We grow law firms through diverse, integrated marketing that actually works. No digital buzzwords, no single-channel obsession – just the right mix of tactics driven by proper strategy.
Let’s cut through the marketing rubbish and talk about what actually works in law firm brand identity. After 16 years fixing this stuff, here’s the brutal reality:
The Attention Problem
Your average client spends exactly zero seconds thinking about your brand. They’re bombarded by 9,000 brands daily, and yours is just noise unless you fix that. Most law firms completely miss this fundamental truth.
The Brief Problem
Most law firms start with a terrible brief:
- “Make us look more professional”
- “We want to stand out”
- “Show all our services”
- “Make it modern but traditional”
This is like walking into court without reading the Statement of Claim. You’re dead before you start.
What Actually Works
- Proper Diagnosis First
- Who are you targeting? (Not everyone)
- What do they actually think? (Not what you hope)
- Where are you positioned? (Not where you wish)
- What’s your share of voice vs share of market?
- Clear Strategic Choices
- Pick 2-3 key associations (not 12)
- Make them genuinely different
- Actually deliver on them
- Stick to them long-term
- The 95-5 Reality
- 95% of your market isn’t buying right now
- But they need to know what you stand for
- Your brand identity needs to work for both groups
- You can’t ignore either audience
The Identity Trap
Most firms try to cram everything into their brand identity:
- “We’re innovative AND traditional”
- “We’re premium AND accessible”
- “We’re global AND local”
- “We’re experts in everything”
This is marketing suicide. You can’t get more than 3-4 associations into the market’s mind. That’s not our opinion – that’s empirical fact.
The Budget Reality
Most firms underspend on brand identity. They:
- Waste money on tactical quick fixes
- Don’t budget for proper research
- Skip the diagnostic phase
- Ignore the need for consistent application
The Right Way to Budget
- Start with proper research
- Budget for both brand building (75%) and activation (25%)
- Invest in consistent application across all touchpoints
- Measure actual results, not vanity metrics
The Time Factor
Building a strong brand identity isn’t a three-month project. It’s a long-term commitment that requires:
- Consistent investment over years, not months
- Patient application across all touchpoints
- Regular measurement against real metrics
- Strategic adjustments based on data
The Market Reality
Your competitors are:
- Trying to be all things to all people
- Creating generic “professional” identities
- Changing their look constantly
- Achieving zero differentiation
This creates an opportunity for firms willing to:
- Stand for something specific
- Stick to it long-term
- Actually deliver on their promises
- Measure real results
Ready to build a brand identity that actually works? Let’s start with a proper brief:
- Who are we targeting?
- What do we want them to think?
- How are we different?
- How will we measure success?
Because in a market where everyone looks the same, actually being different (and proving it) is the only thing that works.
The Hard Truth About Next Steps
Look, most firms will read this and do nothing. They’ll keep wasting money on generic branding, trying to appeal to everyone, and wondering why nothing sticks. But you’re not most firms. You know that in a market where everyone plays it safe, playing it safe is the riskiest move of all.
The next 12 months will separate firms into two camps: those who build distinctive brand identities based on proper strategy, and those who keep throwing money at pretty logos hoping something works.