As a law firm, you might think that branding isn’t very important. Of course, people choose to work with your firm based on your reputation, experience and expertise, right? Although these elements are very important for generating new work for your law firm, branding is also important. First impressions count, after all!
Your ‘brand’ doesn’t just encompass your logo or the colours of your website; it includes a range of elements that together create an identity and perception of your firm.
But what does a law firm brand actually entail, why is it important, and how can your law firm’s website and digital marketing play a role in showcasing it to potential clients?
Why is your law firm branding important?
There are several reasons why your law firm’s brand is important, and I’m sure you understand some of these already. A strong brand can help your law firm communicate credibility and establish trust with your clients. It can help to show your firm professionalism, expertise, success and reliability, which are all key factors when choosing a law firm to work with.
A well-established law firm brand will likely attract new clients in a changing landscape. Whether your law firm wants to embrace it or not, technology will be an integral part of your strategy if you want to grow your firm. By creating and developing your brand and using this across the board, you can again increase clients' trust in your firm.
A strong, recognisable brand can also help your law firm stand out. If someone has seen your branding at an event and then comes across your website or social media platforms, they are more likely to remember you if your branding differentiated you from your competition.
What makes up your law firm brand?
As mentioned above, your law firm brand encompasses a wide range of elements that create a cohesive identity and perception of the firm. It doesn’t just relate to the colours you choose for your firm. However, your law firm’s visual identity is something that you need to define and consistently stick to. This includes things like your logo, fonts, colour palette and type of imagery used.
Your core messaging, which relates to your values and mission and should be aligned throughout your law firm, should also be included in your brand. It should be developed and understood by every team member so you can ensure your people are fulfilling the requirements of your brand and visual identity.
Your brand is also comprised of your reputation and what clients, ex-employees and others say about your firm. There is no point in creating a visual identity and a list of values on your website that do not actually reflect what your law firm is like to work with and for. You must ensure that all your law firms processes also enable you to meet your values. This might be through responding to negative reviews online, offering training to receptionists and people working on the phone to ensure their manner reflects the values and more. Your law firm should also ensure that its internal culture fits the firm's values too, as your employees can play a big role in showcasing your brand identity.
Your online presence can help to showcase your visual identity through your website and social media profiles, but you can also utilise online reviews, videos and imagery to show your values within your marketing too.
How can you create a strong law firm brand?
Creating a strong law firm brand involves a combination of strategic planning, consistent messaging, and a focus on delivering exceptional client experiences. Here's a step-by-step guide to building a robust brand for your law firm:
- Define your law firm brand identity
Defining your identity is your first step in creating a strong and consistent law firm brand. This includes your values, your law firm's mission, what makes your law firm the way it is, and how this helps you stand out from your competition. It would be beneficial to create a brand guidelines document that covers all these elements that you can share internally, with clients and with an agency if you decide to work with one to help develop your brand.
- Define your law firm’s visual identify
Once you understand what your law firm wants to convey, you can start to think about your visual identity. Use your values, mission and desired clients and relationships to shape your logo, colours, fonts and design elements so your visual identity reflects your brand personality.
- Utilise digital marketing for your law firm brand
Once you have chosen your logo, colours, fonts, etc., you need to ensure these are consistent throughout your law firm's online presence. This includes your social media, website, event pages, and logo on community pages or third-party websites. Create high-quality graphics using your chosen logo, imagery, fonts, and colours to ensure your brand can be identified wherever you go.
- Ensure your law firm meets the branding identity
As mentioned, your offline brand is just as important as your online brand. This usually includes your employees and your office. You need to ensure that your brand is consistent in every aspect, especially in how clients experience your firm. Ensure your team is committed to providing excellent client service at every touchpoint that reflects your values. If one of your values is that you are respectful, you need to ensure that everyone in your team is providing this service to clients.
- Use digital PR to support your law firm’s brand
Once you have a solid visual identity and your offline personality meets all of the values of your firm too, you could improve your brand image and identity further by investing in digital PR. Digital PR will help your law firm to become a thought leader in the industry, which can again help to build the trust and credibility to your clients.
Need a law firm branding agency?
Well, we can help! We have been helping law firms become more successful online for over 20 years. We have supported over 300 websites by bringing their brand to life through their website and have helped to develop these brands over time.
Look at some of the law firm websites we have designed for our clients here.
If you want to discuss your law firm’s branding with us, please contact the team at 0117 325 0200 or sales@conscious.co.uk.