Brandon Pennington, Marketing Articles
Your brand is an extension of you — whether it’s your name or your business. A brand not only offers great products and services, but it’s a direct reflection of how you make people feel.
To build your brand, agents and advisors need to gain trust from their customers, which can be challenging when you’re dealing with other people’s money. Not everyone will believe you are a good fit to work with, and not everyone is a good fit for you.
But rest assured: How others perceive you, your reputation, any differentiation you may have and being consistently authentic across all platforms all matters — a lot. Brand awareness is everything when it comes to your business. Logo design, color palette, fonts, web design (UX) and how you present yourself, both visually and in written format, are all parts of your brand.
So, how can you improve your brand? Ask yourself these four questions:
Q1: Is My Logo Memorable or Overly Complicated?
The best brands have logos that aren’t only easily recognizable and visually appealing, but also convey a message about what the brand stands for. A memorable logo should be simple, eye-catching and convey the core values of the brand. Additionally, if you can create a tagline that resonates with your target audience, it can be a great way to stand out from the competition. (Think: Nike, the “swoosh” logo and their “Just Do It” tagline.)
Q2: Where Do I Advertise, and Am I Doing It Right?
Advertising can be a great way to build your brand. However, you need to find the right marketing channels that best fit your goals and target audience. You should also be mindful of the time and resources you are investing in each channel, as too much spread can lead to less than desirable outcomes.
If you don’t have the time to dedicate to a certain marketing channel, it might be best to outsource that work to a digital marketing agency, such as Your Digital Lab, which specializes in marketing for agents and advisors.
Q3: How Much Value Do I Offer?
I am a firm believer that your income is directly proportional to the value you add to the world. Offering value is essential in building your brand. You can provide value by offering free consultations or eBooks to your target audience. You can also create content that adds value to your brand and helps others at the same time. For example, sharing financial advice on social media platforms like LinkedIn.
Recently, agents and advisors have been leveraging the power of radio by joining in on a local show and then amplifying their reach by sharing the content through popular podcasting services. If you’re interested in working with a company that specializes in radio shows for agents and advisors, check out Retirement.Radio.
Q4: What Stands Out About Me?
To stand out from the competition, you should focus on what makes you unique and what your target audience is looking for. Think of yourself as a brand, and focus on the aspects of your brand that will be memorable and engaging. You can also focus on your personal story and what makes you different from the rest.
Don’t blend in; stand out! People want to work with those they know, like and trust. So, add value first — and always be memorable!
The Takeaways
Branding is a reflection of how you make people feel and a great way to gain a following from potential customers.
Building an effective brand involves the right logo, marketing channels and consistent value-adding content.
To stand out, you must be memorable and offer something unique.
Putting It Into Practice
Start by understanding whether your logo and first impression is memorable, and then find out which marketing channels you should invest in to maximize your reach. Offer value to your customers by providing freebies and sharing valuable information on social media platforms. Stand out from your competitors by being truly authentic and memorable.
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The blog read to you by AI Jo!