In the legal sector, where the introvert personality type tends to proliferate, the idea of building a personal brand makes many lawyers shudder.
Many of us Brits are reluctant to blow our own trumpets and feel uncomfortable when the spotlight is on us; self-promotion feels, to be blunt, a bit tacky!
But this is a reticence we are going to have to get over, to thrive in today’s world. Many individual lawyers are already fully embracing the social media space to reach out to potential clients and are reaping the benefits.
Why do you need to do it?
It’s no longer enough for law firms or barristers’ chambers to promote their business as a whole; business is becoming increasingly personal. If clients are going to buy services they want to really know the people who are providing those services. You could say they are not buying a service at all, but a relationship.
In an ever more competitive market, a lawyer with a developed personal brand can become the “go to” person in their field, known for their successes and achievements, which will help them consistently win work.
A lawyer who shares their personality and their stories helps potential clients feel like they know who they are dealing with.
Specialists in areas which involve marketing to individuals such as family and employment law can particularly benefit from an injection of the personal into the professional profile (while still showcasing expertise and excellence).
In an age where values are increasingly important to consumers, a lawyer with a strong personal brand can easily demonstrate alignment with the values of their potential clients.
How to do it
“Your personal brand should follow you everywhere you go. It needs to be an authentic manifestation of who you are and amplify what you believe.”
There are numerous ways you will build and develop your personal brand: through talking at conferences, writing articles or guest blogs for third parties, through internal activity at your firm such as delivering training or mentoring, through your own Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts demonstrating your thought leadership, campaigning on issues you believe in and supporting charities you care about.
Ultimately, building a personal brand involves some opening up and sharing. A bland, corporate, impersonal image just isn’t going to cut it! While lawyers may feel uncomfortable at first sharing details of their personal life, a platform such as Instagram provides an easy, non-intrusive way to reveal snippets such as pictures of your pets, that will help to build a picture of who you are.
Here are some tips to bear for building a great personal brand:
- Be authentic: be the real you and share your personality, people can spot a phoney! Even if you start small – by posting pictures on Instagram, you will grow in confidence. A great way to talk directly to your audience is by recording a vlog or podcast.
- Be clear: clarity is the key to explaining to your audience who you are and what your principles are. This may be as simple as publicising a charity you really care about. Share your thoughts and opinions but be clear about what you stand for and what you don’t.
- Be consistent: try and promote one key message at a time, don’t bombard your audience with unconnected content, everything should feed back to this one clear message.
- Tell a story: not only does this make things more interesting, it also couldn’t be easier for you to do – by recording a short video on your phone and posting. This will help you showcase your skills and achievements in a creative way and could help your audience connect with you more easily.
- Remember it’s not just about you: as you grow your brand, its important to help your community of followers and put something back.
- Don’t expect instant perfection: trial and error and the occasional mistake along the way will help you hone and improve your brand and how it is perceived by others; a personal brand is an ongoing project that constantly evolves.
- Be memorable: we are all different so when it comes to standing out from the crowd try and come up with something unique that will make people remember you – be it a catch phrase, a mascot, an outfit or accessory or just an original opinion or theory!
- Niche, niche and niche some more: ideally you want to be the “go to” person in your space. Decide what that is and specialise as much as you can, be proud to be the nerd on that topic. This will enable you to become known for your thought leadership.
Conclusion
Just last year, I was talking about why businesses need to be on Instagram in my blog. It already feels like things have moved on. While Instagram is without doubt an invaluable business tool, it seems that the future is personal. Lawyers who refuse to open-up and engage in a personal way, risk being left behind!
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