Building your brand is essential to attracting clients and appealing to lawyers and firms who may be interested in working with you.
With intense competition in the legal field, you cannot afford to be complacent. We recommend you be proactive in identifying your core competencies and key differentiators that help you stand out from the crowd. Crafting a message is key, and getting that message out will help you build your client network and advance your career.
When crafting your message, here are a few key points to think about:
What steps you are taking to build a strong practice?:
New clients won’t just come to you. You need to get your name out there. There are two elements to this, marketing for future opportunities and selling when you are in front of the potential client. For marketing purposes, consider speaking engagements and publishing in journals and news magazines. Your firm should implement a strong website and make sure that your biography paints you as someone your potential clients want to work with. Use social media to connect with potential clients. You should always be looking for ways to expand your reach and help clients learn what you can offer. Once you have them face-to-face, this is your time to earn their trust, their business, and close the deal! The key to selling is simply…asking for their business.
Your biography should speak to the type of person you are and the practice you have:
That’s an obvious statement but ask yourself the following questions: Is your biography comprehensive, with details on your accomplishments? Have you showcased the skills and capabilities that can provide value to clients? Your biography is your chance to introduce yourself and convince potential clients you have the experience and expertise to be entrusted with their most pressing legal issues. It is also an opportunity to showcase your professional goals and how those goals will be beneficial to future employers. A biography is more than a resume, it is an opportunity to speak towards where you are taking your career in the future and why people want to work with you.
Is your message to clients earning their business and helping you land your next role?:
Your marketing efforts will be for naught if the message you’re conveying is not what clients are looking for. Same goes for future employers. Your message should be strong and specific, offering something unique, that will differentiate you from your competition. Study your market and figure out what potential clients will likely care about, and use your website and other marketing materials to show clients how you can provide the expertise that they need. It is also incredibly important to show that your experience is unique and highly sought after in the marketplace in a way that a future employer would care about.
Are you continually improving?:
You should go beyond required CLEs to find ways to improve both your legal skills and your business acumen. You can attract clients and appeal to other law firms by looking closely at what clients and employers are looking for in an attorney and finding ways to develop the most in-demand skills. For example, the University of Missouri conducted a survey to determine what clients really want from their attorneys. Their research revealed that clients prioritize listening skills, effective communication, responsiveness, and anticipation of clients needs. By researching the abilities and attributes that are in demand, you can take steps to further develop and showcase both soft and hard skills that clients indicate are most important to their satisfaction. Then take action and move before your competition makes you move. In other words, be proactive versus reactive in ensuring you are the best at your craft.
Effective marketing is essential, especially in the age of the Internet. A recent study reports that 81% of law firms are active on at least one social media platform. By effectively showcasing your experience using the World Wide Web, as well as in local forums and in-person meetings, you can demonstrate your abilities to clients so they will be more likely to reach out.
Are you looking for a new opportunity?
Quaero Group provides assistance to attorneys in building their brand, building their legal practice, and finding interesting and lucrative work. We have some great success stories about the attorneys we have placed and how their career trajectory changed due to our speaking to our client. Contact Quaero Group, Recruiters of Attorneys Nationwide, to discover more about how we can help you to maximize your professional opportunities.