Social media has become a major talking point in the realm of marketing and business development. Today, almost every professional has a LinkedIn profile, if not a blog, twitter account and yes, even Facebook page. Whether or not you choose to participate in any of the above, you should know that everything that’s put out into the world needs to reflect your personal brand.
Question of the week: Does your social media reflect your personal brand?
There are 4 simple ways that you can dramatically increase your visibility-- and credibility-- in the circles you want to be known.
This week we asked: In the past six months I have:
Written an article - 51%
Given a speech - 19%
Made use of social media - 4%
Started a book - 0%
Done nothing to increase my visibility - 26%
My thoughts: It’s great that 74% of you have done SOMETHING over the past six months to increase visibility. It all ties into building your personal brand!
For those of you who have yet to read my E-book “Be A Celebrity In Your Own World,” I thought I would go over a few quick points in the 4-step plan. For more in-depth discussion, click the link in the Black Pearl below—it’s a quick and easy read. For those who have already read it, I'm curious to know what actions you've taken since then and how you've seen your visibility improve.
The thing to remember with all of these strategies is this: do everything through the prism of your own personal branding. Make sure that everything that is put out into the world reflects the visual and verbal ideas that you’ve set up and that it speaks directly to your target market.
As my colleague Peter Russin of Meland Russin & Budwick said:
“One's ability to generate business depends in large part on reputation and visibility. Reputations are built via hard work and providing intelligent,creative, ethical, caring advice to clients. Visibility is achieved by being involved in professional and charitable organizations, going to public functions, and publishing well-written material.”
Black Pearl: As I mentioned above, download my free e-book “How To Be A Celebrity In Your Own World.” It’s short and informative and will spell out, in detail, the strategies I’ve covered in this post.
You can’t have a brand without visibility. It’s rocket fuel for your marketing and business development efforts. We’ve discussed the importance of Google (if you haven’t yet, go Google yourself... you may be surprised what potential clients will see first), but there are many other options to increasing your visibility… and credibility.
Question of the week: What are you doing to increase your visibility?
You can never be all things to all people. It’s important to recognize your target market and make THEM your focus.
This week we asked: My target market:
1. Is abundantly clear - 53%
2. Is somewhat clear - 47%
3. Is not clear to me at all - 0%
My Thoughts: It’s great that over half of you have a clearly defined target market. That’s a huge step in making sense of your personal brand. For the rest of you, take some time to look over your client list… then make a list of the dream clients you want to have. Market to them. In simple terms: market to what you want, not what you have.
Identifying your target market is an extremely important step in not only building your brand, but in all aspects of your marketing and business development. Here’s why: Once you’ve defined your market it makes it easier to speak to them. You can focus on what THEY want, what THEY value, what THEY look for in an attorney. Once you’ve identified those things you are better able to speak to them in their own language. Don’t tell them what you want to say… tell them what they want to know.
Some great advice from my friend Patrick Mead of Carter Newell:
"Differentiate yourself through specialization and expertise. This takes time--be prepared to invest time in building your own sphere of excellence and then do the same things well over and over and over.”
Black Pearl: Defining a target market is a basic principle of smart marketing. Here are two great pieces that focus on non-law firm examples... but do a great job of illustrating its importance. The first discusses the now-famous Apple iPad and its search for a target market; while the second is from Business Week and looks at an equally important group: the clients your firm DOESN'T want.
Strong branding REQUIRES that you have a clear target market. In other words: any group, or individual (for that matter) that you need in order to succeed. Your homework for the week: Sit down and think about who YOU want to gain business from. It could be fortune 500's, financial institutions, rocket scientists OR... other lawyers. Narrow your focus and see where you stand…
Question of the week: Do you know who your target market is?
From Martha Stewart to Alan Dershowitz, all successful marketers need a verbal identity to illustrate what they stand for and how they stand apart.
The question this week was: I can verbalize what sets me apart:
1. In one sentence - 0%
2. In one paragraph - 0%
3. In a somewhat rambling way - 50%
4. I can’t verbalize it - 50%
My Thoughts: An even split between "rambling" and "can't verbalize it"... not so good! The questions for most of you become: What exactly do you stand for? What COULD you stand for? What makes YOU stand out in your firm culture? You may be the one with all the answers; the one that can make on-the-spot decisions; the one who takes on the toughest of cases; or simply the one who knows their clients inside and out. The key is to communicate that to the rest of the world…and especially to your target market (but more on that next week).
And if you don’t know what you stand for? Don’t be afraid to ask. Others who have worked with you might have a great sense of what makes you rise above the crowd, so take their comments to heart and see how it fits in with the brand you want to build.
Some great advice from my friend Jeff Kennedy of Martin Pringle:
“Always have a ‘30-second commercial’ ready in your mind, so when someone asks you what you do, you have a prepared response.”
Black Pearl: When crafting your message read “Made To Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath. They offer great insight on creating a message that will resonate with your market.
This week we need to address the second step in defining your personal brand. The verbal identity. You’re not just a lawyer… you’re a specialist. It may be in criminal law, real estate law or immigration. How can you own a slice of your specialty? This is the time to verbalize the big idea that will resonate with your market. It may be a keyword or an original name, an approach or simply a point of view. What’s yours?
Question of the week: Do you know what you stand for?
Whether it’s bow ties, a bald head or a signature pin, never underestimate the power of your visual identity… it can make you memorable.
This week we asked:
I have a clear visual identity or trademark…
Yes 0%
No 50%
Maybe 50%
My Thoughts: So, no one is clear and we are evenly split between uncertainty and no vision. Pinpointing what makes you memorable is the first step in using it to your advantage. I hope this conversation has opened eyes and encouraged you to find your own. Can’t think of anything? Ask your friends, family and colleagues!
As for mine? I always wear black. Everywhere, everyday, and to every meeting or event that I attend. And you can bet that people remember my name. That’s the power of a visual trademark. A personal brand means a package that may not be perfect, but is certainly unique. Think about the last time you met someone new—on first glance what would they remember about you? What makes you stand out?
Some great examples of linking a visual identity with a memory can be seen within the fragrance industry. I would be willing to bet that almost everyone reading this would be able to identify their favorite perfume or cologne simply by the shape of the bottle. Now close your eyes and imagine the smell of that fragrance. Got it? That’s packaging. On the people side there are more examples than I can even relay: think Larry King’s suspenders, Jackie Kennedy’s sunglasses, or even Albert Einstein’s hair (I bet you immediately recognized him--even in bobblehead form!). The key is to stand out from the crowd.
As my colleague John Genovese of Genovese Joblove & Battista says:
“First impressions are the most important, you'll never get to re-do a first meeting.”
Black Pearl: For those of you who watched "The Today Show" segments I posted on Friday (and if you didn't, I encourage you to go back and do so!), I thought I would share Martin Lindstrom's book, Buyology. It's an interesting study on what influences our decisions and shapes our taste ...
Research shows that it only takes two seconds for people to develop a strong first impression. Smart? Likeable? Trustworthy? And it’s all based on the visual. YOUR visual identity, your package, your trademark. Just like a trademark Tiffany-blue box or the bright red of a Coke can… you can create a memorable image as well.
Question of the week: Are you making the most of your visual identity?
*Special Friday Post
While we’ve just begun our discussion on creating a personal brand, the ideas behind it have been around a long time. The best and most creative personal brand examples? Celebrities! I recently caught this segment on personal branding on The Today Show and wanted to share it with my readers. I think it’s a great introduction to the idea of a personal brand, and a great example of translating the visual and verbal trademarks we all have into business development. I hope you enjoy it!
PART 1:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
PART 2:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
How do you create a personal brand? You make a commitment to do something every single day.
This week we asked: My personal brand is...
My Thoughts:
Surprisingly, almost all of you who voted said your personal brand "needs some work." It's fine to admit that your personal brand may not be instantly apparent, it simply means that it's time to sit down and take inventory of what makes you stand out from the other millions of attorneys in the world.
As I said on Tuesday, creating and furthering your personal brand is an important part of building a foundation for all of your marketing and business development efforts. Not everyone wears black everywhere (but I do!), not everyone has worked with high profile clients (have you?) and not everyone is an expert in your field (aren’t you?). These are all basic elements of personal branding. The key is figure out how to make them work for you.
In my opinion there are 4 basic steps to creating your personal brand:
In the coming weeks we'll be discussing all four points in-depth. For now, as my friend Dr. Andreas Bittner of the German law firm Grützmacher/Gravert /Viegener says:
“Show your personality and charisma, it is not necessary to be always in line. We and our firm need to differentiate from other law firms and their art to handle business. In a people business we must show our individuality and not be afraid of it.”
Black Pearl: Those of you who are a little skeptical about personal branding will enjoy this column from The New York Times. It's a great first-person account of one woman's foray into the world of personal branding. My favorite quote? "If you don't brand yourself, Google will brand you." How true that is.
We’ve spent the past few weeks looking at your firm brand. What it is, how it’s conveyed and what it means. Now I’d like to move on to another branding topic: your personal brand. We all know it’s not enough to simply do a great job anymore… you need a competitive advantage. Something that will make YOU stand out. YOU are your brand. Your personal brand will help you leverage your assets, strengths, expertise and experience. Forget what others think today—perception is reality, and if you can create a memorable brand you can differentiate yourself from the competition.
Question of the week: Have you defined your personal brand?
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.
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.
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?
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:
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.
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?
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?"
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?
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.
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?
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