Combined, your branding and marketing provide a consistent and integrated verbal and visual presentation of your brand promise.
Branding centers on how you identify your business. A strong brand identity is more than visuals: it embodies your values, mission, and the emotional promise you make to clients, attracting those whose goals and beliefs align with yours.
Marketing focuses on how you communicate that vision. It encompasses the strategies and tools—content, campaigns, messaging, and channels—you use to share your brand and connect with your target audience.
The following elements can help shape the messaging in your branding and marketing efforts:
When your mission and brand values are defined and in tune with your business objectives, you can begin to deliver consistent brand messaging—which ideally showcases your value. The goal is to establish your identification, earn trust, and build on your authenticity.
With your brand, everything you say or do needs to be aligned with the values you’re providing. That includes all marketing channels—your website, email distribution list, advertisements, customer interactions, and social media.
Consistency is key. Consistent brand presentation can increase revenue by as much as 23%.[1]
Brands that lack consistency and look and sound different on different platforms may confuse your audience. Your website’s look, feel, and messaging should be aligned with what you’re sharing on your social media accounts.
When your branding is consistent, you’re creating a connection between you and your clients and providing an expectation about your brand.
The takeaway: A consistent brand creates connection and alignment with your values.
Your credibility goes a long way toward establishing yourself as an expert in your field and building trust with your audience. More than one third of businesses say that brand consistency helps them boost revenue by 20% or more.[2]
“Your brand adds credibility and reassurance for your clients,” says Symmetry Partners Associate Creative Director Michael Zuraw. “People often want to see their values and goals reflected in those they work with.”
One of the easiest ways to develop credibility is by identifying with your audience. How? By showing you recognize their values and goals, you understand their challenges—and you can solve them.
For example, if you’re focused on working with pre-retirees, create educational content, host webinars, and post case studies and blogs demonstrating strategies around income planning and debt management.
Your brand and messaging should focus on the specific clients you want to work with. Are you using words, images, or even colors they connect with? Are you showcasing your relevant knowledge and experience?
The takeaway: A credible brand is a trustworthy brand.
Credibility and authenticity work in tandem to connect with clients and create your brand identity. They also help differentiate you from others.
Personally relevant content positively influences 87% of consumers’ feelings about a brand—and 77% of people prefer brands that provide personalized experiences.[3]
Use authentic storytelling to share about your life experiences and what makes you special—successes, learnings about how you “failed forward,” why you do what you do, and community engagement.
Storytelling is also an effective tool to share about how you’ve helped clients. Consider case studies and testimonials.
“Speaking to the camera about current events and conveying important information to your audience is a great way to establish your expertise over time,” notes Symmetry Partners Video Producer & Editor Kevin Pallotti. “It also provides the potential to build trust with your clientele.”
The takeaway: Authenticity matters because it forms connections with your audience.
Your voice is a key differentiator that helps you showcase how you’re different from other Advisors. You can use it to:
Keep in mind, thousands of Advisors are vying for attention. They all claim to offer the best solution and services to meet clients’ needs. Your brand helps clients distinguish between you and the competition.
“There’s an expectation that Advisors will offer certain services. Your branding and marketing provide an opportunity to show that you meet and exceed what others offer,” explains Symmetry Partners Content Strategist Nan Price.
“You can’t just tell clients you’re different. They have to know why,” she emphasizes. “People focus on the how and why—those are your differentiators.”
The takeaway: Use your brand voice to showcase how and why you’re different from others.
With an understanding about consistency, credibility, authenticity, and differentiation, you’re better armed to focus on your messaging.
Need some guidance? Symmetry works with Advisors to help enhance their online branding and marketing and build a foundation for sustainable growth. Our team performs marketing diagnostics, audits, and evaluations so we can tailor specific strategies to meet your needs—whether you’re looking for overall digital marketing, website development, video production, or content creation.
Ready to get started? Contact us to find out how Symmetry can help.
Interested in learning more about how to market your RIA? Read Digital Marketing for RIAs: 7 Smart Strategies for Sustainable Growth.
For Financial Professionals Only. Symmetry Partners, LLC provides this communication on this site as a matter of general information. Information contained herein, including data or statistics quoted, is from sources believed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed or warranted. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may not be reflective of current opinions or positions. All content on this site is for educational purposes and should not be considered investment advice, recommendation or offer of any security for sale. Symmetry Partners does not provide tax or legal advice and nothing either stated or implied in this material should be inferred as providing such advice. Symmetry Partners does not approve or endorse any third-party communications on this site and will not be liable for any such posts.
Symmetry Partners is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm only transacts business in states where it is properly registered or excluded or exempt from registration requirements. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply any specific level of skill or training and does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the SEC. Please be advised it is the financial advisor’s responsibility to check with its own firm Compliance Department or OSJ for usage requirements related to marketing strategies.
[1] “55 Branding Statistics for 2024,” Renderforest, https://www.renderforest.com/blog/brand-statistics
[2] “Branding Statistics,” CapitalOne Shopping, April 28, 2025, https://capitaloneshopping.com/research/branding-statistics
[3] Storm, M., Amp Up Your Campaigns With Personalized Marketing [Infographic], WebFX, https://www.webfx.com/blog/marketing/amp-up-campaigns-personalized-marketing-infographic