Constructing a profitable model is not any small feat. While you have a look at iconic manufacturers which have captured hearts, minds, and shopper loyalty over time, what you don’t see is the lengthy record of artistic and strategic choices that went into telling their compelling model tales. The very best manufacturers on the market make it look simple—however any advertising specialist will let you know that model improvement is a effective artwork that requires a deep dive into who you’re, what you provide, and why you’re totally different.
This train could be powerful for entrepreneurial corporations to drag off with out assist. Whereas they know their enterprise in and out, bringing this information to life in knowledgeable, scalable model takes cautious planning and execution.
Right here, we discover how two affiliated corporations introduced their one-of-a-kind model tales to life in partnership with Commonwealth’s Advisor Advertising and marketing group.
Soar Wealth Methods Embraces Independence—and a New Model
Earlier than they have been Soar Wealth Methods, they have been Brent Connelly and Jon Schuetz, CFP®, AAMS®—newly impartial and stuffed with concepts for rising their enterprise. Coming from a captive surroundings, Connelly and Schuetz had huge desires of tailoring their enterprise to mirror their area of interest experience, shopper dedication, and Midwestern sensibilities.
“It was a bit bit distinctive, coming from a unique dealer/supplier with a nationwide model, however Jon and I knew from the start that with the intention to stand out within the impartial area, we needed to make it possible for there was one thing totally different about our model,” defined Connelly.
A guiding imaginative and prescient. Connelly and Schuetz started brainstorming easy methods to inform their model story. Placing their heads collectively, they discovered prompt alignment in branding components that emphasised positivity, chance, and patriotism. “We got here up with this imaginative and prescient of an eagle,” Connelly mentioned, “after which we thought, ‘What’s a reputation we will use round an eagle?’”
“We searched on-line and located this quote that 1729655409 hangs in our outer workplace,” Schuetz continued, reciting it by coronary heart. “All birds discover shelter throughout rain. However eagle avoids rain by flying above the clouds. Issues are widespread, however perspective makes the distinction.”
It was their aha second. The picture of an eagle hovering above all of it and fixing issues immediately resonated with Connelly and Schuetz—they considered their enterprise as a spot shoppers can flip to for steering and a relaxed, strategic perspective.
Refining the imaginative and prescient with artistic enter. By the point Connelly and Schuetz related with Commonwealth’s Advisor Advertising and marketing group, they’d a powerful sense of the place they needed to move with their new model. However they wanted assist refining their imaginative and prescient and bringing it to life. “It was enjoyable to brainstorm collectively, however we clearly knew that this wasn’t our space of experience,” Connelly defined.
“We threw a number of concepts at them,” he continued, describing their first assembly with Advisor Advertising and marketing. “However they by no means shot us down. They by no means mentioned, ‘No, that’s not superb.’ They have been superb at letting us discover what was in our minds, after which they took that and actually helped us slender our focus.”
“What we settled on is ideal,” mentioned Schuetz, referring to their smooth, subtle emblem design. “They actually took into consideration the form of the eagle, the colour of the eagle,” mentioned Connelly. The brand new emblem units the fitting tone for Schuetz and Connelly’s private fashion and in addition appeals to a broad viewers.
A agency—and versatile—basis. Selecting a model expression that may be amenable to future adjustments was key for Schuetz, Connelly, and the Advisor Advertising and marketing group. “There’s all the time a view in the direction of what could be subsequent as we construct this model,” mentioned Schuetz. One model touchpoint Soar is particularly enthusiastic about is their new podcast, Monetary Flight Academy, a platform for tales about individuals who have overcome adversity or taken a leap of religion.
For 2 advisors who’ve navigated a profitable transition into the impartial area, it appears that evidently Schuetz and Connelly know a factor or two about leaps of religion—and easy methods to information and encourage shoppers to take strategic leaps of their very own, too.
Factor Monetary Group Grows Up—and Launches a Daring New Model
In contrast to Soar Wealth Methods, Factor Monetary Group had a longstanding model—one they preferred fairly a bit. It was a model that cofounders Alex Levi, AIF®, and JoanAnn Natola, AIF®, curated in 2006 when Factor was nonetheless in its infancy. “We did it ourselves, so it was our child,” Levi defined.
Lots has modified since then. “We’ve constructed a really robust enterprise,” Levi mentioned. “We grew up, and our agency grew up and matured . . . and we needed our web site to mirror that,” Natola continued.
A modest aim for a longtime model. The itch to evolve the model began off small, with “refresh” being the phrase Levi and Natola used to explain their aim. They needed to vary the pictures and tweak the language, however the goal was to brush issues up whereas holding the model bones in place. Once they related with Advisor Advertising and marketing, their expectations have been categorically modest.
“We had an exquisite dialog with the entire [Advisor Marketing] group,” Levi mentioned. “They did a extremely nice obtain of who we’re and what our enterprise is. Once more, the entire time, we’re considering ‘Refresh, refresh.’”
Activating the model’s full potential. However when Levi and Natola regrouped with the group for his or her first venture checkpoint, they obtained greater than swapped-out imagery and light-weight copyedits to evaluation. After such an in depth kickoff assembly, the Advisor Advertising and marketing group acknowledged the distinctiveness of Factor’s fashion—a fragile stability of experience, empathy, professionalism, and personability—and noticed {that a} refresh would promote them quick.
Offered with a recent new emblem, vibrant colour palette, and a heat, inviting voice, Levi and Natola have been surprised to see the guts and soul of their enterprise mirrored again to them in a brand new model. Right away, their refresh-only mindset was out the window. The Factor model was stuffed with potential, and so they have been going to grab it.
“The primary reveal was stunning to JoanAnn and I. In that prompt, we realized it was extra reflective of who we had change into,” Levi recalled. “Welcoming, open, direct, recent—we needed that reflection of who we’re that additionally mirrored the enterprise we now have.”
The model’s new look was edgy but approachable. It expressed what Levi and Natola had lengthy felt about their roles in a male-dominated trade that may typically be creatively one-dimensional. They have been doing issues otherwise in each their enterprise and their model, bringing a intentionally private contact to their work. Over years of observe, there was no query that cash is an emotional topic for many individuals. And that’s okay.
“You come to an advisor to speak about essentially the most private issues in your life . . . for us, you’ll be able to’t tiptoe round these conversations. Let’s get private, dive proper in,” Levi mentioned, referring to core model language that advanced by collaborative conversations with Advisor Advertising and marketing.
Placing the model into motion—and into the world. Like Soar, Factor began constructing a whole ecosystem of branded touchpoints as soon as their model was in place. “Wealth advisory agreements and new shopper onboarding kits have been instantly branded. We name it ‘Elementized,’” mentioned Natola. “All the pieces from the signatures on our electronic mail, each academic deck that we create for retirement companies shoppers—100% Elementized. Any bill, any motion objects, any communication that goes out . . . all the time has our Factor Monetary Group emblem, and it’s typically speckled with another element of our model.”
Levi and Natola are proud stewards of their new model and are excited by the constructive suggestions from shoppers, prospects, and recruits. The “let’s get private” tackle advising feels good as a result of it’s a model slogan that comes from an authentically Factor method.
Serving to Advisors Inform Their Model Tales
As these two advisor corporations will attest, investing in your model to make sure that it represents who you’re, whom you serve, and the way you serve them is usually a rewarding expertise with useful outcomes. Should you’re able to go down a brand-building path, don’t go it alone. Similar to your shoppers flip to you for monetary planning experience, you could profit from participating the companies of a model improvement specialist.
At Commonwealth, our Advisor Advertising and marketing professionals accomplice with new and present advisor corporations to not solely do the hands-on work of crafting logos, sprucing messaging, and constructing web sites but additionally mentor each advisor on being a strategic model steward that evokes confidence in present and potential shoppers.
What might your agency obtain with a brand new model? Obtain our workbook to draw shoppers and improve your aggressive edge.
free workbook
5 Steps to an Efficient Advertising and marketing Plan
Put your ideas into observe and enhance your agency’s aggressive edge with our complimentary information.
