How do we choose one product, service or professional services company over another?  We do so based on price, ease of access and availability and also by how respected the brand is.

Time and again the evidence points to the fact that the best way to succeed in the new world economy, achieve your professional goals be that attracting new clients or getting that hard earned promotion is to differentiate yourself. 

So what is a brand? 

There are many definitions of a brand, but in essence it’s a synthesis of elements: aesthetic, rational and emotional that in combination gives the consumer a reason to choose one product over another.    It defines a unique quality or a promise of value that sets a business or product apart from their competition. 

In the 21^st century, people are increasing making purchasing decisions based on the perceived value and emotions the brand evokes to them.  The Volvo brand, for example, promises safety.  Yes, it’s a little more expensive than other vehicles, but the extra value of safety for the family is what makes the sale.

A strong brand profile can:

• Support premium pricing – compare Starbucks to the local café for the price of a coffee

• Extend product lines – Coca Cola’s recent launch of C2 the low carb version of Coke

• Increase company valuation – Nike started as a shoe company selling out of the boot of a car – now it’s valued in terms of billions of US$

• Provide an edge to enable survival in downturns – Apple has been saved numerous times through product innovation and now with the iPod is a leading global brand again

• Attract and retain talent – company’s such as Microsoft have a strong employer brand and can be sure of attracting great talent.

Is Branding Relevant for Professional Practices?

Branding is not only for large corporations - quite the contrary.  Individuals and smaller professional services firms are now packaging themselves as corporations with press kits, tag lines, websites, online portfolios, and Blogs (weblog or online diary) that allow them to keep the lines of communications constantly open between themselves and their customers. 

Remember everyone you come in contact with may be a potential client or future employer or has the ability to connect you with a colleague, business acquaintance or family member who may be your ideal client or can direct you to that next great assignment.

Branding is a revolution in the way we manage our careers or businesses.  It’s a way of clarifying and communicating what makes you different and special and using those qualities to separate yourself from your competition and your peers so that you can greatly expand your success. 

Being clear about your brand - your unique promise of value - being consistent with your offerings, and being constantly within your target audience’s radar will open the pathway to success.

Branding is not about building a special image for your clients.  It’s about understanding what is truly unique about you your strengths, skills, values and passions – and using that to differentiate yourself and guide your career and business decisions.  It is about leveraging your unique strengths of your organisation and your people to become an expert in your niche – and as we are all aware, clients want to hire expertise that they can trust. 

If you try to stand for everything, you will stand for nothing - you’ll be seen as average and not able to attract that great client or that next assignment as you won’t be seen as the expert with something unique to add!

By developing your unique strengths and passions and embedding them into your business and career you will be differentiated from your competition and will enjoy greater success.  Building what we have great capability in and what we are passionate about into our business and career – can there be a better way to earn a living?!

So why not spend some time this week to explore if you are clear in your practice about what differentiates you from your competition and evaluate where you can enhance your communications so that you clearly attract the clients you love to work with.