Related Article: Knowledge Is Revenue – How to Conduct Killer Competitor Research
Sometimes the reason is a crowded marketplace, in which case the marketing must work harder to find the brand’s sweet spot. More often, however, the difficultly stems from either:
Fear of standing out, of not being understood by audiences.
Struggle avoidance, the ease of green-lighting branding that mimics what competitors are doing.
Whatever the cause, no category (on whole) falls victim to copycat branding more than Professional Services. All we have to do is evoke the ubiquitous handshake photo to illustrate this point.
But while it may feel safe, even smart, to brand professional services firms in a way that ensures audiences of, well, professional service, “me-too” branding takes the biggest risk of all: Undifferentiated branding leaves professional services firms in a highly competitive arena with no way to showcase unique value.
So, how can professional services firms differentiate when messages and images that seem to give the right impression only wash audiences in a sea of sameness?
Here are four commitments that can give professional services firms the best chance of creating a differentiated brand:
Now, just avoid those handshake photos at all costs.
Building a strong brand is anything but easy. To assist you with the entire process – from conducting your brand audit through rebranding, we’ve developed this Brand Toolbox.
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