Law firms, in our experience, often discover the value of PR when the competition heats up.

New York Law Journal

Faced with the prospect of business slowing or losing market share, leadership concludes that the problem is the lack of attention they’re receiving.

Their concerns about visibility are understandable. Every day in our business, we witness the slugfest for attention inside the digital media mosh pit. It can be unnerving to think you’re losing clients or talent because you’re not getting enough eyeballs.

But it’s not that simple.

In PR, we often look at share of voice, a metric that compares media mentions among competitors. Although helpful, it can be crude and misleading.

For one, it may include negative mentions—perhaps about partners leaving or lawsuits filed against the firm. More importantly, share of voice can fail to measure the quality of mentions. It won’t tell you that most of your mentions came from a partner in a practice area that’s not a priority, for example. Nor will it tell whether the media placement reinforces a message that supports your firm’s business goals.

Too many leaders still think that media attention on its own can elevate their firm’s reputation. But it’s a mistake to embark on a new PR program before thinking about what constitutes a quality mention. The answer requires a law firm to have a shared understanding of its identity and aspirations.

Brand works

When lawyers hear the word “brand,” many of them will think about logos, websites and coffee mugs. Yes, visual identity is part of a brand, but only a tiny part. Ultimately, a brand is an expression of a firm’s values, aspirations and market position. Or, as Jeff Bezos memorably once said, “Brand is what others say about you when you’re not in the room.”

For law firms offering high-end legal services, a distinctive brand has never been more important. The competition for increasingly niche market areas is becoming so intense that firms without a clear focus and identity don’t stand a chance. That’s why having a brand strategy is so crucial. It establishes the market position, values, characteristics, messages and behaviors that together set you apart from your peers.

The big accounting and consulting firms have long recognized the importance of brand when it comes to winning business and retaining talent. Some law firms have been slower to adjust. They have not made the necessary investments, and many law firm leaders have not taken on the challenge of determining which practices, industries and geographies — and therefore, which partners — are the most vital to the firm’s future success.

Building a strong brand requires heavy involvement from leadership invested in the process and outcome. Law firm leaders need to make honest internal assessments of their firm’s capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. They need to solicit client feedback to identify gaps between internal and external perceptions.

Ultimately, they need to rally their firm around a brand strategy that establishes its core value proposition, which is essentially the promise an organization makes to its clients. It answers the essential question, “Why should someone choose you over alternatives?”