Brand reputation is a marketing discipline that is becoming an increasingly important element of a firm's overall brand strategy. Most broker firms have not focussed much attention on their branding although each has always placed great importance on their good reputation. The Web, however, is giving broker firms the means and the desire to develop and nurture both.

Typically 'branding' is promoted through mission statements, marketing campaigns and industry affiliations and so on. and can easily be verified and evaluated. Reputation, on the other hand, is influenced by a firm's day-to-day approach to customers and company philosophy and requires REAL and sustained actions.

The Web is allowing more broker firms to develop branding strategies that in their more conventional past they would not have considered.  Reputation remains key, of course, and continues to develop through all the usual channels, consistency of service and clear and regular communications offline as well as online.

The role and and appeal of commercial Websites are set to expand noticeably in the coming 12 months and firms or all sizes will need to plan and budget to meet audience expectation.