Beyond credentials: How to build a personal brand that makes clients choose you

By Cindy Schrauben

Great Gus Marketing

If a potential client had to choose between you and three other advisors with identical credentials, what would tip the scales?

Here’s the thing: your CFP, ChFC, or APMA designation isn’t going to be the deciding factor. Neither is your years of experience or your firm’s assets under management. Those credentials are a given because everyone in your market probably has them.

What sets you apart is something much more personal: your brand. Not your firm’s brand, but your brand. The unique combination of expertise, personality, and values makes clients think, “This is the advisor I want to work with.”

Trust isn’t just crucial in the financial services industry – it’s everything. And people don’t trust credentials on a website. They trust people. They trust advisors who feel authentic, relatable, and genuinely invested in their success.

In this post, you’ll discover practical steps to build a personal brand that attracts the right clients and helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace. We’ll cover everything from clarifying your brand foundation to measuring your success while staying compliant and true to who you are.

What is personal branding (and why it matters for financial professionals)

Let’s start with the basics. Personal branding isn’t about creating a fake persona or turning yourself into a social media influencer. It’s about intentionally communicating who you are, what you stand for, and how you help clients in a way that resonates with the people you want to work with.

Think of it this way: You already have a personal brand. Every interaction you have, every piece of content you share, every conversation at a networking event contributes to how people perceive you. The question is whether that brand is working for you or just happening to you.

Your personal brand differs from your firm’s corporate brand, though they should complement each other. Your firm’s brand might emphasize stability, comprehensive services, and institutional expertise. Your brand might highlight your approachable communication style, your passion for helping young families, or your unique background in engineering that allows you to connect with tech professionals.

Here’s why this matters in financial services: People hire people, not firms. Sure, your firm’s reputation and resources matter, but when it comes to making the final decision, clients choose the advisor they feel most comfortable with. They choose the advisor who seems to “get” them and their situation.

Consider this: A study by Edelman found that 64% of consumers cite shared values as the primary reason they have a relationship with a brand. This connection is even more critical in financial services, where decisions are deeply personal and often emotional.

Clarify your brand foundation

Before you can communicate your brand effectively, you need to get crystal clear on what it is. This isn’t about picking a color scheme or writing a catchy tagline (though those things come later). It’s about understanding the core elements that make you uniquely valuable to your ideal clients.

Start with your niche. I know the idea of narrowing your focus can feel scary, especially when you’re building a practice. But here’s the reality: Trying to be everything to everyone makes you invisible to the people who matter most. When you specialize, you become the obvious choice for your ideal clients instead of just another option.

Your niche might be life-stage-based (pre-retirees, young professionals, new parents), profession-based (doctors, teachers, small business owners), or situation-based (recent divorcees, sudden wealth recipients, military families). The key is choosing something specific enough that your ideal clients immediately think, “This advisor understands people like me.”

Next, identify your core values and messaging pillars. These principles guide how you work with clients and the key themes you want to be known for. Maybe you’re all about transparency and education, helping clients understand exactly where their money is going. Perhaps you’re passionate about sustainable investing or helping women gain financial confidence.

Your brand voice is equally important. Are you the straight-talking advisor who cuts through financial jargon? The compassionate guide who helps people navigate difficult transitions? The enthusiastic educator who makes complex concepts accessible? Your voice should feel natural to you while appealing to your target audience.

Here’s a practical exercise to help clarify your brand foundation: Imagine your ideal client overhearing you at a coffee shop, explaining what you do to a friend. What would you want them to remember about that conversation? What would make them think, “I need to talk to this person”? The answer to that question is your brand foundation.

Don’t forget to conduct a brand audit of your current online presence. Google yourself. Look at your LinkedIn profile, your firm’s website, and any other places you appear online. What impression would someone get about you from these touchpoints? Is it consistent? Does it reflect the brand you want to build?

Craft a Clear and Compelling Message

Now that you’ve nailed down your brand foundation, it’s time to put it into words that stick. Your elevator pitch shouldn’t sound like every other advisor’s generic spiel about “helping clients achieve their financial goals.” It should immediately communicate who you serve and how you’re different.

A strong elevator pitch follows a simple formula: “I help [specific audience] [achieve specific outcome] by [your unique approach].” For example: “I help tech professionals in their 30s build wealth without sacrificing their lifestyle by creating automated investment strategies that work around their demanding schedules.”

Ditch the industry jargon. Words like “holistic,” “comprehensive,” and “fiduciary” might be accurate, but they don’t create an emotional connection. Instead, focus on the outcomes your clients experience and the problems you solve. Talk about helping families sleep better at night, giving entrepreneurs the freedom to focus on their business, or helping couples stop fighting about money.

Storytelling is your secret weapon. Personal anecdotes make your message memorable and help potential clients see themselves in your stories. Maybe you share how your own financial mistakes led you to specialize in helping young professionals avoid debt traps. Or how watching your parents navigate retirement inspired your focus on pre-retiree planning.

Build your visual identity

Your brand isn’t just what you say – it’s also what people see. Professional photography is non-negotiable. Those grainy headshots from your company directory aren’t cutting it. Invest in quality photos that reflect your personality and brand voice. If you’re an approachable, down-to-earth advisor, you don’t need a stiff corporate headshot. Show some personality.

Consistency is key across all visual elements. Choose a color palette and stick with it. Pick fonts that reflect your brand voice – modern and clean for the tech-savvy advisor, classic and trustworthy for the traditional wealth manager. These elements should appear consistently across your website, LinkedIn profile, business cards, and all of your marketing materials.

Show up consistently (across all platforms)

Your website should feel like a natural extension of who you are. Does your About page tell your story in your voice, or does it read like a generic bio template? Do your service descriptions reflect your unique approach, or could they apply to any advisor in town?

LinkedIn is where most of your professional relationships live, so make it count. Your headline should do more than list your job title—it should communicate your value proposition. Instead of “Financial Advisor at XYZ Firm,” try “Helping tech professionals build wealth without the complexity | Fee-only financial planning.”

Your About section is prime real estate for storytelling. Use it to share your journey, your values, and what drives you to do this work. And please, write in first person. “I believe” sounds much more personal than “John believes.”

Social media and email communication should all feel like they’re coming from the same person. That doesn’t mean every post needs to be perfectly polished, but your voice and values should be consistent whether someone reads your LinkedIn article or monthly newsletter.

Be visible, not just present

There’s a difference between having online profiles and actively building your brand. Visibility requires showing up regularly with valuable content that reinforces who you are and what you stand for.

Share content that aligns with your brand and serves your audience. If you’re the advisor who makes complex topics simple, create posts that break down confusing financial concepts. If you’re passionate about helping women gain financial confidence, share stories and tips that speak directly to that audience.

Don’t just focus on financial topics. Share insights about your industry, community involvement, or lessons learned from working with clients (while respecting confidentiality). Behind-the-scenes content helps people connect with you as a person, not just a professional.

Consider thought leadership opportunities beyond social media. Write articles for industry publications, speak at local events, or be a podcast guest. These activities position you as an expert while expanding your reach to new audiences.

Remember: Consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. It’s better to post thoughtfully once a week than to post randomly whenever you remember.

Leverage social proof and client success stories

Nothing builds credibility like satisfied clients singing your praises, but you must handle this carefully in financial services. Work with your compliance department to understand what you can and cannot share about client experiences.

Client testimonials should focus on the experience of working with you rather than specific financial outcomes. A testimonial like “Sarah made the complex process of retirement planning feel manageable and even enjoyable” is both compliant and compelling.

Case studies can showcase your expertise while maintaining client confidentiality. Instead of “Here’s how I helped the Johnsons,” try “Here’s how I typically help couples navigate the financial intricacies of starting a family.” You’re demonstrating your process and expertise without compromising anyone’s privacy.

Extend your brand beyond digital

Your personal brand isn’t just about your online presence. It extends to every professional interaction you have. Networking events, community involvement, and speaking opportunities are all chances to reinforce your brand in person.

When you attend industry conferences or local business events, people should leave those interactions with a clear sense of who you are and what makes you different. Your business card, elevator pitch, and follow-up should all feel consistent with your online brand.

Community involvement can be a powerful brand differentiator, especially if it aligns with your values or target market. Volunteering with organizations that serve your ideal clients, speaking at local schools about financial literacy, or participating in community boards all reinforce your brand while building meaningful connections.

Navigate compliance while building your brand

Let’s address the elephant in the room: compliance. Building a personal brand in financial services means navigating a complex web of regulations, but it’s absolutely possible with the right approach.

Start by having an honest conversation with your compliance department about your branding goals. They’re not trying to stifle your personality. Compliance is trying to keep you and your firm out of trouble. Work together to understand what personal information you can share, what language to avoid, and how to promote yourself without making inappropriate claims.

Generally speaking, you can share your background, approach to working with clients, and areas of expertise. You typically cannot make performance claims, guarantee outcomes, or share specific client information without proper disclosures and permissions.

Stay current with regulatory requirements by regularly reviewing compliance updates and attending industry training. When in doubt, ask. Getting approval upfront is much easier than fixing compliance issues after the fact.

Measure your personal branding success

How do you know if your personal branding efforts are working? Track metrics that matter to your business goals.

On LinkedIn, pay attention to profile views, connection requests from your target audience, and engagement on your posts. Website analytics can show whether people find you through branded searches (searching specifically for your name) versus generic terms.

Most importantly, track business results. Are you getting more referrals? Are prospects mentioning specific content you’ve shared? Are people reaching out because they feel like they already know you from your online presence?

Client acquisition attribution can be tricky but ask new clients how they found you and what convinced them to reach out. You might be surprised how often your personal brand influenced their decision.

Schedule regular brand audits – quarterly or twice a year – to evaluate whether your online presence still aligns with your goals and accurately represents who you are.

Common branding mistakes to avoid

Even well-intentioned advisors make predictable branding mistakes. Here are the big ones to avoid:

Don’t try to appeal to everyone. “I help anyone who needs financial advice” isn’t a brand – it’s a lack of focus. The more specific you are about who you serve, the more attractive you become to those people.

Stop copying your competitors. Yes, look at what successful advisors in your market are doing, but use that research to identify gaps and opportunities, not to mimic their approach. Your brand should highlight what makes you different, not what makes you the same.

Inconsistency kills credibility. People notice if your LinkedIn says you’re the approachable, jeans-wearing advisor, but your website photos show you in a stuffy suit. Every touchpoint should reinforce the same brand message.

Don’t ignore compliance requirements. Building a brand that violates industry regulations isn’t just risky; it’s counterproductive. Work within the rules to create something authentic and sustainable.

Finally, don’t create a brand that isn’t really you. If you’re naturally reserved, don’t try to act like a high-energy social media personality. Authenticity beats perfection every time.

Your brand is an asset

Personal branding isn’t a marketing tactic – it’s a business asset that compounds over time. Every piece of content you create, every relationship you build, and every consistent interaction adds to your brand equity.

Building your brand is an ongoing process, not a one-time project. Your brand will evolve as you grow in your career and as your market changes. The key is being intentional about that evolution rather than letting it happen by default.

You already have a personal brand. The question is whether it’s working for you or against you. By clarifying your foundation, communicating consistently, and showing up authentically, you can build a brand that attracts the right clients and sets you apart in a crowded market.

Start with one area from this post and focus on improving it over the next month. Take action, whether that’s updating your LinkedIn profile, scheduling professional photos, or simply getting clearer on your niche. Your future clients are looking for an advisor who stands out. Make sure they can find you.

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Want marketing that actually speaks to your ideal clients? I help financial professionals cut through the noise with messaging that works. Book your free 10-minute strategy call and let’s get started.

Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Great Gus Marketing specializes in copywriting, content writing, and marketing strategy.