Step #1
In my younger days in the business of marketing and advertising, I was in a meeting with the Brand Director at Microsoft. When someone in the meeting referenced a brand project as “something we need to do” the Brand Director quickly corrected that person and said, “Our brand is not something we do. It’s who we are.” Profound? Sure. But it’s also very instructional when it’s time to think about your brand.
In a series of blog posts, I’ll outline what I consider to be the five most important steps in developing a brand vision for your law firm. One that makes you say “That’s who we are.”
But first, let’s quickly define what a “brand” is. It’s actually many things:
A relationship or connection
A reason to believe (and choose)
A set of expectations
A promise
An identity or image
A reputation
A story
So what’s the most important definition? Ask a bunch of brand experts and you’ll get a bunch of different answers. Here’s how I recommend you think about the idea of “brand”:
It’s a relationship one has with a product, service, or company.
Why that definition? Because, to me, if you think about someone (or a large group of someones) having a relationship with your brand, you’re more likely to act in a way that can build it into something stronger and more valuable. The business of practicing law is built on building relationships, so why not think of your brand in the same way?
Now, on to the steps you should consider to identify and build your brand.
Step 1: Determine Your Values
Values are at the very heart of every brand (if it’s an honest brand, that is). And it’s an important place to start as you begin your brand thinking. In the words of Steve Jobs:
“To me, marketing is about values. This is a very complicated world, it’s a very noisy world. And we’re not going to get the chance to get people to remember much about us. No company is. So we have to be really clear on what we want them to know about us.”
So what makes your firm tick? What’s your firm’s “DNA”? What guides you and your business decisions? How do you use values to tell your brand story? I’ll give you a couple of “big brand” examples of brand values.
Starbucks:
This global brand defines their brand values as: Welcoming. Genuine. Knowledgeable. Involved.
Southwest Airlines:
The world’s largest low-cost air carrier claims the brand values of: Freedom. Service. Fun.
Make sense? Do you see those values reflected in those brands? So now the challenge is to come up with 3-5 values-based words that accurately reflect what you believe your business is all about. Be careful not to write a mission statement. And work hard to avoid cliché words like “Innovative” or “Passionate.” Dig deep. Be creative. And most of all, be honest.
Next time: Step #2 – Make a Promise
