It’s that time of the year when bright lights of whimsical joy shine on the cheesy music, OTT outfits and rogue song choices of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Although no matter how entertaining your churning milkmaids are, it’s rarely (if ever) the best song that wins but rather voting based on the political unions and European friendships.
Not good news for the UK.
Not all is fair in love, war, Eurovision or financial services.
Having a good offering will only get you to the stage. It’s relationships, reputation and trust that will hold you from the jaws of ‘nul points’.
How often does your favourite song actually win Eurovision? How often do you see a competitor under the sparkling lights of The Intermediary news bulletins or on the lips of consumers’ recommendations and Trustpilot reviews and wonder how you get there?
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
In Eurovision, the technically strongest performance doesn’t always win. A catchy tune is amplified to success by familiarity, relationships, reputation and long-standing affinity before the final performance even begins.
Connection matters. Familiarity matters. Narrative matters.
Avoiding ‘nul points’
In mortgage and finance, businesses often focus entirely on product, pricing or speed, underestimating how much trust and recognition influence decision-making.
Connections get you to the stage and turn the spotlight on for you. The right relationships with journalists, industry figures and introducers help put your business in the rooms, conversations and publications that matter to you.
Familiarity builds trust over time. Think of that song on the radio that goes into your psyche and gets stuck in your head for weeks. Consistently appearing in respected publications, industry conversations and trusted spaces means your name and what you stand for is already recognised before someone needs your services.
Narrative shapes perception. The businesses that stand out are the ones communicating in a way that makes people think, “yes, that’s exactly the challenge I’m facing”, like the lyrics to your favourite song.
Become a Spaceman
Whether you’re a flame-drenched Eurovision star or a broker conducting a mortgage market harmony, attention is finite and markets are crowded and cautious.
If you’ve built a strong business and you’re ready to grow, the right relationships and reputation will make your expertise impossible to ignore. You’ll already be front of mind as a trusted authority and the obvious choice to win your customers’ vote.
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bClear Communications is a specialist PR agency with 20 years of experience helping mortgage and financial services businesses to reach their goals, raise their profile and protect their reputation.
Read our next blog on: 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer: what FS needs to know

