“Great things take time.” These words are plastered on our conference room wall in bold letters, accompanied by a picture of the Great Wall of China.
Building a brand is no joke. Whether you are just opening your doors, updating your brand or integrating brands through an acquisition, it’s a lot of work.
So, where to start? Before doing anything, most independent agencies need to keep a pulse on the budget. While our friends and family may think we have unlimited buckets of money, the truth is far from that. We also can’t compete with large insurance companies’ marketing dollars, so we need to develop an appreciation for external and internal support.
After the budget, working backwards on your vision will help your agency develop a tactical plan toward reaching the end goal of a cohesive, resonant brand. Here are five components to start working through today:
The agency values. Your core values and mission will be the foundation of your agency’s brand moving forward. Working internally on your brand encourages your team to cultivate a purpose. Day in and day out, the mission and values will help not only your team members, but also the agency owners make sound decisions that align with your brand.
Plastering the mission and the core values everywhere will hold the team accountable for their performance, behavior and attitudes. You’ll know you’ve achieved true brand transformation when team members, leaders and even clients recognize these values in everyday conversations.
The logo. Once values and mission have been established, creating or redesigning a logo is critical. While the task may seem impossible without the relevant technical expertise, there are plenty of online resources such as 99designs.com that make it easier one to digest and turn your vision into a reality.
A logo offers endless opportunities for recreating your brand. Again, a lot of the brand creation depends on what your budget can accommodate, but something as simple as branded corporate apparel can be a real winner when building a name the community.
A new logo also provides an opportunity for your agency to update its letterhead, mailings and even checks. A financial institution is a center of influence. Having a brand that sticks out on a check can get your agency in front of customer service reps and even be used as a recruitment tool.
The office building. Your office building—both interior and exterior—should also be consistent with your brand. Too often, landscaping, maintenance and office decor becomes outdated and forgotten. Incorporating your brand into the office decor by investing in branded office clocks, professional notepads and notebooks with the logo or core values and mission printed on them are small steps that can leave a lasting impression with clients and visiting carrier reps.
The team. All that said, the true brand of an agency is its team. Building a staff culture that emphasizes your brand will gain attention from prospects and current clients alike.
The first step in building a brand through your team members is making sure every employee understands their role and expectations. Job descriptions and employee manuals can help set the tone and expectations for both employers and employees. Posting the job descriptions in a break room along with an organization chart creates transparency, accountability and a sense of pride for all team members.
It is the owner’s role, meanwhile, to place team members in roles that maximize their potential for success. Always perform a personality assessment before assigning someone to a position. Consultants and career coaches can later provide an analysis of a team member’s core competencies to increase their success rate in a position.
Putting a face to a name is also critical, because it’s someone’s face that humanizes the relationship. In today’s digital age, even though we all want instant gratification, we still hope for some type of human interaction. Something as simple as a photo in an email signature can go a long way.
The clientele. The ultimate test of an agency’s brand is building a client base to match. Every actionable item should be a reflection of the brand, mission and core values, and that includes your client base.
If it’s difficult to gain new business, it’s an even greater challenge to turn down new business or ask clients to find another agent when they’re not a fit for your values. But a client or a carrier rep that doesn’t match your agency brand can be toxic. Learning to master the art of brand selection in the client population will catapult your growth.
Gina Clevenger is owner and employee benefits consultant at Clevenger Insurance Agency, headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana. Clevenger was the cover star of IA’s September issue.
