The professional services rebrand journey

Antonia shares insights on these matters and more: 

• Rather than focusing solely on demand generation, it is important that firms strategically invest at the broader brand level to increase awareness, perception, and consideration, especially as modern business requires reaching a broader set of C-suite executives than before. 

• Define distinctiveness through how work is done: Consulting firms should differentiate themselves by focusing on how they execute their services, rather than just what services they offer. A core component of brand strategy should be identifying and amplifying the distinctive ways your firm operates, which also aids in winning work as well as attracting and retaining top talent. 

• It’s important not to treat a brand transformation solely as a marketing exercise; instead, firms can establish co-ownership of the programme with other senior stakeholders and colleagues, including those from Human Resources, Account Management, and Client Experience, to achieve greater impact, relevance, and longevity. 

• Prioritise internal training for people. The workforce is the ultimate expression of you brand, so don’t neglect internal buy-in. Provide compelling training on the brand’s value and their ambassadorial role. Think about giving local teams the flexibility to adapt core materials and use other ways to secure commitment across regions. 

• To ensure brand efficacy, firms must establish a continuous client feedback loop. This process allows for constant refinement of the brand system, media spend, and service offerings. Effectiveness can be validated using tangible metrics like advertising recall, share of search, and proprietary brand consideration data. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t miss our sister podcast, Business Leader’s Voice. In a recent episode, we talked to Ahmed Abdel Wahab, General Manager for India at Mars, about what it takes to be a truly authentic leader today, particularly in a time of volatility.