1 .Everything starts with knowing your audience, as your audience is who will represent value to your brand. If you don’t know who these people are, your efforts will be for naught. Your audience members should directly inform what your brand is and how it operates. For example, is your target audience young and strong? Your brand should be similarly bold to appeal to them. Is your target audience older and seeking security? Your brand should project expertise and reassurance. 2. Know your competition. You also need to know your competition better to further develop your brand. Your audience functions as a direct input; you need to build a brand that caters to them. But your competition will function as a molder or shaper; the key here is to realize how your competitors have developed their respective brands, and find a way to both draw inspiration from them and differentiate yourself. Your brand must be unique in the market, or you won’t be able to stand out. At the same time, it needs to accurately represent and fit within your industry.