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Is Your Brand On Your Balance Sheet? It Should Be!

  • By Ironstone
  • |
  • August 18, 2013

462215867 web, istock, thinkstock, getty imagesYour face to the world is your firm’s brand. Grounding your firm with a recognizable brand is invaluable in today’s ever changing and competitive world. Successful brands incorporate a conscious association of products and services a firm offers by providing a visual image to your target market displaying who you are, what you offer and how you are different. Sounds easy enough, but is your brand holding up?

Your brand should:

  • Deliver a clear message
  • Build creditability for your firm
  • Establish a differentiated presence in your market
  • Create a connection between your clients and your products and services
  • Generate a call to action

Creating a unique name and image for your firm is no small undertaking.  Branding is a key component in the success of your firm. You can sink or sail. Your brand should manifest itself through icons to provide clear identity and appeal to your target market. Focus on how you are perceived by getting into the minds of your existing clients as well as your target markets.

What images are you projecting with:

  • Your name
  • Your logo
  • Your colors
  • Your team
  • Your phrases and taglines

Each of these symbols manifest together to give your brand an identity. Your brand is your firm’s face to the world visually expressed through these key symbols.  Consider each of them as anchors which ground your firm and provide you the means to construct a larger “ship” by embedding a consistent set of beliefs, awareness and image to your target markets.

Construct consistency with your brand

Make sure you deliver a consistent image with your firm’s look. Your branding should project the same message in all avenues of your marketing strategy. Your ad may change but your logo, colors and taglines should always stay the same. If you decide to change your brand, do so over time so clients and prospects don’t lose you.

Your Brand and Your Balance Sheet

Your brand holds incredible value for your firm.  Many companies put the value of their brand on their balance sheet. A branding strategy will encompass everything you do. When you are needed by clients and prospects the ship begins to sail. You will recognize an increase in client retention, advertising effectiveness, word of mouth referrals and goodwill you have created. This is nothing short of an asset on your balance sheet.

What is color saying about you?  

 Have some fun when establishing your brand or making changes but remember to use the core guidelines listed above. I love Jason Miller’s article about “True Colors-What Your Brand Colors Say About Your Business.” Read Jason’s article to see what your colors are saying about your firm.  http://blog.marketo.com/blog/2012/06/true-colors-what-your-brand-colors-say-about-your-business.html

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More On Branding For Your Firm:

  • Marketing and Branding: Firm vs Financial Advisor …Financial Planning
  • Build Your Personal Brand as a Financial Advisors … Durable Portfolio Construction

 

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Author Bio

Ironstone is a learning and development consultancy with business acumen that translates across many industries. Our focus is on practice management strategies in order to enhance and improve both business and personal life. We support professionals who want major and comprehensive improvements that look at all aspects not just an isolated area for change. Ironstone has identified 4 key performance areas known as the Fundamental 4™, which are required to design, develop, and sustain a successful business.

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