Your Niche and Your Brand (Series: The Business of Law and Accounting)

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Practical and entertaining education for
attorneys, accountants, business owners
and executives, and investors.
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DISCLAIMER
The material in this webinar is for informational purposes only. It should not be
considered legal, financial or other professional advice. You should consult with an
attorney or other appropriate professional to determine what may be best for your
individual needs. While Financial Poise™ takes reasonable steps to ensure the information
it publishes is accurate, Financial Poise™ makes no guaranty in this regard.
About this PowerPoint: if you are looking at this PowerPoint without the benefit of
listening to the conversation that surrounded it then you are doing yourself a disservice.
This PowerPoint was prepared in contemplation of being viewed in conjunction with
listening to a one hour webinar on the topic
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MEET THE FACULTY
Moderator:
Cristina Nolan – Financial Poise
Panelists:
Alyssa Gelbard – Point Road Group
Russell Shapiro – Levenfeld, Pearlstein LLC
Linda Zappulla – KU/UMKC
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ABOUT THIS WEBINAR:
Your Niche and Your Brand
The greatest consumer brands in the world realize that branding is emotional, relational
and must reinforce the brand promise through every touch and moment of engagement.
Like consumer brands, practitioners have personal brands and brand promises whether or
not they are being cultivated with intention or by happenstance. In this webinar, we
discuss the competence and character traits that produce positive personal brands, how to
develop a specific niche and channel for profile raising and how to elevate thought
leadership for sustainable client attraction and business development.
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ABOUT THIS SERIES:
At a time when we are bombarded with news and information about the uncertainties of
the economy, successful sales professionals (rainmakers) rest in comfort and confidence
knowing that their success is not beholden to the ups and downs of the marketplace.
This series identifies essential Rainmaker Best Practices, that when focused on with
discipline and intention, distinguish you and your firm, and help you gain a competitive
sales advantage. These episodes focus on WHAT works in any market and HOW to
implement the best practices to impact your business with increased revenue, increased
leverage of time and resources, and improved accuracy and predictability in your sales
pipeline- - all while managing your practice so that your level of service to your clients
does not suffer.
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EPISODES IN THIS SERIES
1/15/19 Episode #1:
Growing Your Practice
2/12/19 Episode #2:
Legal Tech
4/9/19 Episode #3:
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Dates shown are premiere dates.
All webinars will be available
On Demand approximately 4 weeks
after they premiere.

Episode #3:
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ESTABLISHING AND NICHE AND BRAND
• When engaging any professional advisor, clients are typically looking for an expert
– the best.
• Those who are perceived as experts can command a higher price point for their
service than those who are generalists.
• There is also a sense of confidence that will come through in any conversation when
an advisor is genuinely a subject matter expert.
• It is about cutting through the noise (social media, thought leadership clutter, etc.)
to get noticed.
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ESTABLISHING AND NICHE AND BRAND
(cont’d)
• Having a brand, which is really your reputation, is an important first step to being
heard or seen. Having a niche and building a brand around that niche, is how you
separate from the competition.
• You can’t be all things to all people.
• Having a niche gives you a clear way to evaluate opportunities and potential clients
– and gives you the perspective to say no to the opportunities that do not make
sense for you.
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CONSUMER BRANDS BEST PRACTICES
• Consumer brand marketing is about creating emotion and developing a customer
promise through some identifiable benefit, problem solved or feeling/status gained.
• Consumer brands focus on account-based marketing, an approach where you set a
holistic strategy by choosing a very specific target market and demographic who will
mostly likely connect with the product and want to buy it.
• Advisors can benefit greatly by leveraging consumer brand best practices through
personalized marketing campaigns and interactions that will attract the right target
market for a “sale.”
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CONSUMER BRANDS BEST PRACTICES
(cont’d)
• Think of this type of marketing as fishing with a spear versus a net.
• This approach means that an advisor will require a well-thought out plan about why
and how the advisor chooses targets, and what the ROI will be once they are landed.
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CONSUMER BRANDS AND ADVISORS
• Professional services firms are essentially a collection of practitioners with the
reputations of the more well-known practitioners helping create both their
individual brands as well as a larger organizational brand.
• This works best when the individuals, and their brands, share common
attributes/values.
• The Coca-Cola Company is one of the most compelling comparisons with the
professional services sector.
• While the namesake of The Coca-Cola Company was and is the most well-known
brand, the company today has more than 500 distinct brands producing quality,
enjoyable or fun products for billions of consumers worldwide.
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CONSUMER BRANDS AND ADVISORS
(cont’d)
• The primary focus of Coca-Cola’s marketing is about establishing an emotional
connection with consumers.
• Sophisticated buyers of legal and accounting services ask similar questions
consciously or subconsciously that are rooted in a desire for emotional connection.
• Marketing technical proficiency is table stakes, not a differentiator.
• That’s where the emotional connection really matters.
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CONSUMER BRAND TRENDS AND
REPUTATION BUILDING
• Consumer brands are engaging a growing focus on customer experience and
mapping out the customer journey.
• Marketers are paying a lot more attention to how they can architect the experience
to generate the emotional connection.
• Professional services firms are following suit and are beginning to focus on client
experience as a brand building effort.
• Advisors can take cues from consumer brands when looking at how they
consistently focus on engaging and listening to their customers.
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CONSUMER BRAND TRENDS AND
REPUTATION BUILDING (cont’d)
• Consumer brand marketing is about seeking feedback continually, not as a once-a-
year activity.
• While every media and medium provide a channel to build a reputation, it is client
experience that will often prove to be the greatest input to reputation building.
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TECHNICAL COMPETENCE AND MARKETING
• As we think about the new age of business whereby more computers and robotics
will supplement a services business, we understand that competence is something
that will no longer be a differentiator.
• Either you’re good at it or you’re not; the machines will certainly be highly
competent and have a very low margin of error.
• The same can be said about past experience; as AI comes into play using years of
data that has been formulated into algorithms, experience in the sense of process
and procedures will become routine.
• In the future, it will be about relationships, emotional intelligence and relatability
alongside the machines – not in lieu of them.
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MARKETING CHARACTER AND
CULTURAL TRAITS
• Focus on what is authentic to your practice.
• Focus on what is truly other-centered.
• Focus on “how” you do what you do and not simply “what” you do for clients.
• Communicate core values that matter to the client, not simply those that sound good
on a website or marketing collateral.
• Avoid “organizational nonsense” or inward thinking, whenever possible.
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COMMON PITFALLS IN MESSAGING
• Advisors are often not prepared to answer the basic question – “What do you do?”
• Often, an advisor will dive right into talking about themselves and their practices
without doing the really important part of asking good questions up front and
listening.
• Asking good questions and listening well will help an advisor translate experience
into relevant examples.
• Advisors are also able to point people in a different direction if they are not the best
fit to address a challenge.
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CASTING THE “NARROW NET”
• When an advisor narrows focus, personal brands, reputation and name recognition
become attached to the niche.
• Even if competition has more money or resources than the advisor, an advisor’s
diligence surrounding niche relationships often persevere.
• Perspective is wildly important. Just because an advisor’s business is in a niche
vertical or industry doesn’t mean that the advisor stops taking opportunity to learn
from other verticals who have common themes to existing clients.
• Continuous learning allows advisors to bring those learnings back to clients as a
value-add, further instilling their status as “must-know” person in the industry.
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BENEFITS OF A “KNOWN FOR” STATUS
• For starters, niches get advisors noticed.
• “Known for” status is when an advisor is competing and winning against the best of
the best, without clients, the media, recruits, or others questioning their credibility.
• Even when an advisor may be a smaller player, younger, less known, this status is
akin to achieving branding nirvana.
• “Known for” advisors enjoy more in-bound inquiries and leads with less outside
marketing or business development investment.
• Many advisors report greater practice satisfaction when “known for” status is
achieved.
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FOCUSING AS A GENERALIST
• A generalist has to be an exceptional listener in order to translate the value of a
broad view into specifics that are relevant to the person with whom the generalist is
engaged.
• To be able to say “I’ve seen something similar in my work with so and so that I think
has a lot of parallels to what you are dealing with” is a great message to be able to
share.
• Figure out where experience, passion and opportunity intersect to hone in on areas
focus to become more targeted.
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BENEFITS OF CHANNEL MARKETING
• First it is important to understand where and how targets receive and consume
information (web, social, email, ads, alliance partnership, white papers).
• Once an advisor understands the various channels that are in use, then it is
important to have a holistic and intentional blend of the mediums, so that there isn’t
the pitfall of over or under communicating.
• A professional services firm best practice is to capitalize on strategic alliances.
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BENEFITS OF CHANNEL MARKETING
(cont’d)
• Strategic alliances provide a genuine value-add to companies who are seeking a
more complete approach to their business needs where they can check more than
one thing off the list in a single transaction.
• Targeted strategic alliances that have similar business values and offer a reciprocal
arrangement tend generate the best return on investment.
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DEVELOPING CHANNEL MARKET
STRATEGIES
• First, find those professionals inside and outside of the firm with complementary
interests, client types, industries, etc.
• These individuals can help an advisor solidify a niche focus, vouch for work, provide
instant credibility, make valuable introductions, and help build a brand quickly
among ideal targets.
• The same approach works with content marketing or media strategy—including
traditional and new media.
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DEVELOPING CHANNEL MARKET
STRATEGIES (cont’d)
• Whether writing for a blog, contributing an article to a publication, or giving an
interview to a trade journal, ensure that time and efforts are well-aligned with an
overall strategy.
• Consider whether or not efforts will reach the intended audience and produce the
desired results.
• It is more effective to be known by a smaller group of ideal targets than to be known
more generally by a large number of potential buyers.
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POPULAR TRENDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA
• There continue to be many interesting social media trends going into 2018.
• While LinkedIn is the dominant force for business professionals, Facebook is
emerging as more of a business tool in professional services.
• Everything will continue to be more visual.
• Tweets with images receive 18% more click throughs, 89 more likes, and 150% more
retweets.
• On Twitter, it will be interesting to see where the 280 character limit goes to
determine if it will be useful, reduce engagement, or essentially be a non-event.
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WHAT IS THOUGHT LEADERSHIP?
• Thought leadership is a platform where an advisor takes a stance on a topic that gets
people to think in a provocative way.
• Thought leadership does not have to be controversial, however it does have to put a
stake in the ground and have a distinct point-of-view to be compelling.
• Thought leadership is not meant to be a platform where an advisor attacks someone
or something, rather it demonstrates how the advisor shows an ability to do critical
thinking as part of a personal value-add.
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GENERATING LEADS AND CROSS-SELLING
• Becoming a trusted source for the latest information is one of the most effective
ways to generate new leads.
• This can play out when the advisor serves as a source for:
✓ An article in a major publication;
✓ An internal presentation to colleagues or alliance partners;
✓ A contributed article to a industry journal, or;
✓ Content for a webinar to a curated, targeted audience of potential buyers of
services.
• Thought leadership works best when it is timely, thoughtful, and strategic.
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP INNOVATION
• Innovation is more about consistency in promoting thought leadership through a
predictable communication plan.
• Many advisors are mastering the interplay between blogs and podcasts.
• Podcasts serve as a quick and easy tool to engage niche audiences and position the
advisor as a thought leader.
• Podcasts also give the audience a “taste” for the advisor’s style, energy and
enthusiasm for the respective thought leadership topic
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GETTING STARTED
• To get started, advisors should find the intersection of their expertise and what work
is enjoyable that is profitable.
• Some advisors have expertise without enjoyment and enjoyment without
profitability.
• Both attributes provide the best foundation from which to identify a niche and build
a personal brand.
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SUSTAINING PROGRESS FOR RESULTS
• First, congratulations for taking the initiative. It isn’t easy depending on a market or
area of practice.
• Second, it does require a degree of patience and grit.
• And lastly, don’t be afraid to adjust the strategy and remember a fishing metaphor when
it comes to selecting a niche and developing a strategy.
• In order to determine the right niche and strategy, a advisor needs to identify a
profitable market (defined as geography or practice) where he/she can be a safe choice.
• If the advisor has the wrong hooks or fishing gear, or is fishing in the wrong pond,
patience is not the answer. Course correction is needed.
• Lean on a mentor or colleague who can help you assess and reassess as needed.
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RECOVERING FROM A MISSTEP OR A
STUMBLE
• Be as open about the misstep or stumble as is reasonable.
• People are looking for authenticity in the thought leaders they follow and trust.
• Sometimes the most can be learned from the things that don’t go 100%
according to plan.
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FAVORITE RESOURCES
• For women, Ellevate Network is highly recommended to gain perspective.
• For lawyers, the Legal Marketing Association has great resources as does the
ABA’s Law Practice magazine.
• For everyone, Fast Company provides great insights on how entrepreneurs are
thinking and marketing their business differently than the rest, which can
provide great inspiration for anyone in the professional services industry as well.
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CLOSING THOUGHTS
• There is a world of possibilities.
• Be selective.
• Be brave.
• Build your niche and your brand.
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ABOUT THE FACULTY
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Cristina Nolan – cnolan@financialpoise.com
Cristina Nolan, Director of Webinar Services at Financial Poise, earned her law degree in
1997. Cristina has worked in online education since 2004 and has significant experience in
the design, development and execution of online curriculum at the college and graduate
school level. She is also an experienced legal editor. Courses she has taught include
Introduction to Legal Analysis and Writing, Introduction to Law and the Legal Profession,
Criminal Law, Business Law, Legal Ethics, Trial and Courtroom Presentation, Wills and
Estates, Family Law, Legal Philosophy, Family Law and Divorce Mediation, Employment
Law, Torts, Contracts, Employment Mediation, ADR, Insurance Law, Product Liability,
and Evidence.
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Alyssa Gelbard – agelbard@pointroadgroup.com
Alyssa Gelbard is the Founder and President of Point Road Group, a global personal branding and consulting
firm that helps executives market themselves to achieve their professional goals and partners with
organizations for customized corporate programs. In addition to overseeing Point Road Group’s business
strategy and operations, Alyssa works with a portfolio of individual and corporate clients. An engaging speaker
on personal branding and careers, she delivers presentations and workshops to Fortune 500 companies, start-
ups, established businesses, professional associations, nonprofits and universities. Alyssa’s unique perspective
on personal branding, corporate branding and career advancement stems from a background in strategic
marketing, branding and communications, where she held leadership roles and built strong teams at
organizations across several industries. Her entrepreneurial career began when she founded Resume
Strategists, Point Road Group’s initial brand, almost 15 years ago. Alyssa serves on the Board of Financial
Executives International NY Chapter as Career Management Chair and the Advisory Board of the Graduate
Sports Management Program at Endicott College. She is an instructor at the renowned 92nd Street Y in NY and
an elected member of the Tufts University Alumni Council, co-chairing the Career Services Committee. Alyssa
also co-chairs the Tufts Women’s Network NY. Her expertise and perspectives on personal branding and
careers have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Inc., Forbes, Business Insider,
Huffington Post, CIO, The Street and eFinancial Careers, among other domestic and international media.
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Russell Shapiro – rshapiro@lplegal.com
Russell Shapiro is a member of the firm’s Corporate & Securities Group, an area in
which he has practiced for his entire career, focusing in particular on mergers and
acquisitions. Russell's industry insight and his clients' diverse business objectives have
shown him that every transaction demands its own solutions. As a result, he is
committed to listening to his clients, understanding their industries, and designing
transactions to meet their specific strategic goals. Russell’s more than two decades of
successful practice in this area have allowed him to serve as an expert witness in merger
disputes.
For more information on Russell Shapiro, please
https://www.financialpoise.com/financialpoisewebinars/faculty/russell-shapriro/
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Linda Zappulla – linda.zappulla@gmail.com
Linda Zappulla, Founder and Senior Consultant, Workshops and the Work. Linda has more than 25 years
of marketing experience, working in and leading every marketing discipline for highly regarded consumer
brands as well as start-up ventures. As founder and senior consultant with Workshops and the Work, she
provides solutions to marketing needs of business, while teaching and mentoring their employees to
enhance their marketing capabilities, and increase their engagement and retention. As Director of Brand
Marketing at Payless ShoeSource, she provided cross-functional leadership, helping Payless deliver its
new strategy to transition from a private label purveyor to become a House of Brands. Prior to joining
Payless, Linda was Vice President of Marketing for Birch Telecom, a Kansas City based local telephone
company. Prior to that she served in a number of strategic marketing and brand management functions
for consumer products companies such as Revlon, Lenox China and Corning Glass.
Linda received her MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, and her
undergraduate degree from Barnard College. She is a Certified Mentor at SCORE, Kauffman FastTrac
Alumna, volunteer with foreign exchange students, and President-elect at Congregation Beth Torah.
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QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
If you have any questions about this webinar that you did not get to ask during
the live premiere, or if you are watching this webinar On Demand, please do
not hesitate to email us at info@financialpoise.com with any questions or
comments you may have. Please include the name of the webinar in your email
and we will do our best to provide a timely response.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The material in this presentation is for general educational purposes only. It has been prepared primarily
for attorneys and accountants for use in the pursuit of their continuing legal education and continuing professional education.
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ABOUT FINANCIAL POISE
DailyDAC LLC, d/b/a Financial Poise™ provides
continuing education to attorneys, accountants,
business owners and executives, and investors. Its
websites, webinars, and books provide Plain
English, entertaining, explanations about legal,
financial, and other subjects of interest to these
audiences.
Visit us at www.financialpoise.com.
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Your Niche and Your Brand (Series: The Business of Law and Accounting)

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