When a company wants to set itself apart from its competitors, it focuses on creating a strong and easily recognizable brand. As consumers start to see the brand and purchase its products or services, they begin to gravitate toward this brand and view it as trustworthy—provided they have a positive experience. Law firms that take the time to establish a recognizable brand tend to reap similar benefits, as potential clients in their community start to recognize a particular legal practice and reach out when a legal issue arises. Generally, the more familiar potential clients are with your legal practice or brand, the more likely they are to think of your firm when they need assistance. This post will explore some tips for building a solid and effective brand to grow your law practice.
Why Branding Matters for Law Firms
When someone has a question about a legal issue, they usually type keywords into Google or a similar search engine. Nearly all searchers click on links presented on the first page of the search results, which is why launching a paid advertising campaign to market your law firm can help to boost your website’s ranking. So, how do you set your law practice apart from other firms offering similar services in your area? Making sure your website is current and contains user-centered content is the best way to increase your law practice’s visibility, and targeted digital marketing strategies can boost public awareness of your firm. When a searcher scrolls through the search results, they will most likely click on your website first if they are already familiar with your brand.
How to Start Building Your Law Firm’s Brand
Many small to mid-sized law firms are unsure how to start building their brands. They may think that a brand is synonymous with a logo; however, branding encompasses much more than the visual layout of your website. Here are some steps you can take to start creating and defining your law firm’s brand.
Understand Your Target Audience
The first step to creating an effective and impactful brand is to identify and understand your ideal clients. What does the average client want from the experience? What qualities are they looking for in an attorney? What concerns do they have, and how can you anticipate their questions? You may want to look back at the clients you have served to look for any commonalities. For instance, do they tend to be a certain age? Do they generally come from similar economic backgrounds? Taking note of what motivates your clients will help you craft your brand to appeal to their needs.
Articulate Your Goals
If you are just creating a brand for the sake of it, your efforts may fall flat or fail to engage the steady stream of clients you’re hoping for. Instead, take some time to identify why you are defining your law firm’s brand—is it to appear more polished and professional? To set your legal services apart from similar law firms in your area? Also, set a goal that you can track and measure. For instance, you may want to serve more clients in a particular practice area. Having this goal in mind can help you create a brand that appeals to potential clients looking for legal assistance in this field, and you can use online tools to track how many incoming client calls occur once the brand is in place.
Showcase Your Firm’s Values
The legal landscape is full of firms offering their services. With so many choices, what factors do clients use to decide which firm to contact? Law firms that work hard to show the humans behind the professional services tend to resonate more authentically with clients. Spending some time crafting a compelling and engaging “About” page can do wonders for your brand, as site visitors overwhelmingly appreciate knowing the people they will be entrusting their legal matters with. Distinguish your law practice from all the others by showing what motivates you to serve clients—reassuring potential clients that you genuinely care about their best interests cultivates and inspires public trust in your ability to deliver what you promise.
Commit to Excellence at Every Level
It’s essential to recognize that effective branding does not stop at landing a new client. In fact, once someone starts working with you, the journey is just beginning. Now that you’ve engaged a new client, it’s up to you to live out your brand and deliver the services you promised. Once you have helped the client resolve their legal matter, consider asking them to write a review to boost your ratings and reputation. Positive client testimonials not only show search engine algorithms that your firm is trustworthy and deserves a high ranking, but they also serve as personal endorsements to other potential clients. Soon, your brand will grow to become more recognizeable, trustworthy, and synonymous with excellent client service.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to maximize your law firm’s digital marketing efforts, call LegalRev today at (800) 893-2590.
