Why Professional Services Brands are Different

By Lee W. Frederiksen, Ph.D.

 

There is a lot of confusion in the world of professional services as to exactly what a professional services brand is. I can say this with a level of certainty because I hear it just about every day. Many folks see their brand as their logo, firm name, and accumulated trade dress. While certainly an important component of the brand, these items fall far short as a complete definition.

Better you should think of your brand as your reputation and visibility in the marketplace if you want to shorthand it.

I suspect that much of this confusion comes from the fact that that many professional services firms are not run by people who are marketers by training or inclination. But even if you were schooled in classical brand marketing you are not likely to fully understand the challenges of building a high value professional services brand. Why? Because professional services brands are very different than consumer product brands.

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