Step 1) Build Your Internal Brand
Your purpose, vision, mission, values
• This will reflect in the way you communicate your firm’s story and existence, the language you use, the style of content you’ll create, the wording on your website
Step 2) Define your audience
Create personas: Define who you want to reach - age, financial situation, occupation, beliefs, values, where they spend their time
• Keep in mind your minimum viable client base
Step 3) Understand Your Market / Competition
• Helps you establish your differentiating factors
• Local, national competitors
Step 4) Develop Your Competitive Advantage
• Purpose: Figure out how your business and brand will be different from current competitors
"How are we going to be better?"
“What unique skillset do we have?”
"What makes us different?"
"Why would someone want to work with us over ____?"
Step 5) Shape Your Brand Personality & Voice
Keep your target audience in mind
Remember: It's not always what you say, but how you say it
Step 6) Create Your Messaging Strategy
• How are you going to tell your brand story and position yourself as someone with the solutions to your audience’s problems?
People want to know 'what's in it for me?'
• Your marketing and content needs to reflect this
Step 7) Craft Your Brand Story
Putting all the previous steps to work and developing the messaging and story your business & brand will tell
• Why you exist, who you serve, etc
Step 8) Develop Your Tagline (maybe rebrand)
Purpose: Convey the brand messaging and beliefs in a concise, catchy sentence or phrase
Examples:
• Nike - Just Do It
• Bone Fide Wealth - #InvestInYou
• AllStreet Wealth - Financial planning, redefined
Step 9) Design Brand Visuals & Collateral
• Logo
• Alternate logo
• Fonts
• Colors
• Document templates
• Etc.
Purpose, typography, color palette, personality all come together through collateral
• Website, brochure, business cards, advertisements
• Any physical and digital communication coming from your brand
Step 10) Build Brand Awareness Strategy
"Where do our people hang out/go to for information?" will help determine where to focus your energy
• Determine message effectiveness in each potential area
• Test and double down on what's working
Step 11) Brand launch
Goal: Build awareness and interest around firm
• Ad strategy
• Or guerilla/organic strategies
• Determine success metrics
Step 12) Test, Evaluate, Track, Optimize, Improve, Evolve. Repeat.
• Google analytics
• Google Search Console
• Branded search
• KPIs
• Social media growth & analytics
• Firm growth
• Consider client retention
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