What makes your practice different from others? Is it your gregarious and charming approach? Your relentless work ethic? Do you offer a service in a way or at a level that nobody else does? When it comes to running a successful business, separating yourself from the competition is vital. The legal space is quite crowded. In order to make an impact with your target audience, your firm is going to need differentiators- and you are going to want to market those differentiators at every opportunity.
A differentiator is something that your law firm does that other law firms do not, and it should be something that creates value for your clients. For example, if you are a personal injury firm, a strong differentiator could be having a 24-hour intake line. Personal injuries can happen at any time of the day or night, so if you market to your community that you always have someone on the phone, victims of personal injury accidents are going to be more likely to call you when they are hurt outside of business hours. Another strong differentiator? Bilingual services.
The key to strong differentiators is commitment. Once you decide what your differentiators are, make sure that they are communicated across your legal practice. Everyone from the senior partners to the paralegals and administration staff should know off the top of their heads what makes your practice different and great. If everyone is pushing the same message, it will leave a strong impact on your clients. Do not overdo it with differentiators, choose 3-5 strong ones and stick to those. Once they have been established and communicated internally, it is time to use them in marketing.
Here are 5 ways to market your firm’s differentiators:
- Make them incredibly prominent on your website. You want people who land on your site to recognize your value as a legal team immediately. Work your differentiators right into your homepage, and make sure it is above the fold. You want them to be the very first thing that website visitors see. Using the example outlined above, that personal injury firm could use a homepage banner that says “The only local law firm with a 24-hour intake line. We don’t expect you to get hurt on our schedule.” Anyone who visits that site will get an immediate sense of how that legal team differs from all of the others.
- Build them into digital ads. Your differentiators should be designed to draw potential customers into your business. Create google search and display ads that communicate your differentiators, and include explanations as to why they are important. Ads that include differentiators will immediately stand out from the competition. When it comes to Google search ads, it is common for a bunch of competing firms to have ads displaying together. If you create an ad that focuses on differentiators, it will immediately stand out from competing ads that make generic offerings and promises. Your target audience will be able to immediately compare and contrast.
- Put them in your social profile bios, and regularly post about them. Your differentiators should never be hard to find, which means that they should exist right within your Twitter and Instagram bios. In addition, you should regularly post about your differentiators. Share them, explain them, and offer examples. An Instagram post that reads “David was in a car accident in the middle of the night. He called our 24-hour intake line and within no time at all, had secured strong representation. We recently secured a large settlement for David that completely covered the cost of his accident and his medical care…and we can do the same for you. #24hourintake.” explains why your differentiator matters through a real-world example.
- Use them in emailing. If you have an email database, you should be regularly sending out marketing emails. Crafting a strong HTML email or even a text note from your founder that includes your differentiators is a great way to reach your database on an individual and personal level.
- Print them on your business cards. Differentiators can make you memorable. Instead of simply putting the name of your law firm and your contact information on a business card, include one to two of your most prominent differentiators. It will leave a significant impact on whomever you hand your card to.
Coming up with differentiators is not always easy, especially in such a highly competitive space. If your law firm needs help identifying or establishing differentiators, contact Abogados NOW for assistance. We are experienced multicultural marketers. Working with us is an immediate differentiator for nearly any law firm.
So don’t wait for your competition to beat you to the punch. Call us today to start your differentiator journey.