Branding. We've all heard the word. But what does it really mean
for professional service providers. Whether you are a doctor,
consultant, business coach or financial planner, YOU are the
brand. Do you really understand how important YOUR brand is to
your marketing strategy and business?
What is a Brand?
A brand it the way that current and potential customers feel
about your service. What do you want your customers to think
when they think about the services you provide to them? This is
your brand. If your customers are not thinking and feeling what
you want. Your brand is off the mark and its time to rethink
your branding strategy.
Why should you create a brand?
Creating a good brand builds credibility with potential
customers and keeps current clients coming back for more. The
brand that you create helps guide the feeling and emotions that
consumers feel when they come in contact with your brand . . .
YOU. Your brand should communicate clearly who you are, what you
do, whom you work with and why you are the best choice to
provide the solutions to their needs. Your brand image should be
unique, memorable, inviting, provocative and trustworthy.
What type of impressions do you leave on the minds of your
potentials customers and clients? Every time you come in contact
with clients and potential clients you leave a brand impression.
Whether it is through direct mail, business cards, web site,
telephone contact or any other marketing vehicle you are
currently using . . . you are leaving an impression of your
brand YOU.
What brand image are you leaving behind? Do the people who come
in contact with YOU believe you are positive, trustworthy,
credible, successful and knowledgeable. Do you know what image
you are projecting?
How do you know what type of brand you have created? When you
have created a strong brand, you will consistently hear the same
responses when you ask customers what they think of your
business. If your brand is weak, you will receive a variety of
answers that are not headed in the same direction. Do you know
what your customers think of your business?
Building your brand . . . YOU
Every contact with clients and potential clients is creating the
brand for your business. Since you are the brand, this includes
all contacts within your business and outside of your business.
Every person that you meet will be branding you in their minds.
It is essential that you maintain your brand on and off the job.
When building your brand you should understand that your brand
is an experience. It is the experience that a potential client
begins as soon as they come in contact with your business. Their
decisions to do business with you. Their experience during the
process of doing business with you and their experience once
their business with you is complete.
The best way to begin building your brand is to think about all
the ways that customers come into contact with you and your
business. What ways do you meet current buyers? In what ways do
you have contact with potential buyers after the initial
contact? Once they become customers and after they are no longer
customers. Once you have considered all the ways that you have
contact with potential customers, take a walk in their shoes.
What was their experience with your company like? How did their
experience feel? Good, so-so, horrible? Did their experience
coincide with the message you are trying to convey? In what ways
did their experience differ from the message you are trying to
convey? What can you do to improve the experience of your
customers? Did you deliver a positive memorable experience that
creates a solid image of your brand that will have customers
coming back for more?
So how do yo go about creating the brand. You?
You begin by building trust and credibility in the mind of your
prospects. Professional Service Providers must demonstrate to
potential clients their expertise, uniqueness, credibility and
successful track record. When creating the brand YOU in the
minds of current clients, you must deliver above and beyond what
you have promised.
Proving your uniqueness, expertise, credibility and successful
track record to customers.
You should have a quality about your service that is unique to
you. What is the one thing that you do that no one else is
doing? If you are doing the same things that others are doing,
what is the one thing that you can promote, that others are not
promoting. This unique attribute is what you use to develop your
brand and set yourself apart from other competitors.
Every time a prospect or client comes into contact with your
business, they should encounter this unique quality. You must be
able to clearly communicate this uniqueness to your market, this
unique quality will tell customers about your business,
reputation, commitment and service you provide. Everything about
your business should speak to the unique attribute that you are
providing to customers and the benefits that they will enjoy
from this unique service. Here are ways you can
demonstrate your expertise and prove your capabilities and build
trust with prospects that will help them decide to become
clients and keep current customers buying:
1. Keep showing up Every time potential and current client's
look up they should be seeing your name. Whether it's though
email, direct mail, advertisements, newsletters or postcards,
you should be contacting your potential and current clients on a
regular basis.
2. Writing Articles and submitting press releases Your target
market should be reading articles written about you and by you.
You should be constantly educating your target market on the
solutions you provide to the services that you need. Keep your
name circulating by submitting press releases of current
business news, awards received and special offers.
3. Providing Case Studies Case studies show how you were able to
solve the problem of a customer. You state the problem, the
solution that implemented and results you achieved. This shows
your potential and current customers that you are knowledgeable
about their problems. Know how to effectively solve their
problems and can create an outcome that they are happy with and
willingly tell others about.
4. Client Testimonials Have clients create testimonials for you
that show how happy they are doing business with you, the
services that you provide, and are willing to stake their name
and reputation by providing a testimonial for you.
5. Saying thank you When customers become a client, say thank
you right away. Send them a note or email thanking them for
choosing you to provide the services for their business needs.
Let them know that you appreciate them choosing you and they
could have chosen another service provider and that you
appreciate their business and will continue to appreciate their
business in the future.
6. Reward long-term loyalty Take the time to reward long-term
customers with royal treatment. Give them a discount, send them
something special they will enjoy, add an unexpected special
service. Get to know and understand your customers on a personal
level. When you know your customers, you can reward them with a
gift that is customized personally for them. Find ways to make
long-term customers feel special.
7. Know your customers Take the time to learn something of
interest to your customers. It could be something as simple as a
love of horses. When you come across something of interest about
horses, take the time to forward the information to your
clients. Learn their birthday and send a birthday card. Give
them information and content that address their specific likes
and needs.
8. Communicate with your customers Find out what your customers
want from you. Ask them their opinions, create surveys, and
polls. Let them know that you are truly concerned about their
needs. Ask them how you can serve them better. Don't just ask
them, implement some of their suggestions and show that you are
really listening and care what they think.
When you take the time to understand your potential and current
clients, you create a brand that is unique, trustworthy and
credible. Take the time to decide what brand image you are
trying to create. Think of the many ways you can ensure that
your brand image is reaching and selling to your target market.
Branding is an ongoing process. You must continue to check to
see if your brand is on target and if changes need to be made.
Take the time to make sure that the brand that you are trying to
sell is the brand that your market is buying.
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