How to Build a Brand Brain (Part 2): Mapping What, Why, and Who

In the second installment of our "Building Your Brand Brain" series, we're diving deep into the crucial framework every AI-powered marketing strategy needs: the "What, Why, Who" method. This clear, structured approach ensures your AI systems consistently produce high-quality, personalized content that truly resonates with your audience.

The Importance of Context for AI

Before diving into our framework, it's essential to understand why context matters so much for AI. Without adequate context, even the most sophisticated AI systems struggle to deliver content that truly aligns with your brand's voice, objectives, and audience expectations. Clear, detailed context empowers AI to provide outputs that are not only accurate but genuinely impactful.

The "What, Why, Who" Framework Explained:

1. What: Defining Your Solution Clearly

The "What" is the foundational step. Start by clearly defining what your product or feature specifically does. If your solution is complex or multi-faceted, break it down into smaller, easily understandable components. For instance, if your product is an email marketing tool, one of its features might be an AI-generated email subject line creator. Define this clearly, including how it works and the necessary inputs from users.

Example:

• Product Feature: AI Email Subject Line Generator
• Description: Automatically creates compelling, attention-grabbing email subject lines based on user input and historical performance data.

2. Why: Uncovering Real Benefits

Moving past mere functionality, clearly articulate the benefits of your feature or product—both tangible and emotional. Benefits should directly connect the dots between the product's functionality and how it improves the user's life or workflow.

For example, your AI-generated email subject line feature doesn't just save time; it might significantly increase open rates, directly impacting your user's bottom line and giving them peace of mind and more free time for strategic planning or personal activities.

Example:

• Tangible Benefit: Increased email open rates, improved marketing ROI
• Emotional Benefit: Less stress about email performance, more time for strategic tasks or family activities

3. Who: Targeting the Right Audience

The final step is understanding exactly who benefits most from your product or feature. This detailed audience segmentation ensures your AI-generated content remains relevant and genuinely helpful. Consider various audience dimensions, such as professional titles, job responsibilities, specific challenges, goals, demographics, and psychographics.

Example Audience Segments:

• Digital Marketers seeking improved campaign performance
• Small business owners aiming to maximize engagement without extensive resources
• Marketing agencies looking to streamline client content creation

Practical Application:

To effectively implement this framework, use a structured, detailed table or document to map these three critical elements:

Product/Feature (What)Benefits (Why)Audience Segments (Who)AI Subject Line GeneratorIncreased open rates, improved ROI, reduced stress and workloadDigital marketers, small business owners, marketing agencies

Having this detailed mapping accessible empowers AI tools—like Copy.ai—to immediately produce targeted, highly relevant, and impactful content tailored to specific scenarios.

Putting It All Together

The "What, Why, Who" framework isn't just theory—it's the backbone of effective, AI-driven marketing. By clearly documenting your solutions, articulating their direct and indirect benefits, and precisely identifying your intended audience, you'll dramatically elevate the quality, relevance, and personalization of your AI-generated content.

Stay tuned for Part Three, where we'll delve deeper into strategies for segmenting your audience to amplify personalization and maximize engagement.