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Have you seen the "Safe drivers save 40%" ad from Allstate?  It's the one where the ad's spokesman walks into a fast food restaurant and is recognized as a celebrity.  That never happens.  Years ago, I heard an excellent trainer say: "When the top advisor in your office cold-calls someone, the person on the other end of the phone doesn't say: 'It's their top advisor!  He's calling us."  They have no idea.  Your call and their call get the same response.  Can branding help?

Let's approach it from a different direction.  Veuve Clicquot is the favorite champagne of one of our friends.  Everyone knows that.  When going to her house or celebrating her birthday, everyone knows "When in doubt, bring a bottle of Veuve Clicquot."  All the money the brand spends on ads in luxury magazines and sponsoring events helps my friend build her own brand in our little community.

You want to build your brand professionally.  It might be; "She helps people."  Maybe "She knows everyone worth knowing."  Perhaps "All the doctors in town know her."  You want a message that precedes you, an easy one people can tell one another on your behalf.

Name Recognition + Benefits = Brand

You start by creating a brand.  Then you get the word out.   It doesn't need to be incredibly unique.  Many agents and advisors do similar things.  A West Coast advisor said it well:

Take whatever makes you different.  State it as a benefit and present that as something that makes you stand apart from other advisors.

Here are examples of benefits you might bring to the table:

• You head a team (Value is seen in teams)
• You utilize financial planning so the client can see the whole picture.  How do their current holding and new products work together?
• You deliver a high degree of personal contact and service.
• Years in the business.  At the firm?  In the city?  (Loyalty)
• How long have you been married?  How many children? (Stability)
• Educational credentials and professional certifications (You are a professional)

The firm fits into the picture too:

• Size, financial stability, capitalization, rating agency scores. (Bigger can be better.) Years in operation.  (Stability)
• Awards won. (Third-party recognition.)

Your branding statement might work as an elevator pitch.  A seminar speaker introduction. The answer to "What do you do?" at parties.  Here's an example:

• "I'm a business insurance specialist at (firm).  My primary focus is multiple physician practices in the Greater (city) area."
• Maybe that's not you.  You might be: "I'm a retirement planning specialist at (firm).  I work with a small group of successful business owners and families in the (city) area."

Getting the word out

The world needs to know what you do.  Your clients can be your most effective advocates.  You might share this story with them when you conduct annual reviews of their policies.

• With clients and friends, you might work in "When you tell your friends about me, what do you say that I do?"  After they answer, you can reword the definition along the desired lines.
• You have a print presence, of sorts.  It might be in letters you write or emails you send.  What will the firm allow you to put near your signature block?
• You have an enewsletter.  It's a good way to get your story out.
• You have a social media presence.  The firm has rules.  You follow them.  Your posts and activity should reinforce your branding.  "Here's how I help people."
• We will see people face to face once again.  People will ask: "How's business?"  Try framing it mentally as if they asked: "How have you helped someone today?"  Short, anonymous stories get the point across that you help people with certain types of problems.

Everyone should do some form of branding.  Otherwise, you get lumped into the general population of people doing a similar job.

Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry. His book, "Captivating the Wealthy Investor" can be found on Amazon.

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