They say that beauty is only skin deep, and this most certainly applies when it comes to branding. Many people think that a strong brand means a flashy website and an attractive logo, but in reality it runs far deeper than that. Yes, you need a professional appearance, but your brand needs depth and meaning in order for your ideal clients to connect with you. Let’s take a look at five key factors to take into consideration when working on branding for your accounting practice.
#1 – Brand Positioning
Brand positioning is all about who you help and why you help them. This goes far beyond a catchy slogan or a colour palette.
In order to get your brand positioning right, you need to get super clear on your niche and create an offer that’s genuinely helpful. Your ideal client is a huge part of your brand identity, and you need to know exactly how to position yourself to speak directly to them. Don’t let fear push you into being a generalist; try to speak to everyone and you’ll be heard by exactly no-one.
#2 – Brand Promise
How do you want people to experience your brand? How do you want your ideal client to feel when they come into contact with you?
Your brand promise is the experience your clients can expect to receive every time they engage with you. You need to be able to deliver on this promise time and time again in order to strengthen your brand value.
Take time to fine tune your brand promise because when you get this experience right, you will retain your clients for years.
#3 – Personality
How do you want to come across to your ideal client: young and enthusiastic, or more traditional?
It’s important that you take control of your brand personality and actively communicate it to your audience, or people will put you in a box. By getting clear on your brand personality and being conscious about showcasing it to your audience, you gain a greater degree of control over how you are perceived.
#4 – Brand Story
Your brand story is a crucial part of your identity, and will do more for your practice than a fancy logo ever could.
Your brand story is the reason you exist. Why did you start your practice? Why do you help the people you help, in the way that you do? Why have you positioned your firm in this way?
When you develop your brand story, your ideal client will start to connect with it. This connection is the key to building trust and, ultimately, a meaningful relationship.
When writing a brand story, it’s better to show than tell. A bunch of adjectives doesn’t really say that much about your brand, but if you can show your ideal client who you are using specific examples, they will be more inclined to trust you.
#5 – Brand Visibility
Do you have a visible brand? Without brand visibility, people won’t even know you exist and thus you have no way of helping them. In order to increase brand visibility, you first need to create a cohesive brand using the steps listed above. Research by LucidPress found that brands that are consistently presented see an average revenue increase of 33%.
You need to publish content every day that shows your ideal client who you are. Whether it’s a short social media update, a lengthy blog post or a quick live video, you need to show up day in, day out with marketing materials that speak directly to your target audience.
Summary
There are five key steps to creating a successful brand for your accounting practice:
- Positioning
- Promise
- Personality
- Story
- Visibility
When you have these five elements in place, you will have a strong brand that speaks directly to your ideal client. In order to build relationships with your ideal client, it’s so important to have a powerful brand with substance that goes beyond a logo or set of colours. As a practice owner, your clients are ultimately buying your expertise and so you need to create a powerful brand that really communicates who you are and why you do what you do.
