Client listening: How is your brand perceived?

Branding often stops at a firm's logo and the colour palette set out in the brand guidelines. Sometimes consideration extends to the strap line. However, the invisible side of branding - its driving force - is harder to grasp, harder to get right, and all too often forgotten in discussions about brand.

The visible part of branding shouldn't be where you stop

Your dealings with clients, the way you reach other stakeholders, the way your client feels when they walk into your office. The pieces that make the whole that is you should be your starting point and not an after thought.

Listen to your clients

A brand is the client's "reason to choose". Firms without a strong brand may find it harder or impossible to instil in clients the confidence that they are best placed to offset their risk.

Client perception and opinion should be the holy grail of marketing. An understanding of the gap between how you are perceived and how you want to be seen should be central to your strategy. Do you know why clients chose you - do you know why targets don't? The answer to these questions should drive your way forward and help shape your brand. How many firms ask their clients: "How do you see us?". How many accept the answer and grow from it?

Client focused branding

When looking at your firm's brand you need to go back to the beginning. What are you offering? Who are you offering it to? How do you want to be known by your clients and your target market? What is your message and who is your audience. By going back to basics the visible brand should reveal itself. However, if you overlook the invisible, the intangible, you risk creating a visual representation that is in-congruent with reality and one that fails to connect with your target audience. If you don't understand where you are starting from - by listening to those around you - you loose the ability to grow and build a brand that truly gives your clients a reason to choose. You only get one chance to make a first impression.

To find out how Client Talk can help your firm and brand to appeal to the right clients in the right way please get in touch.