Putting a Face on the Firm: The Real Key to Brand Visibility

A common refrain from marketing leaders at consulting and services firms is that if you removed the names from their website and those of their competitors, you’d struggle to tell them apart. The people who make this observation aren’t wrong – even the largest consulting firms (and, admittedly, most PR firms, too) face this issue. But while a distinctive website is valuable, it’s not the most crucial factor in building brand visibility and authority.

Websites are a critical part of the marketing mix, but they can only do so much to move prospective clients from awareness to action. The real challenge for many consulting firms isn’t just differentiation in the traditional marketing sense—it’s about trust.

From our work with consulting firms of all sizes and stripes, we’ve seen that the most impactful differentiation comes not from positioning language, marketing copy, etc., but from putting a face on the company. Ultimately, what’s more valuable: differentiating copy or earning someone’s trust?

By focusing on leader and partner visibility, consulting firms can stand out. When the market knows who runs the firm and who handles the strategic work, it becomes clear why the firm is not just perhaps different, but trusted and capable.

Yet, many firms continue to prioritize content over people. While content is important, we question how many large deals are closed based on content marketing or web copy. As the author of this piece, I haven’t personally purchased a large consulting engagement, but I know I’d care more about who I’d be working with and why I should trust them than the copy on their website.

Consulting and services firms should consider whether they’re truly putting a face on their firm and building a bench of visible, trusted experts. To read more about partner visibility strategies, check out this companion piece.