What lawyer doesn’t dream of seeing their name become a brand? A brand name guarantees the continuity of the structure. It reduces the firm’s vulnerability to the intuitu personae relationship between lawyer and client. It reassures the client. A brand has all the qualities… So how can we ensure that the firm’s name becomes a brand and that one day clients will say: “my lawyer is MARQUE” just as they say “my lawyer is Gide”, even though Pierre Gide died decades ago.
There is no magic formula and, above all, you need an excellent law firm capable of delivering quality services for many years.
However, there are certain levers that lawyers can work on to turn their firm’s name into a brand.
Storytelling. You can tell the firm’s story. The entrepreneurial adventure, the circumstances surrounding the creation of the firm, the highlights of the firm’s history. All these elements build its brand equity. The story doesn’t have to go back to the 19th century. It can be recent. Storytelling is a very powerful way of connecting with a brand, as demonstrated by the work done by more and more major brands on their heritage and history. For law firms, the idea is the same: to tell the story of their evolution and ambition.
Targeting. The brand is aimed at customers. When it comes to services or advice, it is this targeting that will trigger a process of identification with the potential customer. A film producer trusts a particular lawyer. A food company trusts another. The more precise the targeting, the more this process of identification will take place and the more people will follow a particular target category. The practice becomes aspirational.
Customer benefit. How will I benefit from consulting one firm more than another? The answer to this question is customer benefit. It’s a brand strength. I am a client of a firm because it provides me with an online collaborative space so that I can follow and intervene in my cases. I am a client of a firm because it has a network of correspondents in South America. Customer benefit can be found in technical skills, customer service or knowledge of a sector. It is defined by excellence and differentiation.
Consistency. The brand conveys a constant message. A Mercedes dashboard looks like a Mercedes dashboard. The law firm that seeks to build its brand will do so through the consistency and coherence of these messages. A chameleon law firm that changes its approach or methods for each client will not be able to create a lasting link between what it is and an enduring, identifiable brand.
A brand is built over time. When Dupont & associés becomes DUPONT in the minds of the public concerned, and DUPONT is no longer a person but a signature, the benefits will far outweigh the efforts made.
