OVERVIEW:INTRODUCTION & WIIFM

Every customer-facing employee needs a personal branding message that communicates how HSBC serves our customer’s needs.

Helping our customers with more complex planning requires a much deeper understanding of their evolving needs. This opens the door for us to get to know our customers personally and build relationships with them.

Your personal branding message sets the stage for developing these excellent customer relationships.

As you know, we use EDRAS to communicate and demonstrate our sales process and model for placing the customer at the centre of everything we do. Communicating your personal brand often falls within the first stage of EDRAS: ENGAGE.

The desired customer outcome from creating awareness in ENGAGE is: “HSBC can help me with my financial needs.” To accomplish this

you must be able to deliver a personal branding message that aligns with the customer’s individual needs. The branding message is a series of authentic, flexible points that you can use in part or together. As you work to perfect your message, keep in mind that the words you use are a starting point. Each customer is unique and each situation is unique; thus you will vary your personal branding message slightly for each situation.

EDRAS:ENGAGE

WHAT’S INA BRAND?

Brand identity is a mental or emotional association in the consumer’s mind. It is initiated by the images used in advertising and the by words used to describe a product or service. Marketers and advertisers know that by repeating these images and messages, the consumer remembers these associations. Thus, a brand is born.

For the Premium Banker this phenomenon creates both a risk and an opportunity. The risk is that if the message is not managed properly, people

may form an incorrect perception of you. This could result in limited or even lost opportunities. But for Premium Bankers who carefully plan and proactively manage their branding messages, they can create a brand image for themselves that will help them create more opportunities for new business. Setting the proper expectations of our comprehensive approach (via the branding message) and then delivering on that message will help to establish trust with our customers.

COMMUNICATING YOUR MESSAGE

When choosing the words you use, think about how they will be received by the customer. How much of what you’re saying is about you (I) and how much is about the customer (YOU)?

For example contrast “What I’d like to do today...” with:

“WHAT I’D LIKE TO ACHIEVE FOR YOU TODAY...”

Is your Branding Message full of benefits for the customer or does it leave the him or her thinking “What’s In It For Me?” (WIIFM)?

7%38%55%

As you construct and practise your branding message, bear in mind that only 7% of the way it is received comes from the words you use, 38% comes from your tone and 55% from your body language.

Communication is:

WHAT YOU SAY

HOW YOU SAY IT

YOUR BODY LANGUAGE

As you practise your branding message your tone of voice and body language will improve and the message will come across as being authentic and from the heart.

4 POINTBRANDINGMESSAGE

An effective personal branding message has four main elements. These elements answer some basic questions about you, your firm and what differentiates you.

Build your branding message as points. Each point is designed to generate interest and engage your audience. Breaking your message into points allows you to use all or parts of the message, depending on the circumstances. Your final branding message will be made up of phrases and terms that are rooted in HSBC’s values and will help differentiate you from the competition.

DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO EXPLAIN HOW YOU DO IT

EXPLAIN WHAT RESOURCES HSBC HAS

EXPLAIN WHY THE CUSTOMER SHOULD DO THIS WITH YOU

DESCRIBEWHAT YOU DO

The first point really answers the question “What do you do?” Some might call this an elevator speech. Be sure to include your name if the customer is not familiar with you. This first point is a short message that captures the essence of what you do for your customers.

Many customers have an incorrect perception of what HSBC can do for them. They may not understand the full breath of our capabilities.

I’m a Premium Banker and I can help you with your finances and share information about products and services.”“

EXPLAINHOWYOU DO IT

The second point answers the question “Briefly explain how you do it?” At this point, you are describing at a very high level, how you will help your customer. It is important that you do not mention specific products or product types just yet. The goal is to build trust and show the customer that HSBC can help them over the long term.

”

Typically, I’ll have a conversation with you to discuss your enquiries and transactions. If you have the time, I’d like to conduct an Individual Review.

“

EXPLAIN WHAT RESOURCES HSBC HAS

The third point is to answer the question “What are the resources of HSBC?” Here you can reference HSBC’s resources and our commitment to serving our customer’s financial needs. It is critical that you appropriately position HSBC’s capabilities to provide investment and insurance solutions.

When you discuss this third point, you can speak of our global resources, core values and the size and scope of HSBC. What you are really doing here is sharing some of the important credentials of HSBC. Aim to have three examples of the resources ready an available to share in your branding message.

In order to help you, I have access to the full range of HSBC products and knowledge about them, so I can share those tailored to your individual circumstance. I also have colleagues here to help support in specialist roles about certain financial topics. ”

“

EXPLAIN WHY THE CUSTOMER SHOULD DO THIS WITH YOU

In the fourth point, answer the question “Why should the customer agree to continue the conversation with you?” by providing some specific examples of your commitment to delivering outstanding customer experiences.

Additionally, personalise your message with some specific things about you. One of the best ways to determine what you should say here is to reflect on the things you have heard from customers.

Think back on the times when your customers have complimented you or thanked you for the way you worked with them. Those comments are evidence of how you add value and can be a very powerful addition to your branding message.

“Customers usually find this very beneficial. I can help you ensure you get the most out of your bank and identify your needs and where we can help you both now and in the future.”

“My team members and I are committed to helping each individual customer accomplish their goals. We build plans around our customers—not just around their account balances.”