Jamie Biesiada
Have you created a memorable brand identity for yourself and your agency?
If not, start with your "why," advises Christina Vieira, CEO of Showcase the World Travel in Danvers, Mass.
Vieira worked in event marketing, sales and incentive travel before she transitioned to a career as an advisor.
"In terms of brand, I think when we're talking about your logo, your colors, your all of that, that's not as important as your brand message," Vieira said on a recent episode of the "Trade Secrets" podcast.
It's easy to get caught up in things like logos, Vieira said, but more important is an advisor's messaging and copy that reflects that messaging.
"Really understanding your "why" -- what makes you different than anyone else in the industry," Vieira said. "And it should be really, really personal, right? It's not surface level. It's not, 'Oh, I want to help people make memories.' We all want to do that, right? But why you?"
For Vieira, a big part of her personal brand message is helping overwhelmed families take a break and reconnect.
It's part of the reason she became an advisor: She was ready to start a family, but was working 90-hour weeks at her job with a tech company. She recalls one January when she traveled so much that she was only home for four days.
That, she thought, wouldn't work with children at home.
"Now I have a family, I have flexibility, and that's a big part of the message that I use in marketing to my ideal clients," Vieira said.
That message is also reflected on Showcase the World Travel's website. On the "work with us" portion of the site, this question is posed: "What if it were possible to be fully present on your family vacation?"
Working with the agency will help eliminate stress, crafting and sticking to an itinerary and wondering whether it's even worth the hassle of getting a family out the door. The website states, "Our team of family travel experts is dedicated to crafting custom itineraries that put the fun back in family vacations" and notes that the agency is run by busy moms who know the drill.
For advisors who don't want to craft their messaging themselves, Vieira advised jotting down your "why" and outsourcing the actual crafting of the message to another professional. To really get a personal message across, Vieira suggested recording a video of yourself talking about your "why." That can be transcribed and shared with a copywriter.
For more from Vieira on marketing, including the platforms that work best (spoiler: whichever ones your ideal clients use) and her five R's of social media posts, listen to the most recent episode of "Trade Secrets," out May 6.