If You Build It, They (Clients) Will Come – A Lawyer’s Personal Brand

By Hilary Clarke, Founder, Potentia Coaching

Welcome to the first of a series of blogs on personal branding for lawyers.  This blog deals with the all-important question, why is a personal brand important? At first blush, it might seem odd to talk about personal branding for lawyers. Arguably, brands are more suited to companies and products and are too “salesy” for lawyers.  In fact, given the current fierce competition in the legal market, building one’s brand is critical for a lawyer’s success today.

WHAT IS A PERSONAL BRAND

Before delving into why building a brand is so important, let’s start with what a personal brand is.  A brand is simply each lawyer’s unique combination of professional and personal strengths and aspirations.  Some of these we all think of as being included in personal brand, including experience, expertise and directory rankings.  However, personal brand is much more than this.  It includes such things as:

  • working/communication style;
  • network;
  • value proposition;
  • personal qualities like integrity, confidence, tenacity, creativity, and EQ; and
  • your ideal file/client.

WHY IS A PERSONAL BRAND IMPORTANT FOR CLIENTS

There are a number of reasons why having a strong personal brand is important for clients.  First, a strong brand builds credibility and trust, which clients look for in a lawyer above everything. In addition, with a clear brand, clients know the type and quality of services you provide which will:

  • attract clients to you; 
  • enable clients to differentiate you from your competitors; 
  • put clients at ease in hiring you; 
  • justify the client’s decision to hire you, if ever challenged.

 A strong brand not merely attracts clients, it also means that you will be able to charge more for your services – clients are prepared to pay more for what is recognizable and trusted.

WHY IS A PERSONAL BRAND IMPORTANT FOR LAWYERS

Building an effective personal brand, that reflects your strengths and aspirations, will attract clients and help build your practice and your firm.  It also has three significant advantages for you personally:

  • having a brand enables you to be more focused and strategic in the work, marketing and professional development that you do;
  • by being more focused and strategic, you are more effective and efficient in the work, marketing and professional development that you do;
  • with a clear brand, you are better able to market your services;
  • more importantly, your firm, your clients and your entire network will be better able to market your services by being able to easily articulate the value you provide, and the types of situation you are uniquely qualified to deal with; and
  • your brand will attract the roles, responsibilities and opportunities that you really want and excel at, which will make you a more confident, more successful and ultimately happier lawyer.

If you would like to learn more about the importance of personal branding for lawyers, please contact me at hilary.clarke@potentiacoaching.ca

Stay tuned for my next blog on how to identify your personal brand!

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Posted by on 27th March 2016
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