Developing a Personal Brand for Lawyers
Creating a personal brand can be a daunting, mythical task. And one of the easiest ways to get lost in the process is to not know where to start. While you might shy away from branding yourself, you have a reputation that’s worth protecting.
Why it is Important for Lawyers to Build a Personal Brand?
New clients hire the lawyer and not the law firm. Your individual reputation will speak louder than any marketing campaign, so you need to develop a stand-out lawyer personal brand.
Legal firms must mandate effective changes and look at ways of transforming their systems and practices to match the pace of change in the wider world. Without making these changes, it is very difficult for any business, law firms included, to stay competitive in their market and attract new clients. By taking careful, steady steps of preparation and approach, digitization can be a massive opportunity for the growth of law firms around the world.
Recently we have seen lawyers transition from traditional forms of marketing into personal branding on social media in order to build up their personal value proposition but also to create a lasting brand outside of their employer (especially valuable for the sole practitioners or consultants out there). The millennial generation and upcoming younger generations appreciate the effort that professionals make in engaging them, and will gravitate towards those that are transparent and comfortable with showing vulnerability. In both our look-at-me cultural shift and evolving marketplace, it’s both helpful and necessary to stand out from your fierce competition.
Building your personal brand
To begin, you need to identify your area of expertise and define your target audience. What do you do well, and not so well? What don’t your clients and community know about you? What professional and personal experiences do you have that other people do not? Do you approach life and work in a different manner? Are there causes you are particularly passionate about? Think about what you are known for and what you want to be known for. Good marketing and the right tools can help you bridge that gap.
Did you know that the biography section is one of the most-read pages on a law firm website? To take a step back, create or thoroughly review your website. Consider if there are better ways to communicate both the firm and your own personal brand through this medium. Your ability to connect authentically either virtually or in-person could sway the odds in your favor when trying to land a new client. A down-to-earth human connection still matters in business, regardless of the format.
In this day and age, it is essential to maintain a digital professional presence. Don’t undermine the multitude of personal branding opportunities of strategic and high-quality content. Publishing on the right planforms frequented by your target audience is just as important.