Branding is an area in which many financial services firms fall short. I'm sure you can think of a website you love to go to. You may think, “wow, I can feel the company culture, and I haven't even talked with anyone from the company.” Or you may think, “This is a place I want to work. It represents itself so well.” I bet you can also think of some examples of really poor brands. We've all seen dated websites that are hard to navigate. Or walked into an office that just doesn’t feel put together. 

Branding, unfortunately, can get a bad reputation. A lot of financial companies often think branding is just a logo, business card, and letterhead. In fact, your brand is every touchpoint anyone has with your company. It’s your office space, your website, and how you talk about your company. It’s also your LinkedIn posts, your ad placements, where you show up, and more. All this is a representation of your brand—and how others perceive you and your company.

We can all think of great examples of amazing brands. Nordstroms, Starbucks, Whole Foods, and Coca-Cola are a few affluent and clear brands—but they did not get to where they are today overnight. We want to let you in on a little secret sauce. Branding is not something that comes easy. And branding and marketing as a whole actually entail plugging into a greater business strategy. 

We believe branding is so essential, it's actually one of the first things we pinpoint before we start any engagement. We start with a strategy session to understand your company's goals at-large. We as some tough questions, including:

• What's unique about your company?
• How is working with your company different from working with your competition?
• How would your clients describe your company?
• What do you stand for?
• What do you stand against?
• What do you promise to your clients and prospects?
• Who is your target market?
• What are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats?
• What are your short- and long-term goals?

These kinds of questions help us better understand your brand promises and what makes your company different. We really want to understand not just where you are now, but where you want to go. This will help to shape the tactics and at-large brand strategy. 

In short, underpinning any strong brand is a clear business strategy and target market. Without this, your team, clients, prospects, and referral partners won’t have clarity about what you do and what you stand for. As a result, your growth will be stunted, the public will be confused, and your marketing efforts will be watered down.

Once you know and understand your target market, it will make it a lot easier to identify your unique selling proposition (USP). You might be wondering what your USP is and how it will benefit your company's growth. It’s simply one thing your company does better than anyone else. Once you identify your USP, it will help differentiate your company from the competition and help you to scale.

Many financial services companies haven't thought about what their unique selling proposition is, so when we ask them, “What makes you different?” we hear a lot of responses like:

• We provide excellent customer service
• We have a unique way of selling a problem
• We don’t have any competition
• We have a great team

These are all great attributes, but you have to get more specific to ensure you are creating a great experience for your clients with every touchpoint, from your website and office space to the person answering the phone.

For example, take a company outside financial services—Nordstrom. Many of us know Nordstrom for its outstanding customer experience. When you go to Nordstrom, you can count on the space being organized. It's clean, returns are very easy, and it has a great selection. You know you're going to be taken care of at Nordstrom. Time and time again, it has proven to offer a uniform experience. It, therefore, has done an amazing job pinpointing its USP—and its team ensures you feel that unique difference at every single touchpoint, from entering the store to opening a package mailed from it. This is just one of the reasons why Nordstrom has grown leaps and bounds—it has a clean and targeted message. It knows its target and has aligned its USP to match.

• Here are some other examples of strong USPs. Remember, a USP is more than just a slogan—it’s a promise.
• FedEx Corporation. When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.
• M&Ms. The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.
• DeBeers. A diamond is forever.
• Domino's Pizza. Fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less or it's free.
• Dollar Shave Club. Affordable blades to your door.

Now it’s time for you to identify your company's USP, align it with your target market, and ensure it's embedded in everything you do. This is the key to scaling your business this year and continuously year after year.

Want to know how Out and About Communications is set apart from the competition? Read The Cookie Cutter Conundrum to see what we’re all about, and don’t hesitate to say hello. We’d love to get to know you and help you understand your USP.

The Out & About Blog Spotlight Series elevates insight from the financial service industry’s best and brightest. We cover challenging topics around diversity, inclusion, purpose, and inspiring the next generation. 

Through sharing insights and best practices, together we can shape the future of the financial services industry and support improved access to qualified, ethical financial advice and resources for all.

For this week’s spotlight, we interviewed Michelle Donovan, partner/ referral and business coach for financial advisors at Productivity Uncorked in Houston, Pennsylvania. 

What made you decide to pursue a career in finance?

I am not a financial advisor, however I understand them inside and out, especially female advisors. I chose to become a referral and business coach about 18 years ago. At the time, I was coaching general entrepreneurs like myself and began attracting more and more advisors as clients. I quickly realized how much I enjoyed working with advisors because I saw a direct parallel with what we both bring to our clients.

Advisors work hard to help their clients reach their financial goals and make their dreams become a reality. I do the same for my advisor clients. I help them surpass their personal best and develop their own financial security. Advisors build trust with their clients and become their confidant and guide. Coaches do the same, often tightly holding industry secrets in their “vault”.

I also chose to niche my practice as well about 10 years ago. Since then, I market to and only serve financial advisors with a specialty in supporting female financial advisors. This experience has given me the opportunity to help numerous advisors to also niche their practice. For some examples, I’ve helped clients develop niches to serve blue collar workers in agriculture, equestrians, Generation X, small business owners, LGBTQ+, creative entrepreneurs, divorced individuals and widows.

As a coach for financial advisors, I also bring a unique set of skills that enable me to help my clients become better listeners and communicators with their clients. I am a trained facilitator in DiSC behavioral styles, I have a Master’s degree in Adult Education and I have completed a “Neuroscience Approach to Coaching” certification program.

What part of your work gives you the most satisfaction?

As a coach, I get the most joy when my clients CRUSH their goals and need to set new ones. I get excited when I hear my clients say, “Oh, I’ve never thought of that before,” or “That’s a great question,” or “I can’t believe it worked!” It’s thrilling when a client renews for a second, third or fourth year of coaching because that reflects a stronger commitment to their development and gives us time to go even deeper into the issues for lasting transformation.

It warms my heart when clients surpass a personal best or finally have the money to do the things they’ve been wanting to do for so long. I was speaking to a client today who told me that finally, for the first time ever, she’s not worried about money. She’s preparing to buy a home for herself, all on her own, after years of struggling from a failed relationship. This is huge for her and it was huge for me. I get totally invested in what my clients are working to achieve and so I celebrate their victories with them and lift them up if they fail.

On a personal note, I get great satisfaction from the flexibility I’ve intentionally built into my practice. Working from a home office for more than 18 years and living near family enables me to enjoy the company of my dogs all day long and welcome a visit from my parents for lunch. This experience also enables me to help our clients with their productivity when challenged with working from home.

What needs to be done to diversify the financial services industry?

In two words … a lot. One would have to be hiding under a rock to not know that there is a severe shortage of women, Black, Asian and LGBTQ+ individuals represented in the industry. In my opinion, the shift needs to start at the top. White men currently dominate this industry and successfully built it from the ground up. They now need to lead the charge forward for the future. Men of influence need to stand up, speak up and insist on making changes that will attract minority groups to the industry.

The development of a diverse industry begins by creating a culture that welcomes and supports a diverse population. White men in charge have the power to demand change and build a universal culture of zero tolerance with respect to inequality and harassment. Diverse people are out there who would consider entering into the financial services industry. However, why would they want to subject themselves to a culture that would currently provide them with a constant struggle rather than one of support and inclusion?

When the industry stops talking about it and starts making systemic cultural change, I believe more diverse people would be motivated to consider the opportunity to enter the industry.

What advice would you give financial professionals just beginning their career?

The first bit of advice would be to always stay true to yourself. Ensure that the place you’ve chosen to work is in alignment with your values and supports your authenticity. There’s nothing worse than trying to fit into a place that doesn’t reflect who you are as a person. You need to feel confidence in the company you represent.

The second piece of advice is to build your support network from day one. The best of the best all have support in various capacities. This could include colleagues you admire, formal mentors, thought leaders inside and outside the industry, coaches, instructors, study groups, wholesalers, networking groups, associations, friends, family, partners, etc. Your support network will keep you moving forward, especially on those days you really doubt yourself. Surround yourself with people you can talk to about anything.

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If you enjoyed this spotlight, please share this post and follow the links below.

• Website: productivityuncorked.com 
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/michellerdonovan/ 
  linkedin.com/company/productivity-uncorked/
• Twitter: twitter.com/ByeByeClutter 
• Facebook page: facebook.com/ProductivityUncorked

The Out & About Blog Spotlight Series elevates insight from the financial service industry’s best and brightest. We cover challenging topics around diversity, inclusion, purpose, and inspiring the next generation. 

Through sharing insights and best practices, together we can shape the future of the financial services industry and support improved access to qualified, ethical financial advice and resources for all.

For this week’s spotlight, we interviewed Meredith Benton, founder and principal of Whistle Stop Capital in San Francisco. 

What made you decide to pursue a career in finance?

The investments we make build the world we live in. People often forget how strong that link is. When we provide capital to a company to support its growth, we allow the visions and values of its leaders to come to life. If we want a just and sustainable world, we need to be active stewards of our investments and ensure that the capital we provide aligns with the world we seek to create. When done thoughtfully, we are able to marry the creation of strong financial returns with making a positive change in the world.

What part of your work gives you the most satisfaction?

Whistle Stop Capital is a pioneering consultancy focused on integrating environmental, social and governance data into the portfolio management process, as well as building shareholder engagement strategies linked to strengthened share value within existing portfolio holdings. The work we do has encouraged greater corporate transparency, reduced harassment and discrimination in the workplace, and improved environmental conditions. We have done this while strengthening our clients' returns and helping them grow their businesses.

What needs to be done to diversify the financial services industry?

Firms have begun to report their workforce composition data, releasing the diversity characteristics of existing employees. They are now being called to also release the promotion, recruitment, and retention rates of their diverse employees, alongside pay equity data. The adoption of this best practice in corporate transparency will allow stakeholders — clients, employees, investors and others — to understand the effectiveness of a firm's inclusion programs. At a minimum, firms, regardless of their current workforce challenges, should be willing to speak to their future goals and the data that they are using to track their own progress.

What advice would you give financial professionals just beginning their career?

There are two essential steps I encourage all of my students and mentees to follow (I teach a capstone business and ethics course at San Francisco State.)

1) Grow and tend to your network — excluding no one. It is impossible to predict where the winds of fate will blow you, or your colleagues. Offer a tethering line when you are able.

2) Find and use your own voice. This is essential in sustaining your own energy and commitment to your work. It also increases your ability to bring something new and meaningful into the conversation.

If you enjoyed this spotlight, please share this post and follow the links below.

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• Website: whistlestop.capital   
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/whistle-stop-capital-llc  
• Twitter: twitter.com/_Whistle_Stop_ 

The Out & About Blog Spotlight Series elevates voices from the financial service industry’s best and brightest. We cover challenging topics around diversity, inclusion, purpose, and inspiring the next generation. 

Through sharing insights and best practices, together we can shape the future of the financial services industry and support improved access to qualified, ethical financial advice and resources for all.

For this week’s spotlight, we interviewed Chloé Moore, CFP and founder of Financial Staples, a financial planning firm in Atlanta, Georgia.

What made you decide to pursue a career in finance?

I stumbled across financial planning by accident. I started college as an athletic training major and quickly realized it was not for me. My counselor was a financial planner and head of the CFP Board certified program at my college. I decided to give it a try and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve always been good with money, I enjoy crunching numbers and solving problems, and I find joy in helping others. Looking back, I realize that a career in finance is my calling, and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

What part of your work gives you the most satisfaction?

So many things come to mind… where do I start? I love seeing the light bulb go off in a client’s head when they have a major breakthrough that allows them to see their money through a different lens. It’s also satisfying when clients reach major milestones, whether it’s paying off their student loans, enjoying a guilt-free extended vacation, or buying their dream home. Knowing that the advice and guidance I give can literally change the trajectory of someone’s life is both powerful and rewarding.

What needs to be done to diversify the financial services industry?

Solving the diversity problem in financial services is a complex issue that needs to be attacked from many angles. I believe the best place to start is threefold: understand where we are, acknowledge that there is a problem and understand how we perpetuate the problem. There’s no shortage of evidence to show that we’ve had this problem for some time and there are benefits to supporting diversity. A perfect storm of recent events has led to a long overdue awakening. People who often turned a blind eye (whether on purpose or unknowingly) are now listening and having tough conversations. I have hope that these small steps are a start down the path of long-term change.

What advice would you give financial professionals just beginning their career?

Learn as much as you can and strive to be the best. You never know where your career will take you, so going beyond your job description and soaking up knowledge helps in the long run. I also believe in mastering your job, no matter how small it may seem. Sometimes, those starting out want to grow quickly. It’s important to focus on being the best you can be at each level. You’ll eventually grow, and when you do, you’ll have more of an appreciation for those who come behind you.

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If you enjoyed this spotlight, please share this post and follow the links below.

• Website: financialstaples.com 
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/chloemoore/ 
• Twitter: twitter.com/finstaples  
• Facebook: facebook.com/finstaples
• Instagram: instagram.com/financialstaples/

Are you sending emails but not sharing the data with the sales team—to help it understand how warm prospects are? This data can help the sales team know if prospects are hot or cold. Below is a simple list to help empower your sales team to use email data to sell.

1—Check Out Your Most Engaged Contacts

For example, if you have prospects who have opened an email a bunch of times, it's probably a good indicator they are really engaged with your company and ready to have a conversation. Since what you have to offer seems to be hitting a pain point, now is a good time to reach out. 

2—Watch Your Bounce And Unsubscribe Lists

It's important your sales team knows if its prospect emails are bouncing or people are unsubscribing. This is a good indicator you either have the wrong email or they don't want to be contacted by your company anymore. To avoid additional friction or get updated emails, share the bounce and unsubscribe list data with the members of the sales team to better empower them to do their job and take action.

3—Look At The Click-Through Rate

It's important to see what your prospects clicked on. This is a good indicator of what they actually care about—something that will help the sales team by giving it more insights about prospects’ actions. The data can empower members of the sales team to have more thoughtful conversations about what prospects care about. For example, if they click on a link in your email about a particular service, it can be addressed in conversations with them. 

Typically, the sales team is empowered to review this data via its CRM, especially if the CRM is connected to a platform like Hubspot. If not, a sales assistant or operations lead typically shares this information with sales team members. This data is also used by marketing to inform content decisions and better understand the value of the content being served up to the various lists. 

When these tips are deployed, it empowers sales and marketing teams to be better aligned and support each other. Make the data from your email efforts really work for you. Have questions about emails and workflows, don’t hesitate to reach out. 

The Out & About Blog Spotlight Series elevates insight from the financial service industry’s best and brightest. We cover challenging topics around diversity, inclusion, purpose, and inspiring the next generation. 

Through sharing insights and best practices, together we can shape the future of the financial services industry and support improved access to qualified, ethical financial advice and resources for all.

For this week’s spotlight, we interviewed Danielle Seurkamp, Founder of Well Spent Wealth Planning in Cincinnati, OH. 

What made you decide to pursue a career in finance?

I didn't know much about financial planning until after college when I happened to be hired at a wealth management firm as a temporary employee. I was supposed to be there for 90 days while an assistant was out for surgery, but I ended up staying for 9 years and working my way up through the ranks. By working around such incredible people, I learned that financial planning is not just about crunching numbers and buying stocks; it's about helping people make decisions that support the kind of life they want to live. That is truly what appealed to me and what I still love about my work.

The study group with Kristen Moosmiller, Danielle Seurkamp, Ben Hockema,
Jake Kuebler, Daniel Wrenne and Grant Moore.

What part of your work gives you the most satisfaction?

My favorite moments are when I get to tell a client that they are on track and that they have done enough to achieve their goals. I work with many clients who highly value financial security and there is often a palpable sense of relief that comes over them when they hear this news. Taking the burden of stress off their shoulders is the most rewarding aspect of what I do.

What needs to be done to diversify the financial services industry?

The number of Black and Latino financial planners is sadly only about 3.5%. Women make up about 25% of the industry. It's a multi-faceted issue that has to be addressed throughout the career pipeline. 

It is important that young students learn that financial planning isn't simply about sales. The collaborative, personal nature of the business appeals to a broader group of people, who may make great advisors, but who aren't particularly sales or investment-oriented. 

Financial service firms can also do quite a bit to promote diversity and inclusion. They can be more intentional about their hiring practices— everything from the language in the job posting to the compensation structure of the position can be designed to have wider appeal. Blind hiring practices can reduce the degree of bias in the interviewing process. And once a diverse candidate is hired, it's critical that they receive equal pay, opportunities for advancement, and comparable mentoring. 

I serve on the board of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors who is about to release a handbook on these very topics to help firms put these and other concepts into practice.

What advice would you give financial professionals just beginning their career?

There are currently more financial planners over age 70 than under 30, so there are many great opportunities out there for someone pursuing this career. First, remember that no one cares more about your future than you do. Firm leaders are bogged down in their own work so it's important for the ascending professional to create opportunities to discuss their future. They should be active in that process and create a career path if there isn't one laid out. Make sure it's clear what is expected for advancement. 

My other piece of advice would be to find allies who are in similar positions in their career. I have been in a peer advisor study group for many years with five other planners around my region. We have two rules: share everything and show up every six months for in-person meetings. The perspective and support I have gained from this group can't be overstated. Simply seeing how things are done at another company can be very beneficial.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I founded my firm to empower people with the financial knowledge and personal support they need to succeed and dispel their fears of running out of money. Our mission is to grow people's sense of financial security, free them from unnecessary sacrifice, and prepare them for a life well spent.

If you enjoyed this spotlight, please share this post and follow the links below.

• Website: wellspentplanning.com
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/danielleseurkamp/
• Twitter:  twitter.com/dseurkampcfp
• Facebook page: facebook.com/wellspentplanning

Knowing your target market is essential to growing your business. Many companies are afraid to pick a target market because they think that will push out prospects that don't fit within that target market and then they will lose a sale. But the whole point of choosing a target market is to help people to self identify if they are a fit with your company. This will make it easier for your target market to find you as well

Start with an umbrella target market

In situations where leadership is fearful to put their foot down and identify a target, we often remind them that you’ll spread your ROI too thin if you don’t focus. You’re never going to be able to please everyone—and your product or service is not a ‘one-size fits all’ solution. You may have multiple decision makers in your company who have made it very clear that they want to go after different  target markets, but at the end of the day, you need to pick one target. Ask yourself: who can you best serve? Who is going to be the most lucrative for your business?

We will let you in on a little secret: you can have more than one target market. The end goal, however, is to have one main target market, or an “umbrella target market.” From there, you can narrow  into sub-targets. For your company at large, you really are going to want one main target. Some examples of “umbrella targets” include: 

•  Generation X
•  Businesses with 30+ employees
•  Corporate executives
•  Doctors

Now let’s narrow those targets a bit more: 

• Generation X couples who are married with a family and live in mid-size markets in the United States
• Businesses with 30+ employees in upstate New York and have been in business for five years or more
• Corporate executives in the oil and gas industry that work at BP, Marathon, and Shell
• Dentists who own their own practice and have three or more employees

We can then get even more specific. Ask these kinds of questions:

• Gender
• Age
• Education level
• Residence
• Car they drive 
• Stores they shop
• What they like to do on the weekend
• Social media channels they use 
• Political beliefs and affiliations
• What they read (blogs, books, etc.)
• What they listen to (music, podcasts, radio etc.)
• What they like to do for fun 

The point of this exercise is to really identify your target market so you can reach them and utilize your time and marketing efforts more effectively.

Meet your target in the places they frequent

In the marketing world it's very easy to get caught up in buying the latest shiny objects. You can do just about anything under the sun with marketing today. Sure, you can purchase a radio ad, or send a flashy email campaign or set up a fancy marketing automation tool kit, but if you haven’t defined who you are talking to, all of these tools will go to waste.. Knowing your target and what drives them will help you to stay focused and avoid distractions.

If you’re in sales, understanding your target market will help you to identify where to spend your time. For example, if you want to go after dentists who own their own practice, you'll probably want to:

• Go to events and conferences where you're going to meet these individuals. 
• Build an email list that’s specific to this audience. 
• Host a webinar or give them something that’s of value. 
• Set up Google Alerts to follow the latest news and trends related to this demographic.
• What about becoming a thought leader in this space? You could write for publications that your target market reads. 

At the end of the day, if you don't pick a target market you're likely going to spin your wheels trying to talk to a lot of people and ultimately talking to no one at all.

Do yourself a favor before you dive into all the nitty-gritty of building out your marketing tactics, and really get to know your target market. This is the first step. You’ll also do your marketing team a favor, because they will want to build copy and creative that's aligned with this audience.

Bottom line, if you want to scale, pick a focused target market and speak to them consistently so they know you really understand their needs and struggles. Offer solutions and ideas and meet them in places where they are already having this conversation. This relationship-building process will turn strangers into contacts; acquaintances into networks and finally, prospects into clients. 

Crisis communication is fluid. Even as news comes out, critical messaging changes. It’s hard to know how long to sit on your message, waiting for the latest information to be available. The longer you delay, the longer you’re sitting out, not getting your message out to your clients, your customers and your community.

But there’s another way. You can get the message out, and be there when you’re needed most, even if the message needs to change minutes, hours or days later. You don’t need to sit on the sidelines. Get out in the midst of the crisis and stay communicative.

Make Technology Your Best Tool

Mission Control
The first thing to do is set up a landing page. This is your home base of crisis communications. Put a date and time stamp in a prominent location on the page so your readers will know how up-to-date it is. And keep it as up-to-date as you can.

Create a banner ad for your website that links to the landing page. The ad can alert your visitors that the latest information can be found on that page.

To maintain your landing page with the information your readers need, you can set up Google alerts for the situation you’re following. Then, you’ll receive an email when pertinent information is released in the news.

Broadcasting Your Message
Depending on the information that needs to be shared, you may consider a variety of ways to get the word out. An email newsletter or notification is a quick way to disperse information quickly. Make sure to link to your landing page, as you can’t update that email once it goes out.

A videoconference or webinar can help you get into the details for your folks, too, and help them understand some of the finer points involved. But again, make sure you share your landing page, in case the situation changes hours later or in the following days.

Choose Your Tone — And Stick With It

Crisis situations can come with a myriad of complicated emotions. Before you craft your message, take a mental step back and consider your company’s core values. What have you committed to conveying? Positivity? Creativity? Impartiality? Kindness? Who you are at the core should not change in a crisis.

Once you get a handle on your brand’s tone, you can create the message with the emotion you want to convey to your clients, customers and community. Remember, if you feel stressed, your readers will feel it. Step back from your emotions and write intentionally.

Keep Your Team In The Loop

You chose your team by design, to reflect your mission and purpose. Thus, your team members are your best assets in a crisis. They can help keep you on brand and in focus, even when things get stressful. Share your message with the team before it goes out to check for any oversights. And be honest about the kind of reliance you’ll have on your team members during this time of crisis by letting them know what you’ll need from them. Together, you can better weather the storm.

When you’re stressed and in crisis mode, paralysis can set in. Being proactive and purposeful with your communication keeps you out and in front of the community, as well as relevant and helpful in a challenging situation. Don’t be afraid of the changing your message — just get out there and start serving your community.

Jesse Rutherford possesses the kind of creative and technical mix that makes her unstoppable. She has uncanny abilities to see a goal and figure out how to get there — whether it’s for a creative, hands-on project or technical and marketing communications. As our new Marketing Director, Jesse brings a passion for communicating effectively and efficiently. 

Language Liaison

Jesse studied Spanish and English at the University of Mexico. Since then, she has dived headfirst in a wide range of communications projects and jobs. From supporting a non-profit for victims of domestic abuse with meaningful content to working as a copywriter in the medical field, Jesse’s focus has remained the same: working as a “message translator” from one group to another, ensuring communication is clear and impactful. 

Passion Projects

Jesse is the type of person whose brain and hands are always busy. When she’s not in the office, or out in the ocean bodysurfing, she’s entrenched in a creative project. She documents her sewing pursuits on her Instagram account, @EditorInTheWild. In addition, you can learn more about her fractured fiction project at fraxtory.com.

Jesse is a creative at heart, driven by inspiration and excited about trying new things. But she’s also comfortable with technical fields, savoring every opportunity to dig into the details. Together, these traits make her a great addition to the Out & About team as we bring that mix to our clients. 

Come learn more about Jesse and the rest of the team here.