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Read Time: 4.5 Minutes

How To Build A Brand

Let's get real.

Brand building & marketing are two very different things.

However, many marketers find themselves tasked with "brand building", so let me give you a simple framework to work through.

But first, a few definitions so we're on the same page:

Brand = Who you are & what you stand for

Marketing = The method in which you communicate your brand to the world

The Building Blocks Of A Brand

A Brand is built from a few key pillars:

• Belief
• Likability
• Usefulness
• Reputation

Picture four pillars made from Lego bricks, starting with just one brick in each pillar.

Every time you work on your brand, you add a block to a pillar.

When you start out, you're nothing.

But over time, you can build the Eiffel Tower.

Let's take a closer look at each pillar & how you can add bricks to each.

Pillar: Belief

Belief is almost certainly the easiest pillar to define, but the one most businesses fail to add bricks to over time.

It's the who, what, and why of your business.

Examples:

Apple - To make the best products on earth and to leave the world better than we found it

Microsoft - to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more

Disney - to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling

Declaring your beliefs helps you attract like minded people, while pushing away those that don't fit your mission.

Think of it as an easy way to "qualify" your audience before they ever enter a sales conversation.

The hard part, is adding bricks to this once you've defined it.

What that requires is that you demonstrate your belief regularly.

This could be by hosting events, donating to charities, partnering with community leaders, and making sacrifices in the name of your beliefs.

Apple is beloved for their belief in making amazing products & taking care of the earth.

Buyers know that Apple will do anything to pursue that mission.

That's Brand.

Pillar: Likability

This one is easier said than done.

For your brand to be well received, you have to be likable.

This could be for your quality. Or your humor. Or your kind nature.

It's different for every brand, but it should align with your Belief.

Ryan Reynolds is a great example of a brand builder who uses humor to create likability.

He's built a massive fanbase off of it and many would support almost any venture he pursues as a result.

ClickUp is another great example of a brand that uses humor to inject likability in their brand.

Want to add bricks to your Likability pillar?

Create commercials & content that express your personality.

Make someone laugh, showcase your values to those that care, or even highlight someone in your space.

Apple (again) is a great example, they regularly feature artists, graphic designers, and other creatives in their ads.

Nike features winning athletes (and the every day athletes) in their ads.

All of these tactics add bricks to your likability pillar.

Pillar: Usefulness

Usefulness is where most marketers have​ the strongest grasp.

What does your target audience need and how can you help them get it?

Teach them, coach them, advise them, help them, show them, listen to them.

The more that you can plug direct value into their lives, the more likely they will come back to you in the future.

This is an easy pillar to add bricks to.

You can:

• Write informative blogs
• Cover the industry news
• Write timely social media content
• Host a podcast interviewing experts
• Create free resources, guides, courses

At the end of the day, all that matters is that you're giving them value.

You should be doing this for free.

It should cost them nothing to participate and interact with your brand.

95% of your "potential prospects" are not actively in the buying phase.

This 95% needs to be engaged without being sold.

When they are ready to buy, you'll be top of mind.

Pillar: Reputation

Reputation is simultaneously the simplest pillar to build and the hardest.

Ultimately reputation can only be impacted by a few things:

• What your employees say about you
• What your customers say about you
• What your partners say about you
• How old your business is

If you want to have a great reputation, then you have to be great.

Funny how that works.

Everyone is familiar with social proof.

Collect reviews & testimonials, showcase them everywhere you can, etc.

But, equally important is what your employees and partners say about you.

Companies have been shelved and rejected by buyers purely because of how they treat their employees.

If partners refuse to work with you, what does that tell your customer?

They're unprofessional

They're closed minded

They're greedy

To add bricks to this pillar you need to:

• Be around for a long time (easier said than done)
• Take care of your own (happy employees)
• Satisfy your customers (positive reviews)
• Work well with others (happy partners)

Fail here, and the whole business comes tumbling down.

Summary

> Build a belief system that people can get behind (or against)

> Communicate your beliefs in a likable way (humor, kindness, humility)

> Provide as much value as possible to your audience at no cost

> Satisfy your customers & be a enjoyable to work with/for

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Ready to take the next steps?

​Take your brand to new heights by working with me & the 2POINT team.

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​Transform your content process with this free 5-day course.

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