Gaining insights into your customers can be difficult, you can pay companies large sums to give you some of the same sights they’re giving to everyone else.

While this isn’t complete, here are three keys to understanding your audience.

What Music Blows Their Mind?

Music taps into our emotions, nostalgia and the story we tell ourselves. Does your audience listen to Top 40 hits? Do flip their lid for Eminem’s “Rap God?” Do they know every lyric to “Living on a Prayer?”

Knowing which songs, artists or era of music will help you tap into the emotional core of your audience. By understanding what sparks your audience, you can imitate elements of that artists that will trigger a connection to you brand.

What Apparel Brands Does Your Audience Obsess Over?

Clothing is a completely emotional purpose. The only practical application is to make you non-naked. The next practical (yet not completely practical) use of clothing is to help you fit in with a peer group. What group is your customer trying to fit into? Do they wear designer jeans? Do they buy designer jeans at discount at TJ Maxx or Marshals? Do they shop at thrift stores?

The brands that your audience identifies with signals you to the story they tell themselves, the peer groups they’re trying to fit into and the image they want to project. Tap into that insight to understand where your audience is going and tie your story into the story they’re living.

What Car Does Your Customer Drive?

Ever noticed the difference between a Kia commercial and a Lexus commercial? How about the difference between a commercial for a BMW and a Dodge Caravan?

They’re like that because automobile manufacturers spend a billion dollar understanding their customers and marketing to them. You can sneak some wisdom from their deep pocketbooks and learn exactly what emotions you can use t