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Branding often stops at a firm's logo and the colour palette set out in the brand guidelines. Sometimes consideration extends to the strap line

However, the invisible side of branding - its driving force - is harder to grasp, harder to get right, and all too often forgotten in discussions about brand.

Your dealings with clients, the way you engage with other stakeholders, the way your client feels when they walk into your office. The pieces that make the whole that is you should be your starting point and not an afterthought.

A reason to choose.

A brand is the client's "reason to choose". Firms without a strong brand may find it harder or impossible to instil in clients the confidence that they are best placed to offset their risk.

Client perception and opinion should be the Holy grail of marketing. An understanding of the gap between how you are perceived and how you want to be seen should be central to your strategy. Do you know why clients chose you, and more importantly why others don't? The answer to these questions should drive your way forward and help shape your brand. 

When looking at your firm's brand you need to go back to the beginning. What are you offering and who are you offering it to? How do you want to be known by your clients and your target market? What are your key messages and who is your audience? 

By going back to basics, the visible brand should reveal itself. However, if you overlook the invisible, the intangible, you risk creating a visual representation that is incongruent with reality and one that fails to connect with your target audience. If you don't understand where you are starting from - by listening to those around you - you lose the ability to grow and build a brand that truly gives your clients a reason to choose YOU. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Make it count.

This article is adapted from one that appeared on Client Talk’s blog.