But in this case, I took this article as Indianapolis’ attempt at a rebrand of the city. They are trying to change public perception.
Here at FiComm, we frequently deal with rebranding efforts, and at the heart of all these projects is perceived value. It’s knowing not only what makes your company different, but why your target audience should care.
Getting your branding and communications right is a great balancing act in which you’re constantly trying to stay ahead of your industry while never losing sight of why your advisor clients found your services valuable in the first place. Megan Carpenter put it best when she said, “Learn to see things from the advisor’s perspective. Advisors aren’t big corporations. They’re entrepreneurs. Garage bands. They operate in constant protection mode.”
So if you’re a vendor marketing your cutting-edge technology to advisors, you have to keep in mind that something safe and proven may have more value to an advisor than something new. So what line do you tread? Cool factor is that line; being both innovative and specifically relevant.
Good communications can make or break any company. You could have the “coolest” product in the world, but unless you position it with an eye towards value, it won’t go far. Are you defining the “cool” factor in your marketing? See where you may be missing the mark with Why Advisors Don’t Think Your Product Is As Cool As You Do.