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No law firm brand lasts forever, no matter how strong or well-known it might be. Every brand needs to evolve—or even be replaced—as the organization it represents changes over time. It must also adapt to external developments, such as new competitive threats, demographic shifts, or technology disruptions.
How can you determine if it’s time to evolve or replace your firm’s brand? Here are the six key questions to ask.
The Six Questions that Illuminate the Six Signs
1. Do we look dated?
What seemed cutting edge just a few years back can look dull and tired today. Take a look at some of the brands you admire, within the legal field and beyond. How does your brand stack up? What message does your color palette, photography choices and even typography send? Do they reflect who you are today?
2. Do we sound like every other firm?
As important as the way you look is the way you come across in the words you use to describe your firm. Are you falling back on familiar phrases like “client-centric” and “trust and transparency?” Have you found a way to communicate what truly sets you apart?
3. Are we resonating with talented recruits?
The competition for top legal talent is fierce—and growing more intense each year. Your brand needs to communicate not only why you’re the right firm for prospective clients, but also why you’re the right firm for talented attorneys and staff.
4. Are we speaking with one voice?
Too often, attorneys from various practices describe the firm in different ways. This is a missed opportunity to establish and reinforce a single brand that builds brand equity at every communications touchpoint.
5. Have we recently merged?
Consolidation among law firms is accelerating. A strong, consolidated brand is key to realizing the full potential of the merger. If you’ve recently merged, it’s vital to find the DNA that runs through both firms and use it as a foundation on which to build a single, unifying brand.
6. Has our firm evolved?
Perhaps you’ve launched a new practice. Entered a new geography. Made several high-profile hires. These developments can often change the culture of a firm, bring it face-to-face with new competitors, and make existing communications obsolete. Failure to evolve your brand to keep up with the firm itself will result in dissonance that confuses and even alienates clients—and potentially your own people.
If you answered “Yes” to one or more of these questions, it’s time to take a hard look at your firm’s brand. We also recommend reading our e-book, The Deliberative World of Law Firm Branding. The e-book explains how to create a compelling and differentiated law firm brand—starting with making the case for brand to partners with exacting standards.
Want to discuss evolving or rebuilding your law firm brand? Let’s talk.
