When is it Time to Reevaluate?

If you’re like most people, you’re working so hard that you don’t ever stop and think about your agency’s brand. Why should you? If the agency is doing well, then it should speak for itself, right? Not necessarily. Every company has a brand and it’s important that whatever that brand is, it accurately reflects what you want the agency to be in the eyes of your customer.

So, where to begin? First, you need to decide if it’s time to reevaluate your brand. Certain signposts are good indicators that it’s time to sit down and take a good, hard look at your brand. For many businesses, the most obvious time to reevaluate the brand is when a major change happens within the company. Maybe the company has a new business model or recently expanded into new markets. Once a big change happens within the company, there is a strong possibility that your brand no longer fits the current situation.

Many times, your individual agency’s brand is very dependent on the market perception. Even though you may do things differently, your brand is perceived in the same manner your industry is perceived as a whole. This may be another reason to begin to reevaluate.

Once you’ve decided that it’s time to make a change, your first step is to figure out what sets you apart from others in your industry. What is your competitive edge? Ask yourself where you are now as opposed to when you started. What is the current situation in the market? Where do you want to be? Who is your target customer? You may be surprised to find your target has changed. Remember, your brand is built with people who are vested in the company, so include customers and employees in the process.

After a thorough evaluation of your company and situation, develop a new mission statement. This will work as the stepping stone of your new brand. You may well find that your position in the marketplace is different from that of your competition. You may actually find yourself in a new competitive set. Your mission statement should reflect this.

Consistency is key. Every piece of communication should emphasize your new brand, including logo and collateral pieces, right down to the way employees answer the phone. You must tie everything together with solid consistency so your new message flows seamlessly. Often the biggest issue for companies going through the re-branding process is lack of discipline. It truly takes discipline to stay within a brand. But maintaining a solid message builds confidence and reassurance with your target customers. Never underestimate the power of a consistent message for relaying security and stability.

Carrying out a re-branding process also takes a financial commitment. The upside is that while the initial cost of re-branding may be high, it diminishes from there. If you don’t have a full-time employee concentrating on the brand and consistent communication, consider hiring a professional firm. Stopping to think about your brand may be the best thing you can do to breathe a little life into your agency—so what are you waiting for?

Greg and Holly Ricciardi (www.20nine.com) are managing partners of 20nine Design Studios.

Carrier Branding Connection:
Allied Insurance

When it comes to branding, Allied Insurance stresses two things—a reputation for financial stability independent agencies can count on, and a service promise customers will trust.

In 1998, Allied Insurance was purchased by Nationwide and became responsible for the independent agency system within Nationwide. Becoming a part of the Nationwide group also brought an opportunity to align with its customer brand, Allied President Kim Austen says.

“Being able to take advantage of the On Your Side® brand, which already had very strong national recognition, has created even more opportunities for us to make our service promise very clear to the agents and customers we serve,” Austen says.

According to Austen, “On Your Side” brands Allied Insurance as a company that believes in honesty and making things easier for customers by understanding, anticipating and listening to their needs. “All the things ‘On Your Side’ speaks to are very consistent with why consumers choose an independent agent in the first place,” he says.

The company also incorporates Trusted Choice® into its branding efforts. “Allied and Trusted Choice® stand for many of the same things when it comes to what customers should expect from the insurance-buying experience,” Austen says. “For example, the Trusted Choice® Pledge of Performance requires that agents provide 24/7 service to customers. At Allied, we offer our agents 24/7 service centers to help meet customer needs.”

When it comes to delivering its brand message, Allied Insurance sees spreading the word through its agents as the best strategy. “We want to be seen as a company that offers both national strength and a local, personal touch,” Austen explains. “To deliver that personal touch, it’s critical our agents be part of the overall brand. That’s why our advertising, marketing literature and other branding materials give agents the opportunity to take advantage of the individual brand they’ve built in their communities, as well as Trusted Choice® and our larger corporate brand.”

—Jennifer Sikorski