{"id":70188,"date":"2016-02-23T15:40:56","date_gmt":"2016-02-23T15:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/insight\/why-financial-firms-need-to-find-their-voice\/"},"modified":"2016-02-23T15:40:56","modified_gmt":"2016-02-23T15:40:56","slug":"why-financial-firms-need-to-find-their-voice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/why-financial-firms-need-to-find-their-voice\/","title":{"rendered":"Why financial firms need to find their voice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why financial firms need to find their voice
\n\"20160223192331-Finance-image\"
\n\u2018Never let a good crisis go to waste\u2019
\nSo said Winston Churchill, and he has a point. While the financial crisis may be old news, the lessons learned aren\u2019t. Indeed, the legacy of a global financial meltdown is clear: we remain in an era of financial re-regulation, with banks bound by the Third Basel Accord, consumers subject to stringent mortgage requirements and compliance embedded at the heart of organisations. But another consequence is far more subtle: financial organisations have changed the way they speak.
\nfinancial firms need to find their true voice
\nOpacity is out, transparency is in and those who lurk in between do so at the expense of consumer loyalty. Post-financial crisis, relationships needed rebuilding and reputations needed salvaging. One of the biggest complaints among defaulting homeowners during this time was of flawed communications from lenders. The importance of clarity and disclosure, both in verbal and written communications, is clear. And it\u2019s also now expected \u2013 across the board.
\nWhether in wealth management, retail banking, insurance or institutional investing \u2013 clients have far less tolerance for communications filled with esoteric financial terms and legalese. Financial communications should create a bridge between the industry\u2019s vernacular and the reader\u2019s understanding; otherwise these communications are at-best arduous and at-worst impenetrable. An external middleman is often best placed to translate, which is where communications experts like Stratton Craig can help.
\nBalancing compliance, clarity and engagement
\nIn-house financial communications teams have a challenging job; they need to strike a balance between creating engaging collateral and adhering to the red pen of compliance. As compliance\u2019s role is to implement internal policies that meet mandated laws and regulations, it\u2019s understandable this language can at times be dense. However, it\u2019s critical that communications don\u2019t read like a series of contractual clauses; there\u2019s nothing more frustrating than being unable to understand what someone is saying.
\nFor more than two decades, we\u2019ve been working with retail banks, asset managers and investment platforms to ensure their written communications \u2013 whether online or on paper \u2013 are consistently clear and accessible. And we\u2019ve developed a few simple rules to help, which you\u2019ll find below.
\nRules for clear writing
\nNo sentence should be more than 40 words (at most) and preferably closer to 20
\nSwap colons for full-stops
\nUse dashes over semi-colons
\nAlways, always avoid passive constructions
\nWhen it doubt, break it up: if you have to take a breath when reading a sentence out loud, it\u2019s too long
\nWhen it comes to achieving a relatable tone, contractions are friendlier
\nAnd don\u2019t talk about yourself (it\u2019s rude) \u2013 consider your clients\u2019 perspective so every point is relevant to them
\nAnd in case you\u2019re in any doubt, exclamation marks scare people!
\nOne crucial thing to remember is that consistency is key. No matter how engaging your communications are, if you bury important detail in an incomprehensible footnote, it undermines everything you\u2019ve achieved: dense and opaque small-print in an otherwise transparent communication creates suspicion. Which is where we can help \u2013 translating financial and legal jargon into easy-to-understand language.
\nAs our clients frequently tell us, having a fresh pair of eyes to help them communicate their key messages with clarity is invaluable.
\nShaping your identity through your communications
\nWhile some financial institutions were previously considered large and anonymous, in recent years, progressive organisations have realised the need to carve out an individual identity. Clients aren\u2019t just buying into financial rates, they\u2019re buying into a brand they trust whose values they connect with. So it\u2019s vital to define your client proposition and communicate it clearly.
\nWe\u2019ve worked with organisations such as Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank to assess the correlation between their reputation, brand values and aspirations. In each case, we\u2019ve developed a tone of voice and supporting communications to suit the business\u2019s objectives. People want to be spoken to clearly and relatably. It takes consideration and experience to strike the right tone \u2013 one that is neither distant nor patronising. However, when done successfully, the level of trust this creates cannot be underestimated.
\nTailoring your communications to emerging technologies
\nWith the rise of social media, digital platforms have transformed the way people voice their opinions. All it takes is a Twitter account to speak directly to an organisation \u2013 very publicly and indelibly. As a result, companies have had to adopt a new tone to manage what is both a challenge and an opportunity. For example, with just 140 characters per tweet, concision is key and some well-placed humour can go a long way to improve customer relations.
\nIn addition to social media, mobile communications are also becoming an integral part of finance. With the rise of fintech, clients are increasingly using apps to access their accounts. Indeed, mobile-only banking is growing steadily in the UK while, around the world, some communication technology firms are expanding into financial app-based offerings. If this is the future of retail finance, companies who intend to remain competitive and embrace these opportunities will need to embed a progressive tone into their communications, matching language to medium.
\nAt Stratton Craig we are language experts, with a specialist focus on financial services. We\u2019ve worked with clients ranging from British retail banks to international investment firms and Islamic finance organisations. Our expertise and experience means we can help you develop communications that truly resonate with your brand, client-base and communications platforms. Get in touch on +44 (0)20 7842 8240 to find out more.
\nDownload why financial firms need to find their voice by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why financial firms need to find their voice \u2018Never let a good crisis go to waste\u2019 So said Winston Churchill, and he has a point. While the financial crisis may be old news, the lessons learned aren\u2019t. 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