Law firm branding can make or break your client acquisition funnel in the long term. Regardless of how capable you and your associates are, if there is no brand trust, it will be a struggle to acquire consistent, desirable clientele.
With that in mind, here are four different strategies to implement to create a strong law firm brand.
1) Understand Branding vs. Marketing
While these are closely related and affect each other, the subtle differences between the two require separate planning. Branding is who your firm is; how you compose your outward image. Marketing is the way in which you present all elements of your firm to customers (including your brand) in order to acquire clients.
Branding can be tied to core principles and values, mission statements, your niche, or your company culture. Law Tigers has made a name for its brand by providing the most reputable service for motorcycle accident representation nationwide. When your firm can back its upstanding ethos with the requisite skill and knowledge to lead your field, it is a powerful combination.
2) Logo vs. Brand
This is another component of a business that could easily be mixed up — the difference between your logo and its representation and your brand as a whole.
When you have a logo or logo set, the goal is to help customers identify or recall your firm immediately. Law Tigers has chosen to integrate the open road as well as our main brand ethos in the firm’s most prevalent logo. While this is not always necessary, we believe it is important to create a logical connection between logo and brand, especially for niche law firms such as motorcycle personal injury.
With that in mind, your logo is nothing without the true strength of the brand behind it. Your reputation, culture, and company values will influence the feelings consumers have towards your logo long term. Aesthetics are still extremely important though, so be sure to be selective with your art.
3) Demonstrate the Importance of a Strong Brand
We have repeatedly referenced the need for a strong brand and the behavior backing it, but what does that really mean? Here are some attributes that we believe demonstrate brand strength:
- Consistency in product and customer service: If your clients are told to expect one thing and experience another, eventually your brand will be weakened through experience and reviews. Conversely, if you deliver on your promises with timely excellence, word will spread quickly.
- Long-term positioning: New companies typically generate buzz in whatever space they occupy. Capitalizing on this attention by demonstrating a forward-looking prospectus is a great way to establish your brand quickly. For Law Tigers, this has included being a resource for both motorcycle riders as well as other motorcycle accident law firms. For your agency, you should look to work on the cutting edge of whatever niche you practice in.
- Establish a clear target market: As we discuss operating in a defined niche, it is imperative that you convey your target market to your clientele. Broad marketing can cast a wider net, but it can be inefficient. This is especially true if you do not have a large team behind your marketing efforts, which is typically the case for law firms.
- Prioritize brand awareness within your marketing plan: Educating your team about your marketing plan and brand segmenting will provide great intrinsic value. Your best tools of representation are your associates themselves, and if they are aware of how to properly convey your marketing goals, they will be even stronger.
4) Clearly Identify and Create your Brand Identity
The intrinsic tie between marketing and branding allows you to choose how you will show off your brand once it is established. We always recommend you take great intention in developing your brand; otherwise, it will be subject to the whim of consumers and competitors around you.
At Law Tigers, we have gone out of our way to incorporate the following recommended strategies for creating a strong brand:
- Show, don’t tell: Instead of listing attributes about your company in marketing content, tell stories about how your firm’s strengths have changed lives. When your consumers make the connection themselves, it will be a stronger ‘ah hah!’ moment as they choose your brand.
- Hire Professionals: Often, an in-house marketing team is difficult to maintain for a law firm. Because services remain consistent, marketing initiatives can easily become stagnant and stale. However, the need for consistent brand awareness and collateral to reflect it will be there. Working with a professional marketing team can help you stay competitive and relevant in a cost-effective way.
- Know your personas: Once you have established a brand, it is important not to deviate from it. This will create consistency and deliver on expectations. Customers want to know what they are getting out of your services, and how it will be delivered.
This means you should be willing to share your goals with customers and include them in your successes. Define what your company’s personas are through content, team member profiles, and mission statements. Make these items clear to your target audience for a more reputable brand.
- Create a style guide: This aligns with the consistency element, as well. Your logo, content, and visual media should have a feel or identity that is replicable from piece to piece. This is also why hiring trusted professionals is important — you can create a rapport that will allow your team to be on the same page as your marketing elements from the beginning.
Enrich Your Opportunities with Law Tigers
While you can’t always predict the future of your business and its development, you can help guide its growth via a strong brand. At Law Tigers, we made it a point to establish ourselves as motorcycle accident injury specialists, as well as trusted legal marketing consultants. It is no accident that we are among the leaders in both of our niches today.
With this in mind, we would like to help your firm develop its marketing and branding strategies. With multiple decades of providing service that matches our brand, we understand what it takes to thrive in this market. If you are looking to enrich your firm’s opportunities today, reach out to start a conversation today.
