We have been fortunate enough over the years to work with a number of legal firms. From corporate City legal practices to major regional, established Law firms serving the corporate and family sectors across a major chunk of the South East, and we’ve even worked with innovative legal support service firms. This work has involved depth research, with lawyers and clients alike, it has involved the development of branded propositions and helped with the development of branded collateral, including websites.
The one thing we’ve learned above all others is this – marketing for Law is very different to that for any other sector. And yet, there is a lot of competition in the legal industry in the UK. So, solicitors and barristers and paralegals need to find ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors and showcase their unique value proposition. Barrister chambers in particular face competition from other chambers, as well as alternative legal service providers such as solicitors and legal technology companies.
How?
Let’s start by acknowledging the legal industry has unique restrictions and regulations.
1. Restrictions on advertising: The legal industry has strict regulations on how law firms can advertise their services. For example, we have to be extraordinarily careful around false or misleading statements about our client’s services or qualifications. This should be a given, of course, but the penalties are so high that caution is written into every statement we make on behalf of our clients. There are very limited opportunities for advertising and direct marketing as we need to remember that Barrister chambers cannot directly advertise their services to the public via the media, as solicitors and other legal services can. Even though barristers cannot advertise directly, having a digital presence can help them establish credibility and showcase their expertise.
2. Focus on reputation management: Reputation is critical in the legal industry. Potential clients are more likely to hire a firm if they have a strong reputation and a proven track record of success. As such, marketing strategies for law firms often demand the inclusion of elements of reputation management, such as generating positive reviews and testimonials, participating in thought leadership activities, and highlighting high-profile cases or awards.
3. Emphasis on specialisation: Law firms often focus on specific areas of practice or industries. As such, marketing strategies for law firms often emphasize their specific areas of expertise, rather than trying to appeal to a broad audience. This may involve content marketing or speaking engagements focused on a specific area of the law, such as intellectual property or healthcare law.
4. Building brand awareness: Solicitors and legal practices need to build a strong brand presence to differentiate themselves from their competitors. This can be challenging, especially for newer or smaller practices. Barristers in particular rely on solicitors and other intermediaries to refer clients to them, creating a complex referral network.
5. Legal jargon: Legal terminology can be complex and confusing for the average person. Solicitors need to find a way to communicate their services in plain language that their clients can understand.
6. Competition: There is a lot of competition in the legal industry in the UK. Solicitors need to find ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors and showcase their unique value proposition.
7. Difficult to differentiate: We need to work closely with Solicitors and Chambers to differentiate themselves from other chambers on the basis of their quality of service, pricing, and other factors.
8. Building trust: Clients often have to divulge sensitive and personal information to solicitors. It's important for solicitors to build trust with their clients and establish themselves as reliable and knowledgeable.
9. Keeping up with technology: Technology is changing the way that solicitors work and communicate with their clients. Solicitors need to keep up with the latest technological advancements to stay competitive in the industry.
10. Importance of personal connections: Relationships are critical in the legal industry, and many clients choose to work with a firm based on personal connections or referrals. This had quite different implications for a major law firm in Kent than for a City practice. As such, marketing strategies for law firms may include elements of relationship-building, such as hosting events or participating in networking groups to build connections with potential clients.
Overall, marketing a law firm can require a unique approach due to industry-specific regulations and the emphasis on reputation, specialization, and personal connections. And as much as with any other sector, they must operate within strict ethical guidelines when marketing their services, making it challenging to develop innovative marketing strategies.
However, with a targeted marketing strategy, and working with the right professional marketing support, law firms can successfully build their brand and generate new business.