Attorneys in solo practice and smaller law firms rely on building lasting relationships with the clients they serve. They aim to deliver exceptional service to their clients so that these individuals can recommend their practice to others in need of legal guidance when the time arises. However, word-of-mouth recommendations only go so far in boosting a law firm’s reputation, especially in today’s increasingly online landscape.
By now, most small- to mid-sized law firms recognize the importance of maintaining some sort of online presence, like an SEO-friendly website and occasional social media updates. Unfortunately, just because your law practice has an active website and responds to online client reviews as they come in, it does not automatically mean that people looking for legal representation in your area will come across your website or even be made aware of your presence. The effectiveness of a law firm content marketing strategy begins with a coherent, impactful, and consistent brand identity. Once you have taken the time to define your law firm’s values and goals, you can use this brand identity to build trust and grow your practice to serve more of the clients you are hoping to reach.
So, what does an impactful small law firm brand identity look like? It’s helpful to begin by asking you and your colleagues a series of questions and using the answers to define the qualities and experiences that are unique to your law firm. Let’s take a look at some of the essential questions to kickstart your efforts to create a cohesive and effective brand identity for your law firm so that you can cultivate client trust and set yourself apart from other law firms providing similar services in your area.
Who Are The Clients You Want to Serve?
Like any business that’s interested in serving clients, you first need to understand who your intended clients are and what they are looking for in an attorney. Take some time to think about some of the characteristics that many of your clients tend to have in common. For example, if you are an SSDI attorney, you may work with older individuals who typically come from working-class backgrounds. Or, if you are an estate planning law firm, you may want to work with younger families to help them understand the importance of safeguarding their loved ones and preparing for a bright and secure future. You may even find it helpful to create client “profiles” to better understand the primary concerns and goals of those you are hoping to serve. This information will be invaluable to you as you start to create a clear brand identity that resonates with your clients’ primary concerns, values, and goals.
What Problems or Challenges Do Your Clients Typically Have?
Generally speaking, the most effective digital marketing for law firm strategies are able to anticipate common client concerns and speak directly to these issues. For example, personal injury lawyers often work with clients who are facing long and challenging physical recoveries while struggling with financial concerns about missing work and a steady paycheck. When you understand and acknowledge these concerns, you can tailor your content marketing for attorneys strategy to address these topics head-on. When a potential client visits your website and sees that you understand their concerns and acknowledge the difficulties they face, they are more likely to enlist your services because they feel valued and heard.
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How Are Your Legal Services Different From Other Law Firms?
Smaller law firms are usually aware that potential clients may be inclined to seek out the services of a larger law firm, simply because these bigger firms have a more generous marketing budget and can advertise their services more vocally. However, just because you may not have an in-house marketing team does not mean that your smaller law firm cannot build public trust and engage with the people you are hoping to serve. You will just have to be a bit more intentional about identifying the qualities that set you apart from other law firms providing similar services, and then communicating these distinctions via your digital marketing for law firm strategy. In many cases, positioning a perceived disadvantage as a strength can work well, like using your firm’s small size to show that clients can expect more one-on-one legal guidance from their attorney (instead of working with administrative assistants, paralegals, and multiple legal staff that often come with larger law firms).
What Motivates You to Practice Law?
While this question may initially seem obvious, it’s important to think about your purpose as an attorney. What drew you to practice law in the first place? How did you choose to focus on the practice areas your firm offers? When a potential client is looking for an attorney, the decision may come down to the little details that set one lawyer apart from other law firms. Yes, clients want to know that the attorney they choose has the skills and experience necessary to help them resolve their issue. More than knowing that they have a competent legal professional by their side, most clients simply want to feel respected, valued, and heard by their attorney. As you approach your content marketing for law firms strategy, consider showcasing your values and goals so that prospective clients resonate with your genuine interest in their well-being.
How Law Firm Logo Design Can Boost Your Content Marketing Efforts
Once you have devoted some time to answering some of the questions explored above, you can revisit your current content marketing strategy to identify areas where you can communicate your goals and values more effectively. One of our digital marketing for law firms experts can also help you create a strong and impactful visual brand identity and logo that ties all of your efforts together and encourages potential clients to enlist your services.
At LegalRev, we believe that the most impactful and results-driven digital marketing strategies start with a coherent brand identity. If your law firm is looking to take your content marketing efforts to the next level, give us a call today at (800) 893-2590 to get started with a digital marketing strategist who specializes in helping smaller law firms reach more of the clients they are hoping to serve.
