While the situation has improved over the last 10–15 years, there are still lawyers and law firms who fail to recognise the importance of marketing for a law firm and how, when done well, the difference it can make to a business. Often overlooked, though, is a critical part of a marketing plan: law firm branding.
Although you may understand the theory behind branding, most firms do a relatively poor job at including it as a key element of their law firm marketing plan — and the reason for this is clear. Law firms are comprised of lawyers, not marketers, and understandably the main focus is on providing legal solutions to clients and not implementing what is often perceived as confusing and time-consuming strategies.
Why Is Law Firm Branding So Important?
Branding is critical for the success of any company, with the legal profession being no different. And guess what? The same basic rules apply.
Your brand is vital because it sets the tone for your client’s initial reaction, and as we know, first impressions can make or break you. When developing your brand, consider factors like your niche, mission statement and beliefs you stand for, like trust and authenticity.
Acknowledging these factors is crucial in marketing for law firms, and in a profession where trust and authenticity are front and centre, getting your branding right is a must.
Have You Nailed Down Your Message?
Ensuring you portray a message that aligns with your law firm is of utmost importance, and luckily creating the message is simpler than you think.
First and foremost, the type of law firm you are in will dictate the style and tone of your message. For example, if you specialise in family law dealing with divorce and child custody issues, your message needs to be one of compassion and kindness.
On the other hand, if you’re a business law firm, you need to convey a message of trust, experience, and professionalism; A firm that gets the job done.
Your law firms brand values need to be at the core of your entire messaging. Every successful law firm has found a way to communicate the intangible value of its service to clients, which translates into a brand-customer emotional connection that translates into brand loyalty.
Value Proposition
Value proposition or, in other industries, ‘Unique Selling Points’ are points that set you apart from other firms in the same niche. It’s worth strategising with a branding expert and identifying your value proposition to give you the best chance to attract and retain clients.
Remember to address critical factors like how your clients benefit, your services, and what differentiates you from other law firms in the same niche.
Basically, it’s your chance to say, ‘here’s why we’re better than the rest.’
Your Logo Is Only The Start
Whether it’s the adage ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ or ‘looks aren’t everything’, your law firm logo is important, but it’s not the be-all and end-all.
Factors we’ve discussed, like the importance of your value proposition and ensuring your message is on point, far outweigh the long-term benefits of a cool looking logo. It is important to remember that your brand embodies every part of the client journey, ask yourself:
- How does my website present? Is it professional, dated or sloppy? Does it resonate with my brand values?
- Is the phone answered promptly and professionally?
- Do staff resonate the firms brand values?
- Does my firm look tired and unorganised, or professional?
Consider assessing your brand end to end to make sure your client is experiencing exactly what you want them to experience when having a connection with your firm.
Are Design And Colours Really So Important?
We’re certain most lawyers and law firms understand that different colours have distinctive psychological effects on people, so choosing the correct colour is critical.
Much like messaging, the type of law firm you are in plays a critical role in determining your logo colour. As a rule of thumb, law firm marketing strategies should steer clear of vibrant colours as they express feelings of stress and anxiety, and let’s face it, that’s the last thing any law firm wants.
For corporate law firms, neutral colours are widely accepted as portraying professionalism and conservatism; colours such as white, grey, black and beige are some examples.
Law Firm Brand Guidelines
Final Words
Law firm marketing can be tricky, and getting your branding on target is no easy feat, but with enough time and expert advice, you can create a brand and logo that’s in harmony with your philosophy as a law firm.
As our name suggests, the Lift Legal Marketing team of professionals are focused on providing strategic marketing solutions just for law firms. To discover how we can help you develop a branding solution that perfectly reflects your firm’s values, we invite you to book an appointment today, without obligation, or call Peter on 1300 881 811.
About the author
Peter Heazlewood
Peter Heazlewood is a management and marketing consultant, he specialises in helping law firms develop their practices using business planning marketing and performance reporting techniques refined in his own successful law firm. Peter lives in Sydney with his wife and is the father of five adult children.
