One particular area where I see a very great need for businesses to differentiate themselves within in order to stand out from the crowd is the Professional Services sector – and most notably Solicitors and Accountants.

These are highly competitive fields but for some unaccountable reason, so many individual firms and practices in both professions seem determined to just bland in with the competition. In short, they fail to differentiate themselves from their perceived (but not necessarily real or actual) competitors and in so doing, they succeed famously in failing to give anyone a reason to choose them rather than their competitors.

As a direct result, they end up being perceived as just a.n.other me-too bland rather than as the go-to brand in their market or sector – a factor that will not only affect their ability to attract Clients of the right kind in the right volume but will also have great bearing on their ability to attract, recruit and retain the best talent.

The simple fact is that in any field people buy products and services (commodities) – but they choose brands and this is also the case when it comes to Solicitors and Accountants. Just being seen to be ‘Solicitors’ or ‘Accountants’ is simply not enough and it really is time for these professions to Think Brand – not bland in order to stand out from the crowd. 

The truth is that far too many Professional Services businesses do not really know what their brand is – ie what they stand for and why potential Clients should choose them and this is particularly true in the case of long-established practices. They are too close to themselves and sometimes too busy and emotionally blinkered to sbe able to step back see the full picture. 

Importantly, what really matters is not what these businesses think they are but what they are perceived to be and what they are perceived to stand for by their target audience(s). No-one buys what you are or what you do but they do buy why you do it, your purpose, your why. When your clearly communicated why coincides with the why of your target market, that is when the magic happens. Branding truly is the art of managing perceptions and that is about much more than a logo or a name – which after all are only brand identifiers.

Contrary to popular misconceptions, a rebranding exercise need not be expensive or time consuming. However, it can be truly transformative in terms of helping a business to stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons and to avoid being seen to be bland, as just a.n.other brick in the wall, by both their existing and potential new clients and by those they would like to recruit as the go-to employer.

Importantly, a rebrand (which need not necessarily involve a new name and/or logo) can also be unifying for everyone involved in the business by clarifying exactly what you have to offer and enabling that to be easily and consistently communicated at all touchpoints at all times.

The writing is on the wall - It’s time for the Professional Services sector to Think Brand – not bland!

Call me on 07770 753975 or send me a message and let's work together to eliminate the bland.

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