We’ve talked about why building a brand for professional service industries is important, and we’ve run through the many reasons brand development can be difficult. Now that you’re on board, you need to know how. Unfortunately, many service industries simply don’t understand how powerful differentiation between brands really is. One such industry is accounting.
For one moment, consider ten other accounting firms, whether they’re national names or your local competitors. What individual feature—aside from their specialty—sets it apart from the crowd? If you can’t think of one thing, you now know why developing a brand for your accounting firm is essential. So, where should you start?
What Consumers Want
Do you know your value proposition and your buyer personas yet? If so, now it’s time to determine what really makes you different. Before you can develop your unique value proposition, you have to ask yourself several questions. The largest, of course, is “What pain do my buyers have?” The next is “How can I ease this pain?”
The problem most service industries encounter is that the basic pain points are the same. Eileen Monesson says, “Although most firms think that they offer something unique, hardly any clearly communicate what really distinguishes them in the market. A close look at accounting firm websites will show that most firms use service as a positioning strategy. Service is not a unique selling position, although the way that you deliver that service could be.” Of course consumers also want an accounting firm that is knowledgeable, fair, and honest. That means every accounting firm will base their brand on these standards and just hope buyers find them first. It also means you don’t actually understand your buyers at all.
Dig Deep into Buyer Personas
Determining your most likely buyers won’t help you if you don’t dig deep to discover their pain points.
So, let’s say you’ve developed a fictional representation of a person likely to use your accounting services. Let’s call her Small Business Owner Sally. She’s in her early forties, married to her company (and maybe a very understanding husband), and a fan of getting great deals on name brands and designer goods. Organization and cleanliness are important to her, and she doesn’t have time to wait around on anyone. Sally is also up to speed on most technology, especially when it comes to marketing her business.
Does this sound like some of your buyers? Probably. Now, what does this buyer really want, outside of honest accounting services?
- Swift service
- Fair prices
- Latest technology
For a moment, let’s consider the last point. Did you know that only 38.8% of small to medium business owners believe their accountant uses up-to-date technology? Over 60% of those potential buyers out there would be thrilled to learn your firm makes a point of using the very best technology. Others may be able to integrate swifter service or lower prices for excellent service into their branding standards, but you could pull out ahead of them with your software programs.
Keep Your Promises
Whatever your specific value proposition may be, you must be sure to keep your promises. In fact, delivering what you promise is how your brand will make the transition between abstract and tangible. If your accounting firm not only uses the latest in technology but also trains small business owners on financial software for bookkeeping throughout the year, make sure users always have a firm grasp on their new technology before letting them go. If your promise to your clients is that you’re always available when they have questions, make sure you continue that service after you have their business.
By developing a value proposition that meets your buyer persona’s specific needs—not just those that lie on the surface—you can set your professional services company apart from the rest. That is how you’ll begin to develop the branding standards that give your company its true identity.
If you’re ready to stand out from the crowd, we can help. Reach out any time to 714-595-0963 or lpapagni@marketingiw.com.
