While a law firm is a much different type of business than, for example, a retailer or restaurant, there are some tried-and-true branding strategies attorneys can use to enhance the visibility of their legal practices. In fact, effective branding can go a long way toward attracting new clients to your law firm.
Many of the most basic branding strategies for law firms do not require a considerable time or monetary investment. Here are five tips for new firms based on the experience of our legal copywriters:
1. Choose a strong name for your law firm
Most law firms choose the names of their founding partners when determining a name for their practice. Others choose to incorporate their specific area of practice (such as “Smith Personal Injury Law.”)
Whatever name you choose, focus on making it professional and easy to remember. It might, for example, help to arrange the last names of your partners in a way that forms an easy acronym, especially if there are more than two or three founders.
2. Create a logo and determine your firm’s colors
Once you have decided on a name for your firm, you need to create a logo and decide on colors. The color scheme you choose may depend on the services you offer and the brand message you would like to convey.
Your logo should also be basic and professional. It could be the name of the firm or an acronym of your firm’s name in a certain font. It could be a simple, professional font that calls to mind your specialty legal practice areas. Whatever you choose, the logo should be distinct, professional and memorable.
3. Establish an online presence
Having a website for your law firm is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. The internet is far and away the most commonly used tool for looking up firms and finding reviews of legal services. To that end, you should purchase a domain name as soon as you know the name of your firm, get a high-quality web designer to build your site and work with skilled legal copywriters who can create compelling content for your web pages and blog.
4. Be consistent across all marketing channels
Any legal branding or marketing you do should be consistent across all channels. Always be focused on maintaining the image that will help you attract your target clients. If you use different brand messages across different channels, you may confuse potential clients and discourage people from reaching out to your firm.
Consistency adds to your sense of professionalism and will ensure you are getting the same level of quality in your leads from each source.
5. Keep tabs on your marketing budget
Whenever you are making decisions regarding what you will do with your marketing strategies, make sure it fits within your budget. TV advertising is a popular approach for law firms, but it can also be extremely expensive and unrealistic for a new, small law firm. Be sure to explore the potential of content marketing.
Branding might not always be at the forefront of your mind as an attorney, but if you are to consistently attract high-quality leads, it’s worth investing some time and energy into creating a cohesive brand for your firm. Work with a team of legal copywriters for a more cohesive digital marketing strategy.