In Black And White : Legal Marketing Strategies & Insights : Paula Black & Associates : Law Firm Marketing, Branding and Positioning

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Forget the bells and whistles... your website needs to reinforce your brand, your message and your points of differentiation via powerful, compelling content.

This week we asked: When visitors come to our firm website they can recognize our points of differentiation...

1. Instantly. 13%

2. Within the first 2 minutes. 29%

3. After poking around the site for a bit. 37%

4. Our website doesn't clearly reflect our points of differentiation. 21%

My Thoughts:

Congratulations to the 42% of you who said visitors to your firm website can recognize your message within the first two minutes. It's a great way to give potential clients an idea of your firm vision and brand. For the 58% who found their message not as obvious... you've got some work to do!

Websites are truly one of the easiest ways to give potential clients (and others) a good picture of who you are and what you do and have the added bonus of being easily updated on a moment's notice. It is the only vehicle that can present up-to-the-minute information about what's happening within your firm. Don't let your site get carried away with the bells and whistles of technology... let it be driven by your brand message with fresh content.

• First, nothing is more of a disconnect than a firm website that takes on an entirely new visual identity. Your site should reflect your firm, from the brochures and advertising to the overall personality. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.
• Second, take the time to have a clear logo, full firm name and brief synopsis of what you do on the home page. What makes YOU different?
• Third, be concise but informative! Your firm website is a great place to expand on information you may have left out of other legal marketing materials, but be sure to edit yourself. If you must go longer than two or three paragraphs consider using subheads between them to better organize the information.
• Fourth, think about layout. Type should be designed to pull their eye to the most important information on the screen. If they glance at the screen what words or statements do they see instantly? Remember not EVERYTHING can be important.
• Finally, think like the client. What would you like to know? What do they want and value? That means keeping attorney bios clearly organized and easy-to-read; practice area descriptions free from legalese; and (once again) contact information clearly labeled and thorough.

One last thought: Be honest when planning your site. If your firm events occur only once a year...don't put up an events page. If you're not able to keep up with blog posts... don't add a blog. Be aware of what's online and make the necessary adjustments.

To quote my friend Marlon Hill of delancyhill:

"To see results from your marketing efforts you need to be consistent and deliberate and inspire confidence in your services and position in the industry."

Black Pearl: The best way to understand great content is to see it in action. Try browsing through different sections of The Webby Awards (such as Best Copywriting or Best Navigation). Even if the industry is outside the law, it's a good way to see what works on the web and get valuable ideas to translate over to your own site.
 

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Last week we took a look at five important marketing materials. This week I want to discuss one in depth. Your website. These days nearly everyone has a website. Unfortunately, not everyone has a truly business development-driven website. Forget for a moment the possibilities of technology...we challenge firms to use their on-line presence as more than just a showplace and focus on the words, the message and the BRANDING that can stimulate business development. Sure, visitors may be impressed with your tech-savvy but what makes them stay and read is good, clear, interesting content that reinforces your points of differentiation.

Question of the week: Does your website content truly reflect your brand?
 

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By regularly reevaluating even the simplest of marketing tools, you will make it easier to continually present a current visual representation of your firm.

This week we asked: When was the last time you evaluated your marketing materials?

1. ... within the last 6 months. 15%

2. ... within the last year. 37%

3. ... within the last 2 years. 13%

4. ... within the last 3 years or more. 35%

My Thoughts:
The results are almost evenly split... 52% that have focused and kept materials current... and 48% that have ignored their materials and the potential they have to help or hinder your business development efforts. Where do YOU fall?

As I mentioned on Tuesday, these five marketing materials are important tools in your ongoing marketing and business development efforts. They are what clients and potential clients will remember about you and your firm when you’re not around.  A few tips:

• Your website. Forget the fancy bells and whistles, does your website reflect your firm? Can a visitor to the site immediately understand who you are and what you do? If not, it may be time for an update.
• Your attorney biographies. An easy way to update your materials. Keep the information short and relevant to the clients that you are trying to land, not the ones you already have       
• Your business cards. Think outside the box...turn them vertical if your logo allows, go for a 2-sided card so that your firm name (or logo) takes center stage on one side or even add a tagline for extra marketing message punch.       
• Your brochure. Does your brochure have personal quotes from firm partners? Does it give statistics on the number of closings you did last year? Does it feel like it truly fits with your other materials or could it be generic to any firm your size? Use the website to get into real details...use your brochure to set the tone and keep it short and to the point.      
• Your E-mail. It may be simple but having a formatted e-mail signature with your firm logo, tagline (if you have one) and contact information lends an extra air of sophistication to an otherwise basic form of communication. Have them personalized for each attorney, secretary and paralegal...it will be a small detail that people will notice. 

As Gail McQuilken of Kozyak Tropin Throckmorton says:

“Brochures are not something that gets you the business. They are follow-up pieces that make people feel good about you. We take our firm’s brochure with us when we go out to see people. It’s a nice piece that carries through the look and feel of the firm, and the level of skill we have in handling sophisticated cases.”

Black Pearl: Although he hasn't yet posted his reviews for 2010, Micah Buchdahl's internetmarketingattorney.com is a great place to spend some time browsing through others firms' websites. By ranking and evaluating these law firm websites, Buchdahl gives great insight and might just inspire some new ideas for your own firm.
 

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Law firm marketing materials can encompass everything from business cards to brochures to websites and are often one of the most overlooked aspects in day-to-day law firm marketing. In my mind there are five major materials you need to evaluate: your website, your brochure, your business cards, your e-mail and your biographies. It takes just a few minutes but can make a big difference.

Question of the week: When was the last time you evaluated your marketing materials?
 

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A firm name is a sensitive subject, but ultimately your first opportunity to create a lasting impression.

This week we asked: How many partner names are in your logo?

1. One name - 17%

2. Two names - 32%

3. Three names - 15%

4. Four or more names - 36%

My Thoughts: Kudos to those brave souls with one name! OUTSTANDING! 32% with two names: your memorable factor is GREAT. 15% with three names: that is GOOD. But... it's clear that many of you have work ahead of you... 36% have four or more names in your logos. You have a challenge and I bet my last dollar that your street name is shortened to the first two names... am I right? Come on, be honest!

If people have already shortened it out of EASE... shouldn't you?

Our number one rule for firms looking to update their branding is this: shorter is better. Shorter firm names are easier to remember, easier to say and easier to design a visual identity around. Of course, shortening a firm name is never easy. Most partners have worked for years to get their name in the firm logo, which makes cutting it down an incredibly sensitive subject.

 In the case of partner ego—a good solution is to use a shorter name for the visual identity while keeping the legal name of the firm written above the address line on the stationary,etc. using the same font as the address.

If all else fails call in a marketing professional or consultant. Sometimes the truth is easier to swallow from a stranger. By approaching the discussion from a branding and marketing point of view you can, together, navigate the waters and achieve a delicate balance of personality, simplicity, memorability and ego.

There is a way to deal with both sides of this challenge. Take a cue from Michael Fichtel of Kelley Kronenberg:

“Shorter firm names are easier to remember – and when it came to our firm’s name, it was possible to balance fairness and brevity. Our solution was to use the first two names for the logo and list all name partners on the address line or below the logo in our printed materials. I think it will prove to be a good balance.”

Black Pearl: Bill Torpy writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote "A law firm with one name? Is it... legal?"

 

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The cornerstone of your brand is your firm name. If you don't have name recognition... what do you have? Is yours memorable or is it a mouthful? Is your receptionist the only one that gets it all out, and it's so fast that no one really understands what she said?

Over the next day try this test: tell five people your firm's name. A day later ask them to recall it in its entirety. If they can't remember... you know you have work to do.

This week's question is: How many partner names are you using in your firm name?

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Repetition! Repitition! Repitition!

This week we asked: Are you protecting your brand?

1. Lent our firm name to a project/event that did not further our brand. 16%

2. Drawn business in via synergistic and brand appropriate partnerships. 5%

3. Had multiple logos/colors/fonts on firm materials. 79%

4. Created strict guidelines for use of logos/colors/fonts. 0%

5. Created a "sub-brand" for a firm project or business endeavor. 0%

6. Had multiple and eclectic business entities under one brand name or logo. 0%

My Thoughts: WOW... 95% of you are faced with an uphill battle. Multiple logos... colors... and fonts on your firm materials, as well as, lending your name to endeavors that don't build on the foundation of your brand; that is NOT how you create a strong memorable brand. A few pieces of advice:

Never, never dilute your brand. Remember the power of repetition and the importance of establishing a clear visual connection back to your firm. Think hard about whether your materials fit into that idea and make sure that firm members are clear about how and when to use logos. Your brand is your business. 

Never let a project overwhelm the brand. No matter what type of fundraiser or event your firm is participating in, the overall vision should stick closely to the original brand. Don't forget that everything must be done through the prism of the firm's brand strategy...or you put your brand at risk.

Practice groups need to stay loyal to the overall brand. Whether you have two or twenty, each group is still beholden to the identity of the firm as a whole. That means no playing with logos, colors or layouts when it comes to Power Point and other materials viewed by clients. 

Establish clear brand guidelines. Where and how the logo can be placed, the colors that can be used, etc...and, for those willing to go the extra mile, brand templates.

Don’t play with your logo. Whether it is on letterhead or golf balls, your logo is the most prominent visual symbol of your firm. Never forget that. Many firms have a tendency to put the materials ahead of the logo and want to manipulate and rework their logo to make it fit with whatever they're working on at that moment. Don't let anyone do it.

Create a tagline or sub-brand. What do clients value? What sets you apart from the other guys? How are you different? This will add to the power of your established brand. Take a cue from my friend Joe Gagliardo of Laner Muchin:

 “We’ve worked hard to brand ourselves as the ‘2-Hours Guaranteed’ law firm.Surprisingly, the ‘2-Hours Guarantee’ was in effect a long time before I ever got here, and that was over 18 years ago. We never really thought about it until we had a marketing person come in and tell us that while he was interviewing clients, everybody kept talking about this 2-Hour Rule. We wish we would have formalized the 2-Hour Rule sooner.”

Black Pearl: As we begin our discussion of branding you may want to take a look at my first (award-winning!) book The Little Black Book on Law Firm Branding and Positioning. The book is a great introduction to the basic principles of branding and positioning as they relate to both law firms and lawyers themselves.

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When it comes to law firm marketing and business development your best efforts are only as strong as your brand. Your brand is what the world recognizes (or will come to recognize) when they think of your firm: its visual identity, its message, its voice. From website to letterhead your brand is the first thing outsiders see and perhaps one of the most important aspects of marketing for firms to focus on, in order to build a foundation for the future.

One of the key strategies in creating a brand is repetition... repetition... repetition! Did I say repetition?

Once you start diluting that identity you risk confusing clients and hindering business development efforts. You may be tired of the same old thing...but that's only because you see it every day. Your market doesn't.

Question of the week: Are you protecting your brand?