The power of aligning the personal and corporate brand
What's a brand, really? The question becomes all the more complex when trying to distinguish the corporate brand from those who work within it. Both the corporate and personal brands are extremely important in the Insurance world, especially brokers. But how? Let’s unpack this, shall we?
At the highest of levels, a brand is a promise: a promise made and a promise kept. The truth is that when describing what sets your brand apart from your competition, it's very easy to actually end up describing what you all have in common. The best way to avoid that is to "unpack" these terms with others that are uniquely you and reflect your brand's personality, history and point of view. Landing on what makes you relevant to your consumers is the first step in identifying the unique value you provide them. And in doing so, you define personal brand vs. your brokerage's brand.
Everyone has their own personal brand, which consists of a promise, personality and delivery. Every business brand has the same traits. What’s vitally important is that the personal brand aligns with the corporate brand they sell for. Ultimately, if a customer’s loyalty is stronger with the person than the company, chances are they’d follow the person should they leave the organization.
In the end, the brokerage brand sets the promise to their customers; one that must always be followed across the entire organization and with every employee. If the employee brand aligns with the organization brand, this is the proof that the company is delivering on that promise.
From a personal standpoint, it’s important to examine your values and ensure they align with the values of your organization. From an organizational perspective, it makes sense to hire people whose values align with your corporate brand. With these two boxes checked, the organization's values shine through to consumers.
The magic happens when putting both the personal and corporate brand together. Think of the total number of interactions a consumer can have with your brand, whether in person or otherwise. It’s a lot more than you’d think! There are personal interactions, such as sales calls (either in person or over the phone). There are collateral-driven interactions, such as those completed online and offline if you offer physical collateral. Finally there are transactional interactions, like policy service, claims, etc. Even a consumer waiting on hold is an interaction (hopefully you have good on-hold music and messaging!).
If each and every interaction is not consistent with the corporate brand personality, the overall perception of the brand can be tarnished. But if they are consistent, amazing things happen. Happier clients and employees! Aligning the personal and corporate brand doesn’t just mean great things for customer loyalty, but can help with talent acquisition and retention too.
A promise made, a promise kept, a brand elevated. That’s the true power of aligning the personal and corporate brands.