Welcome to the latest in our series of 2023 Law Firm Branding Checklist blogposts, designed to help solo and small firms start the year on a winning note.
In prior installments, we learned about the Haiku of What You Do, the Two Cs of Branding, and the importance of doing a Branding Self-Assessment.
Now it’s time to consider what motivates clients to choose one lawyer over another. And the answer is simple: feelings.
Up to 95 percent of the decisions consumers make are based on feelings, not facts. That’s why neuroscientist Antonio Damasio says humans are “feeling machines that think” not “thinking machines that feel.”
“People hire lawyers, not law firms,” says Lawmatics. “In other words, they hire people. Even in the digital age, legal services consumers hire people they know, like, and trust, or get referrals from people they know, like, and trust. Oftentimes, trust goes beyond competency. In many instances, trust has more to do with a feeling of being treated well.”
Your branding should focus on providing a positive emotional experience for current and future clients.
“Exceptional branding provides a sense of comfort, acceptance, yet inspiration to keep your clients coming back for more,” according to Shopify
Now more than ever, solo and small law firms need a distinctive and unique brand. Otherwise, they risk being swept away by the stormy seas of stiff competition, economic uncertainty and market disruption. Alta Pro is here to help. We created the 2023 Law Firm Branding Checklist to guide lawyers in solo and small firms through the step-by-step process of building a winning brand. The checklist and accompanying blogposts cover everything from choosing the right brand to marketing your brand effectively. Discover other ways Alta Pro Lawyers Risk Purchasing Group (RPG) can keep your practice safe and successful.
Position Your Brand
Your marketing goal is to get in front of likely prospects. Your branding goal is to push the emotional buttons of those prospects so that they will hire you.
Here are some ways to do that:
- Have a robust, interactive firm website
- Use chatbots for instant scheduling
- Start a blog with useful client information
- Send email newsletters
- Update your website’s FAQ page
- Send clients birthday greetings, holiday cards and “just checking in” notes
- Compile a list of your 10 best referral sources and reach out to them regularly
- Sponsor a local event
- Be active and visible in your community
- Post informational videos on your website
- Advertise on websites that serve your geographic area and which your top prospects visit
- Claim your Google My Business profile
- Add images, graphics and videos to your Google My Business profile
- List your firm on other referral sites like AVVO, Martindale-Hubbell and Lawyers.com
- Have a robust LinkedIn profile
- Make it easy for clients to contact you
- Be sure that your social media profiles and pages are consistent with your brand
Branding Tip: Solicit and publish positive client reviews. Nothing inspires trust and goodwill in a prospect than hearing other clients sing your praises.
Sources: Law Firm Branding: How to Build and Nurture Your Brand | Clio
CLICK HERE FOR 2023 LAW FIRM BRANDING CHECKLIST, PART 5: Activate Your Brand.
Do you practice in Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana or Michigan? Is your professional liability coverage managed through Alta Pro? If so, you’re automatically a member of the Alta Pro Risk Purchasing Group (RPG), which offers a wealth of benefits for your practice: free, cutting-edge CLE webinars featuring top experts tackling timely topics; the Pro Practice Playbook; the Pro Practice Blog; Reminger’s ProLink risk management assistance; Reminger’s Claim Repair Hotline; discounts on CLIO practice management software; tax savings on health insurance; and access to the Risk Pro, who can help keep your firm safe and successful. Register here and start enjoying your Alta Pro RPG benefits
