Competition in the legal industry is getting fiercer by the day. Thanks to technology, law firms are now investing in digital marketing more than ever in a bid to win the attention of clients.
Only the elite outshine the crowd, and that’s where branding comes in. Orbelo defines branding as the process of creating a positive perception of a firm. Proper branding distinguishes a law firm from the rest.
Both starting and experienced lawyers have equal branding opportunities and the potential to get their piece of the pie. No matter where you are on your marketing journey, you will be able to build your brand and gain the competitive edge you need to excel.
This article debunks the top law firm brand myths and discusses how you can discover your own law brand. Read on.
Myth 1: You Can Refine Your Brand
You would think your brand depends exclusively on the image you want to portray as a firm, but there’s truly so much more that goes into it! The brand-building process takes time, as well as awareness of what your clients think about you.
Why? Well, your brand arguably depends more on your clients than on you! What your clients think about your services and your firm, is what determines your brand as a law firm and its place in the market. Building a positive reputation by continuously offering exemplary legal services and promoting your brand as such is what will make your brand shine all the brighter.
Myth 2: Your Business Assets Are Your Brand
As appealing as your company logo is, it won’t be the one thing that will influence your business brand. At least not on its own – the same applies to your other law firm assets. No matter how meticulously planned out and designed they are, what will ultimately give your brand the shine and polish you want and need is the added customer service package.
This is not to say the investments in your assets aren’t worth it – the more cohesive the individual elements of your brand are, the better! Just don’t forget to give the experience you offer your clients the same care and attention.
Myth 3: People Constantly Think Of Your Brand
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but, no, your brand is not constantly on your audience’s mind. Indeed, the average consumer tends to ignore marketing. To put this into perspective: When was the last time you thought about any specific brand for more than a few minutes at a time, except for when you are in the process of making a purchase?
With as much competition as there is in the legal industry, firms have to become increasingly inventive to make their brand shine through. In addition to the aesthetically pleasing aspects, the more social proof you have to offer, the better!
Though your audience may not be daydreaming about you, if all of the puzzle pieces are in place when they need legal assistance, there is a higher chance that your name will pop up when it matters the most.
How to Discover and Build Your Brand
Here are great strategies that you can apply to build your legal brand:
Talk to Your Clientele
The first step to knowing your brand as seen in the eyes of your potential clients is to get first-hand information from your current clients. They are the main players in the process of building your brand, and so, it’s imperative to understand what they think of you.
You can collect the information through surveys, questionnaires, or face-to-face communication. Some of the questions that you can ask them to include:
- Why did you choose to work with us and not our competitors?
- Is this the first time you are hiring a lawyer?
- Are you content with our services?
- Would you recommend our law firm to other people? If no/yes, why?
Get Everyone On Board
The more united you are as a firm, the more coherent and solid your brand will come across. This, in turn, also makes growing your brand a more fluid process.
In order to ensure this firm unity, reinforce the law firm’s culture. Make sure all internal communications are shared transparently, your values as a firm are clearly defined and followed, and keep tabs on how the firm’s clients are cared for by all partners.
Maintain Brand Consistency
The final step to put the brand of your law firm in place is to maintain consistency. Here are some sure-fire tips on how you can do so:
- Create an excellent website for your law firm
- Utilize social media for marketing
- Create an appealing logo for your law firm
- Create business cards and distribute them to your clients
- Tell your clients to give you feedback, and recommend your business to other people
- Pick an appealing color scheme for your law firm
- Invest in marketing and promotions
The key here is to make sure you’ve got your vision for your brand decided on, to then build upon it through various marketing strategies and other activities. If your brand is already built from the get-go, you will be less likely to make changes to it in the mid-term and possibly confuse your audience.
Conclusion
The world is rapidly changing, and this also applies to legal marketing. The law firms that are willing to change and maintain brand consistency will always be on the winning end. (You’re already ahead of the game for taking the time to read this guide!)
Do you need help with law firm branding? Feel free to reach out to us. Our team of digital marketing experts will assess your business needs and help you create the right strategies to grow your brand.
