Branding can make accounting professionals feel out of their depth. The concept often strikes them as a bit too artsy and intangible to be comfortable with. They get the general idea, but the nuances are just so mushy that it’s hard to translate the idea into action. These doubters have a point; strong branding is an elusive concept. So what is it exactly, in concrete terms? Is there more to branding than a recognized logo and a history of good professional performance? There is, and getting a firm grip on your firm’s branding is powerful determinant of success.
At its core, branding is about building relationships between you and your clients. It’s about the way those who know you feel about you when they see your name or logo. It’s more emotional than logical, although those emotions grow from concrete factors. So how can your firm create the positive feelings that represent strong branding? You’ve got a strong team with good skills, already. Try these strategies (inspired by those put together by Angela Stringellow in Amex Open Forum) to translate that strength and skill into a vibrant brand that your audience can connect with on a personal level.
Show your true face.
Being professional doesn’t mean stripping out every sign of humanity from your firm. You’ve achieved your current position in the industry not in spite of your people, but because of them! But you’re all funny-looking and a little weird? Awesome! So is the rest of the world. Your real people are wonderful – that’s why you hired them. Show them off in your website, videos, blogs, TV spots and every other way you can. People connect to people. Let the people who make up your brand be visibly attached to it and you’ll get a much stronger response from your audience than you will with canned “stock” images or actors. Nobody wants to get to know them, however chiseled and beautifully coifed they may be.
Know yourself.
Branding needs to align very directly with your firm’s true personality to be effective. That’s one reason that the fit between firm culture and new hires is so important: if the fit isn’t right, both parties will struggle to find happiness together. Spend some time figuring out what’s important to you as a firm. What matters here are your answers, not a list you’ve seen in a book or website about fabulously successful firms. By keeping this set of values and beliefs in mind, everything you do as a firm can and should reflect them. And if you ever feel there’s a conflict or lack of congruence, take a very close look. That decision, client or marketing tactic may not be right for you. Consistency is the key to strong branding as well as business success.
Make the world a better place – in your own style.
One great way to build a strong brand also happens to be a way to build a stronger team: through philanthropic involvement. Pick a cause (or a few) that you can really stand behind. Then show the world what your firm can get done when you care about something. You’ll feel good, you’ll be achieving something that matters, your team will have a chance to come together in a new way and your clients can see another aspect of your firm.
Tell your story.
Sharing the pure facts about your firm’s good work is fine. You may have some very impressive figures. Those figures won’t linger in your audience’s mind and trigger warm, fuzzy feelings though. Know what will? Your story. How did you get there? What was fun, funny and frustrating about the trek it took to get there? What drives your passion to serve your clients and what excites you besides accounting? Go ahead and spill those stories too – they’re a lot more interesting, frankly, than the fact that you saved your clients $3.6 million last year (which is pretty darned interesting).
Branding isn’t all that touchy-feely after all. It’s just another way to describe the flavor of your firm. Some people like one and other folks prefer another, but as long as you’re honest, consistent and working to make the world around you better, somebody’s going to think you’re delicious.
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Guest post by Sarah Warlick, content director at bbr marketing
