Insurance Marketing
Brand-Building

• Lori Chordas
• August 2020
• 

Goal!

NATIONWIDE is teaming up with American professional soccer club Columbus Crew SC in a new multiyear sponsorship agreement that will make the Columbus, Ohio-based insurer the Official Columbus Crew SC Jersey Partner beginning next year.

This year, the Crew, a member of Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference, is partnering with Nationwide Children's Hospital and featuring a special Nationwide Children's jersey for competitions. Beginning in 2021, Crew SC kits will feature the iconic Nationwide logo, and Nationwide Children's Hospital will transition into a community partner role with the team.

Jim McCoy, vice president of sponsorships, meetings and events at Nationwide, said the company's partnership with the Crew is a “natural fit” and ties into its mission of “helping and taking care of businesses, individuals and communities in which we live and work.”

It does that by helping Nationwide meet its core objectives of building a national brand, driving business, creating partnerships and developing a strong philanthropic tie to the community, he said.

Tips for Building a Personal Brand

Personal branding allows individuals to not only promote themselves but to also distinguish themselves from others and build trust with prospective clients and employers. Following are some key steps to take to create a successful personal brand.

Learning. Someone once said something that's stuck with me for years: “If you're comfortable, you'll become stagnant.” To build competencies and experience, which ultimately contribute to building your personal brand, it's important to allow yourself to be uncomfortable and test new things. Always look for something you learned from an experience in order to grow.

Networking. Now more than ever, we are being challenged to adapt to new ways of thinking and doing. However, we can't do it alone. Each person adds value as we aspire to a greater good, and that's the purpose behind networking, education, technology and agency management system user groups. When building a personal brand, it's not about one person trying to lead the charge. Instead, it's about getting people together to share their experiences, solve problems and create winning solutions. If you're holding it all to yourself, no one wins.

Serving. Serving on committees and boards and teaching courses boosts professional development. It's like a shot of adrenaline. It's important to always look for new projects, to take on new ways to train your peers and to hopefully achieve the results you're looking for. People are a vital component of your personal brand-building effort.

Kate O’Toole is the operations project manager for Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc. and an incoming member of the board of Network of Vertafore Users (NetVU).

Lori Chordas is a senior associate editor. She can be reached at lori.chordas@ambest.com.