How to build a brand of awesomeness [infographic]

This is a tasty infographic I found online by the good peeps at mack web solutions (here’s another bit of wood for the SEO fire you must be getting right now).

This infograhic shows very good ideas to grow your brand, so I want to highlight those your shouldn’t forget EVER!

Discover your Why and USP

A good business shouldn’t only exist because X or Y industry is a hot pool of money. I know of people who want in businesses they know nothing about, that require skills they don’t have (but think they can learn in a week or two because…hey! Everybody can do this, right?) just because it seems it’s making good money. Sometimes they become successful, others they bring a cheap mediocre brand to the field and stain the market.

The best way to take your brand to the top of your client’s mind and heart is by finding WHY your company exists. What new element will you bring to the table? Why are you different? What can you offer that makes you unique?

These are tough questions to ask yourself, but these are also very important. There are ways to find a good answer, which we will share later.

Sometimes I believe it’s better to do something you are very passionate about and you can identify new and better things you can offer in a less known market than land in a saturated market where you will be dismissed as part of the noise.

Don’t just be there to sell, be there to HELP

We all know the life stream of any business is sales. But the life blood of people’s finances is being smart about the purchases they make. People hate being sold to for the sake of selling. They make purchases based on their needs and wants and the value a product or service offers.

If you are focused on helping, you will be able to spot the problems and needs you can help solve. Then you can create and share content (as seen on the infographic) that help your clients understand that not only you know how to fix their problems, but you can do it with expertise…so a sale should be the natural next step.

Meet new people

A community of fans, clients, peers, and supporters is made up by people. This means that growth and brand love is not built with money; it’s built with relationships. Money is the result and later the lubricant that builds community.

Value the people you meet and create good serendipity. That’s just a fancy way of saying “Don’t be a douche bag”. Remember that almost 80% of your business comes from referrals and once you begin to work for clients you will need help sooner or later. So don’t be a jerk.

See how these tips has nothing to do with Photoshop or creating a free website? It’s never about tools, it’s about goals and smarts.