What is branding?
Branding is important – not only is it what makes a memorable impression on consumers, but it allows your clients to know what to expect from your company. There are many areas that are used to develop a brand including advertising, customer service, promotional merchandise, reputation, and logo.
Branding is a pivotal facet of your legal marketing strategy because it manifests your purpose. It attracts not only potential clients, but the potential clients that you actually want. The right branding should place you as a potential client’s ultimate choice. Branding should encompass what your mission is about and what type of clients you want to attract.
What are the Key Parts of a Successful Branding Strategy?
Brand Promise
Your Brand Promise is a short statement that tells clients and prospective clients what they can expect when working with a firm. It is not a logo, tagline, or positioning statement, it is an ageless, permanent statement about the value the firm provides to clients. The promise should accurately reflect the certainties of what clients’ experience when working with the firm. Otherwise, it is simply a motivational statement and does nothing to promote or solidify the firm’s reputation in the marketplace.
The difference between a tagline and a positioning statement
A tagline sets the stage in a creative manner by suggesting personality, emotion, or action. As a catchphrase, a tagline becomes an advertising structure, innovatively promoting a brand distinction or distinguishing itself from competing businesses through a combination of words. A tagline is designed to be used in conjunction with the brand as a subliminal trigger that makes the brand more memorable. Taglines are concise, and inventive. A good marketing adage to remember when developing a tagline: “Taglines are designed to be read, not said.”
A positioning statement is the full-fledged version of the tagline. It is designed to swiftly explain what you do and how you do it. That is the brand promise. Like the tagline, it is an opportunity for an organization to illustrate brand distinction or uniqueness, but the purpose of a positioning statement is to clearly outline the who, what and how. The layout is structured more like a sentence. Although it also can be written in clever ways, it must be clear and direct, because it should articulate how you/your firm can help the observer.
Remain consistent
The most important aspect of branding is consistency. Develop a certain style and stay with it! If you remain consistent people will ultimately identify with it. Brand loyalty creates brand ambassadors. You have almost certainly seen the impact loyalty to a brand can have in spreading the word about a new product or service, sharing content, and even bolstering a brand’s reputation when there has been negative press. Brand loyalty and ambassadorship is not just for past and present clients—you can build it through valuable content, contributions to your community, educational events and more.
Use your logo
Your logo is vastly important to your branding strategy. Branding is more than just designing an awesome logo and, ideally, your logo should stand out. It should be something people recognize without any context.
While your logo should not be the be-all-end-all of your branding efforts, you should still put the time and effort into coming up with a professionally designed, memorable logo. Your logo should give the desired impression of your company, so when people see it, they instantly think and feel what you want them to think and feel.
The colors you choose for your logo are of great importance as well. Make sure to use the same colors on your website, in images and in social media. If you use the same colors everywhere, they will become part of your brand.
Branding Improves Recognition
In today’s technology-driven world, consumers process a lot of brand information on a daily basis from TV, social media, billboards, etc. That means it is even more important to have brand recognition than ever.
Each part of your brand plays a part in your recognition. If someone sees your logo on a billboard, they will immediately know that it is your brand. If they hear your tagline or jingle in a commercial, they will know the brand without seeing the rest of the ad. This recognition will help build your brand into a household name.
Use images
Images are an extremely important characteristic of your branding strategy. You can use pictures and illustrations on your website, in your newsletter, on social media or in advertisements. Images ultimately attract attention and draw people to your website and social media accounts.
Branding Generates New Revenue
Branding is one of the best ways to get referral or word-of-mouth business. Therefore, it is important that your logo, marketing, and reputation work cohesively to form an unforgettable impression on consumer minds.
Produce value
You should be producing value with whatever you do. When thinking about the value that you can add, ask questions like:
- What sets your product, service, and company apart from your competitors?
- What value do you provide and how does that value differ from that provided by your competitors?
- How do these benefits tap into your client’s emotions?
- Is what I am producing for my client giving enough value for the price I am charging?
- Is my brand in sync with how I am marketing myself?
Let your audience define your brand and listen when they do.
As your firm grows, pay attention to how your clients perceive you as it will assist you in defining your brand. Read their comments, reviews and pay attention to their feedback. If what they are saying does not align with what you think your brand is, then it may be time to rethink your brand.
Stick to a few things you know and do them best
Defining your brand is crucial. Stay with content and messaging relative to what you do and stick to a few topics.
Do not overextend your brand with too many awesome services and promises. The brands that build authentic brand loyalty over time do one or two things, but they do them better than anyone!
Use people to represent your brand.
It always helps to have a real person represent your brand. Think about a spokesperson who can personify your brand qualities.
For more information, contact Advisory Concepts Evolvers, your law firm marketing company! Voted the best legal marketing agency in Philadelphia and now serving Big Sky, Montana.
Advisory Concepts Evolvers legal marketing company solutions; Google Screened, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Paper Per Click campaign, Reputation Management, Email Marketing, TV Commercials, OTT Connect anywhere TV commercials and Website Design. Call us today for a complimentary consultation at 888-223-5109 or provide us with your contact information!
