In the UK, the financial services world is crowded. Whether you’re an IFA, mortgage broker, or small wealth firm, inevitably you are competing with many near identical websites, generic brochures of happy ‘investors’, and jargon and acronym heavy messaging.
Below I outline some ways to make your financial services brand stand out from the competition without spending a fortune.
It isn’t about spending more money or shouting louder. It’s about being sharper.
Below are some ways that you can create and build a brand that clients remember and trust with their hard earned money.
Pinpoint what actually makes you and your business different
Most firms say things like ‘we put the client first,’ or ‘we offer bespoke advice.’ These are positives, but not unique to you.
Instead, ask:
- What do clients say they value most about working with us?
- What is our communication style, is it formal, friendly, direct?
- Do we serve a niche (e.g. a particular profession, level of assets or offer advice more tailored to a particular demographic)?
- Are we focused on offering a face to face service, locally based, values-led or offer a strong digital proposition?
True differentiators are usually how you do what you do, rather than just what it is you do.
Develop a tone of voice that feels human
Financial services businesses often fall into the trap of feeling that they should sound clever and intelligent. This can come across as sounding robotic or overly corporate and not relatable for potential clients. Ultimately people trust people.
How do you speak to your clients in person. Are you warm? Reassuring? Straight-talking? Tone of voice is about how something is said or written, rather than what is being said.
Consider the tone of voice across:
- Your website and social media
- Client emails and proposals
- Your about us page – ditch the buzzwords and industry jargon, show the people behind the business
A clear, confident, down to earth tone goes a long way to engage readers and encourage them to want to work with you as a business and utilise your services.
Build visual consistency and personality
Potential clients are often nervous that a marketing consultant will recommend a full and expensive rebrand. Most firms don’t need this, but what does help is having brand elements that always look professional and recognisable.
That includes:
- A clean, modern easy to use logo
- A consistent colour palette
- Brand fonts that are modern but not too unusual
- Photography that feels real and relatable. Finding alternatives to over used stock images of happy grandparents on a beach with a labrador!
Even just ensuring consistency of the above across your website, marketing and client materials and social posts will boost credibility.
Tell client centric stories
What does working with you actually mean for a client? Focus on the positive outcomes you deliver – not just from a consumer duty reporting angle!
This can include:
- Sharing short case studies anonymised or with permission.
- Posting testimonials that show how you have helped a client plan for their future.
- Writing blog posts that solve real client concerns. These could include ‘how much do I need to save for retirement’, ‘concerns re changes to inheritance tax’
- Relatable stories are more valuable than technical articles
Be seen where your clients are.
A strong brand isn’t just about the visual aspects, it is also about visibility.
This can include;
- Building a Google-friendly website with helpful, educational content.
- Considering how your business appears on AI tools, what do the commonly used ChatGPT or CoPilot have to say about you?
- Engaging consistently on LinkedIn, posting informative articles, and engaging with anyone who comments on your posts
- Establishing a comprehensive Google Business profile to appear in local searches
Being where your prospects are helps to develop demand and awareness before they consider contacting someone offering your services.
Remaining consistent
Being consistent can be a time challenge, running a business, dealing with clients and colleagues. You don’t need to be posting on social media daily or even more than once a week, but you do need to be consistent.
Consistency builds familiarity which then builds trust.
To conclude in a crowded market, standing out is about being clearer and human. Small firms have a big advantage here that is often underutilised: agility, authenticity, and genuine relationships.
Would you benefit from help to identify what makes your brand different – ways to make your financial services brand stand out?
Let’s have a chat. I work with small & medium sized UK based financial services firms to help sharpen their messaging, attract clients, and build a brand that actually feel like your business.
