. Your brand lives in the minds of your customers: how they see you, how they feel about you, and the stories they tell others about their experience with your business.
This exercise will help you shift perspectives and see your business through your customers’ eyes. You can even take it literally: go for a walk while you do this. Bring your phone to record your thoughts, or jot them down in a notebook afterward.
Step 1: Empathize
The key to creating anything meaningful is the ability to step into your customers’ world. Empathy is about setting aside your own assumptions and seeing things from their perspective. Imagine you are your dream customer.
What kind of shoes are you wearing?
What’s your outfit?
Where are you going and what’s on your mind?
What problem, desire, or need is shaping your day?
Mindset: This step builds empathy. It helps you move beyond assumptions and really picture their life.
Step 2: The Search
Now, picture yourself (as your customer) looking for a solution.
Where do you look first? Google? Instagram? A local shop?
What makes you notice one business over another?
What is it about this business — your business — that draws you in?
Mindset: Pay attention to the signals that communicate trust, credibility, and alignment with values.
Step 3: The Experience
Imagine that you’ve become a customer.
What surprised and delighted you about the product or service?
What small detail made you feel cared for?
How did the business make the process smooth or memorable?
Mindset: This is where the brand promise becomes tangible.
Step 4: The Story They Tell
Now, picture yourself the next day at lunch with a friend.
How do you describe your experience?
What stands out?
What’s the one detail you remember first?
Mindset: What customers retell is the essence of your brand.
Step 5: Review
Now, step back into your own shoes as the business owner. Review what you imagined.
Did you learn something new about your customers’ needs or perceptions?
Did you notice gaps or missed opportunities?
Where could you add more clarity, ease, or delight?
This simple exercise can reveal areas to refine your customer journey, elevate your brand experience, and build stronger connections.
Designing a brand isn’t about being clever — it’s about empathy, clarity, and consistency. By walking in your customers’ shoes, you’ll see opportunities that you can’t see from your own vantage point.
Onwards & Upwards,